How the joystick deadzone test works
The left circle shows the raw stick exactly as the controller reports it. The amber disc is the inner deadzone and the dashed ring is the outer deadzone. The right circle shows the stick after the deadzone is applied and the remaining range is stretched back to the full −1 to 1, which is what most games do.
Press Measure resting noise and leave the stick alone for three seconds. The test records the largest distance from center, adds a margin of 0.02 and moves the inner slider to that value. That is the smallest controller deadzone that keeps the stick still at rest.
Choosing a deadzone
A deadzone is always a compromise. Too small and a worn stick moves the camera on its own. Too large and the first part of every movement does nothing, which makes slow, precise aim feel sticky. Rough guide:
| Resting noise | Deadzone | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Below 0.03 | 0.03 – 0.05 | New or healthy stick. Competitive players run this low. |
| 0.03 – 0.08 | 0.05 – 0.10 | Normal wear. Matches the default in many games. |
| 0.08 – 0.15 | 0.10 – 0.17 | Early drift. Works, but fine aim suffers. |
| Above 0.15 | 0.17 or more | Real drift. Repair or replace the stick module. |
If the resting noise is high, run the stick drift test to see whether the problem is a steady offset or random twitching.
Radial and axial deadzones
Switch the Shape menu to compare them. With a radial deadzone, the dead area is a circle and movement leaves it smoothly in any direction. With an axial deadzone, each axis has its own dead band, so the dead area becomes a cross: small diagonal movements snap to straight up, down, left or right. Axial deadzones suit menus and some platformers; radial deadzones suit shooters, driving and camera control.
Outer deadzone
Old sticks often stop just short of full deflection, around 0.94 to 0.98. Lower the outer slider until the green dot reaches the ring when you push the stick fully. Games that offer an outer or maximum threshold setting take this value.
Where to set the deadzone
- In the game: look for Deadzone, Inner threshold or Stick sensitivity in the controller settings. Values are usually 0 to 1 or 0 to 100; multiply by 100 for the second kind.
- Steam Input: controller settings let you set the inner and outer deadzone for each stick, for every game launched from Steam.
- Controller apps: some Xbox, PlayStation and third-party apps can store a deadzone in the controller itself.
More controller checks
The deadzone only covers the sticks. To check buttons, triggers and both sticks together, use the main gamepad tester.