# Switch Pro Controller and Joy-Con Tester

> Test a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller or Joy-Con in your browser: every button, both sticks, ZL/ZR, Capture and Home, plus Joy-Con drift. Free.

Canonical page: https://controllertests.com/controller-test/switch-pro/

Pair your Switch Pro Controller or Joy-Con with your computer or phone and check every button and stick live — with a drift reading built in.

**Interactive tool:** this page hosts a free test that runs locally in the visitor's web browser (no install, no upload). To use it, open https://controllertests.com/controller-test/switch-pro/ in a browser on the device that has the hardware attached.

## Pairing a Switch controller with a computer or phone

- **Pro Controller:** hold the small sync button on the top edge until the player lights run back and forth, then choose “Pro Controller” in your Bluetooth settings. A USB-C data cable also works on most systems.
- **Joy-Con:** hold the sync button on the rail of each Joy-Con until the lights run, then pair it. Each Joy-Con usually appears as its own controller — test the left and right halves one after the other.

## Nintendo button layout

Nintendo's A/B and X/Y are swapped compared with Xbox. Browsers map buttons by *position*, so the bottom face button (B on a Switch) is button 0. The diagram switches to Nintendo labels automatically: B, A, Y, X, L/R, ZL/ZR, Minus, Plus, Home and Capture (button 17 in most browsers).

ZL and ZR on Switch controllers are digital — they read either 0.00 or 1.00, never in between. That is normal, not a fault.

## Checking for Joy-Con drift

Joy-Con drift is a widely reported problem. Let go of the stick and read the “at rest” value:

| Stick reading at rest | What it means |
| --- | --- |
| under 5% | Healthy. Every analog stick has a little noise; you will never notice this in a game. |
| 5–10% | Small offset from normal wear. Usually hidden by the dead zone games apply. |
| 10–20% | Mild drift. Games with small or custom dead zones may register slow movement on their own. |
| over 20% | Strong drift. Likely to move a character or camera in most games — a hardware fault. |

For a precise measurement, run the dedicated [stick drift test](https://controllertests.com/controller-test/stick-drift/). Nintendo has offered Joy-Con drift repairs in several regions, so check Nintendo support for your country before paying for a repair.

## How to test a Switch controller step by step

1. Pair the Pro Controller or a Joy-Con and press any button.
2. Press every face button, L/R, ZL/ZR, Minus, Plus, Home, Capture, the D-pad and both stick clicks.
3. Let go of the sticks and read the drift value; run the circularity test on each stick.
4. Try the vibration buttons (Chrome or Edge; support varies by controller).

## Limits

Motion controls, HD Rumble patterns, the IR camera and NFC are not available to web pages. Newer Nintendo controllers may not be recognized by every browser yet.

- Motion sensors (gyroscope, accelerometer), touchpad finger position, battery level and light-bar color.
- DualSense adaptive-trigger resistance and fine haptics — only standard rumble is available to web pages.
- Extra buttons outside the standard layout (for example the Xbox Share button, the DualSense mute button or Elite paddles) appear only in some browsers, if at all.

## Troubleshooting and browser support

- **Not detected?** Press a face button — browsers hide controllers until you do. Then try another USB port or cable (many cables are charge-only), or re-pair over Bluetooth.
- **Close remapping tools.** Steam (with Steam Input), DS4Windows, reWASD or x360ce can hide or rename the controller. Quit them, then reload the page.
- **Wrong buttons lighting up?** The controller may be using a non-standard mapping; the raw button list shows exactly what the browser receives.
- **A button never lights up?** Test it in a second browser. If it fails everywhere, the switch or ribbon cable is faulty — update the firmware, then consider repair or a warranty claim.

| Browser | Buttons & sticks | Vibration | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Chrome / Edge (Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS) | Yes | Yes (dual rumble; trigger rumble for Xbox on Windows) | Most complete support, recommended. |
| Chrome (Android) | Yes, over Bluetooth or USB-OTG | Usually | Pair the controller in Android settings first. |
| Firefox | Yes | Not in most versions | Some controllers report triggers as axes — check the raw axes list. |
| Safari (macOS, iPhone, iPad) | Yes for Xbox, PlayStation and MFi controllers | Varies | Pair in Bluetooth settings first. |

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I test Joy-Con on a PC?

Yes. Pair each Joy-Con over Bluetooth by holding its sync button, open this page and press a button. Each Joy-Con normally shows up as a separate controller.

### Why are A and B swapped?

Browsers number buttons by position, not by printed letter. On Nintendo controllers the bottom button is B, so B is button 0 — the diagram shows the Nintendo labels in the right places.

### Why do ZL and ZR only show 0 or 1?

Switch controllers have digital ZL and ZR triggers, so they are either fully pressed or released. Values in between only appear on controllers with analog triggers.

### How do I know if my Joy-Con is drifting?

Let go of the stick: a healthy Joy-Con rests under about 5%. Over 10% means noticeable drift. The [stick drift test](https://controllertests.com/controller-test/stick-drift/) grades each stick and suggests a dead zone.

## Related tests

- [Stick drift test](https://controllertests.com/controller-test/stick-drift/)
- [Controller tester](https://controllertests.com/controller-test/)
- [PS5 controller tester](https://controllertests.com/controller-test/ps5-dualsense/)
- [Xbox controller tester](https://controllertests.com/controller-test/xbox/)

_Last updated: 2026-10-01_