peartools

Gamepad Vibration Test

Connect a game controller and press any button to test its vibration. Run each rumble motor on its own, try the trigger motors on an Xbox controller, play patterns, and check whether a motor is getting weak. It runs in your browser, with nothing to install.

Connect a controller and press any button on it

Plug it in with USB or pair it over Bluetooth first. Browsers only show a controller to a web page after you press one of its buttons.

What the gamepad vibration test does

The test sends vibration commands to your controller through the browser's Gamepad API, the same way a web game would. It first checks which kinds of vibration your browser can send to that controller, then lets you run each motor separately, at any strength, and for as long as you like.

Bars at the top show the strength being sent at every moment. If the bars move but you feel nothing, the page is doing its part and the problem is in the controller or its connection.

Why use our controller vibration test

  • ·Free. No signup, no download, and no game needed to check the motors.
  • ·One motor at a time. Games mix both motors together. Running each one alone shows exactly which side has a problem.
  • ·Trigger motors. Test the left and right trigger motors on Xbox controllers where your browser supports them.
  • ·Spot a weak motor. The start strength test shows how much power each motor needs before you can feel it.
  • ·Private. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere.

How to test controller vibration

  1. 1

    Connect your controller

    Plug it in with a USB cable or pair it over Bluetooth, then open this page in Chrome or Edge.

  2. 2

    Press any button

    Browsers only show a controller to a page after one of its buttons is pressed. The tool then shows whether your browser can reach the rumble motors and trigger motors.

  3. 3

    Test each motor

    Press Strong motor, Weak motor, and Both motors (plus Left trigger and Right trigger if shown). Each one runs at full strength for 2 seconds, so you can feel which part of the controller vibrates.

  4. 4

    Try patterns and the start strength test

    Play a pattern or set your own strength to compare the motors, then run the start strength test on each motor to see how much power it needs before you feel it.

Gamepad vibration test options

  • ·Test each motor. Runs the strong motor, the weak motor, or both at full strength for 2 seconds. Left trigger and Right trigger appear when your browser can drive the trigger motors.
  • ·Vibration patterns. Pulse, Heartbeat, Ramp up, Wave, Left and right, Rough road, and Trigger pulse (with trigger motors). Each repeats until you press Stop or pick another pattern.
  • ·Custom vibration. Set each motor from 0 to 100% and play for 0.1 to 10 seconds, or until stopped. While it plays until stopped, moving a slider changes the vibration straight away.
  • ·Motor start strength. Raises one motor from 0% to 100% over 10 seconds and records the strength when you press a button on the controller or click I feel it.
  • ·Stop. Ends any vibration at once. Vibration also stops when you switch controllers, switch to another tab, or leave the page.

How controller vibration motors work

Most controllers have two small motors that spin an off-center weight. The spinning weight shakes the grip. The strong motor has a heavier weight and gives a deep, slow rumble. The weak motor has a lighter weight and gives a quick, sharp buzz. On Xbox controllers and the PlayStation DualShock 4, the strong motor is in the left grip and the weak motor in the right.

Xbox One and Xbox Series controllers also have a small motor behind each trigger, so games can make a single trigger vibrate. The PS5 DualSense replaces the spinning motors with a different kind of vibration hardware, but browsers drive it like a regular two-motor controller.

Because the two main motors are built differently, they never feel the same. Use the Left and right pattern to feel them one after the other. To check whether a motor is weak, compare it with the same motor on another controller of the same model.

Why your controller is not vibrating

  • ·The browser cannot reach the motors. The tool shows "Rumble motors: not available". Use Chrome or Edge, since Firefox does not support controller vibration.
  • ·The connection type. Some controllers only vibrate in the browser over one kind of connection. If Bluetooth does not work, try a USB cable that carries data, or the other way around.
  • ·The controller has no motors. Many cheap and older controllers, and most arcade and flight sticks, have no vibration at all.
  • ·The tab is not in front. Keep this tab open and visible while testing. The tool stops vibration when you switch away.
  • ·A motor or wire has failed. If the status says the motors are available and the strength bars move, but one or both motors stay still, the fault is inside the controller.

How to tell if a vibration motor is worn or broken

  • ·One motor does nothing in Test each motor while the other one works.
  • ·You hear rattling, grinding, or clicking instead of a smooth hum.
  • ·The start strength test shows the motor only starts near 100%, or you never feel it, while the same motor on another controller starts much lower.
  • ·The vibration cuts in and out when you squeeze or twist the grip during Play until stopped, which points to a loose wire.

Start strength results depend on how firmly you hold the controller and how quickly you react, so run the test two or three times and compare the usual result rather than a single one.

When to test controller vibration

  • ·Anyone buying or selling a used controller. Vibration is easy to forget when checking a controller. Run each motor on its own in under a minute before you pay or hand it over.
  • ·Gamers who stopped feeling rumble in a game. If the controller vibrates here, the motors work and the problem is a setting in the game, the console, or the app the controller is connected through.
  • ·Anyone who has opened or repaired a controller. Motor wires are easy to pull loose when replacing a stick or a shell. Check both motors, and the trigger motors on an Xbox controller, before closing it up for good.
  • ·Game and web developers. See what different strengths and lengths feel like on real hardware, and check which vibration effects the browser reports for a controller.

Related tools

Frequently asked questions

How do I test my controller's vibration?
Connect the controller with USB or Bluetooth, open this page in Chrome or Edge, and press any button on it. Then press Strong motor and Weak motor. Each runs at full strength for 2 seconds, and you should feel a low rumble from one and a faster buzz from the other.
Why is my controller not vibrating in the test?
Check the status line first. If it says rumble motors are not available, your browser cannot reach them: use Chrome or Edge, and try USB instead of Bluetooth (or the other way around). If it says they are available and the strength bars move but nothing happens, the motors or their wires are likely at fault. Some cheap controllers have no motors at all.
Which browsers can make a controller vibrate?
Chrome and Edge support controller vibration for many controllers. Firefox does not. The tool checks what your browser supports and tells you if it cannot reach the motors.
Does it work with a PS5 DualSense or PS4 controller?
Yes, in browsers that support vibration for it. The DualShock 4 has a strong and a weak motor like an Xbox controller. The DualSense uses a different kind of vibration hardware, but the browser drives it the same way, so you feel a general rumble rather than the detailed effects PS5 games use. Adaptive trigger resistance cannot be tested in a browser.
Can I test the trigger vibration on an Xbox controller?
Xbox One and Xbox Series controllers have small motors in the triggers. The Left trigger and Right trigger buttons, sliders, and the Trigger pulse pattern only appear when your browser reports that it can drive them. If they do not appear, you can still test the two main motors.
Why does one side of my controller vibrate more than the other?
That is normal. The two main motors are different on purpose. The strong motor, usually in the left grip, gives a heavy, low rumble. The weak motor, usually in the right grip, gives a lighter, faster buzz. A problem is when one side does not vibrate at all, rattles, or grinds.
What does the motor start strength test show?
It slowly raises one motor from 0% to 100% over 10 seconds. You press any button on the controller when you first feel it, and the tool records the strength it had reached. Healthy motors need some power before they spin, so a result above 0% is normal. A motor that only starts near 100%, or is never felt, is likely worn or loose.
Does this test make my phone vibrate?
No. It only sends vibration to a game controller connected to your device. To test a controller with your phone, connect the controller to the phone and open this page. The status line shows whether your phone's browser can make it vibrate.
Can I test two controllers?
Yes. Connect both and press a button on each. A switch at the top lets you pick which controller to test, and vibration stops when you switch.
Does the page record anything from my controller?
No. Everything runs in your browser. The page only reads which controllers are connected and their button presses (for the start strength test), and nothing is sent to a server.