A controller deadzone is the area around a stick’s center that games ignore, so a stick that rests slightly off center doesn’t move anything. The best setting is the smallest one that keeps your character still; this test measures each stick and suggests it.
How to test your controller deadzone
- ConnectPlug in or pair the controller, then press any button.
- PreviewDrag the slider. A hollow dot means a game with that deadzone ignores the stick.
- MeasureLet go, push each stick slowly, then round the edge. About 20 seconds.
- ApplySet the suggested value in your game or in Steam Input.
Inner and outer deadzone
The inner deadzone is the area around the center that a game ignores. It hides a stick that rests a little off center, but every percent you add also swallows small, precise movements, which is why competitive players keep it as low as their sticks allow.
The outer deadzone decides how close to the edge counts as full input. A worn stick that can’t reach the rim in some directions needs a small outer deadzone to still give full speed or a full turn.
Some games also let you pick a shape. A radial deadzone treats every direction the same; an axial one ignores each axis separately, which can make slow diagonal aiming feel sticky.
Choosing a value
The suggested value is each stick’s resting noise plus a small margin, so the character stays still when you let go. Start there. If something still creeps, raise it one or two percent at a time; if aiming feels dull, lower it until the creep comes back, then go one step up.
For comparison, Microsoft’s XInput documentation ships default deadzones of 7,849 (left stick) and 8,689 (right stick) on a scale of 32,767, roughly 24% and 27%, and a trigger threshold of 30 out of 255. Those are safe for every controller, which is exactly why they feel loose on a healthy one. As the same page warns:
“Games that use XInput that do not filter dead zone at all will experience poor gameplay.”
If the test reports that a stick jumps straight past the first few percent, a deadzone is already applied before the game sees the input. Keep the in-game value low, because two deadzones stack.
Where to change it
Many shooters, including Call of Duty, Fortnite and Apex Legends, have separate deadzone sliders for each stick. For games without one, Steam Input can apply a deadzone per controller, and tools like DS4Windows do the same for PlayStation controllers. Some vendor apps, such as the Xbox Accessories app for Elite controllers, adjust stick response too.
FAQ
What is a controller deadzone?
A deadzone is the area around a stick’s center where movement is ignored. It stops a stick that rests slightly off center from moving your character, at the cost of ignoring very small movements.
What is the best deadzone setting?
The smallest value that keeps your character still when you let go. For a healthy stick that’s often 5–10%; a worn stick may need 15% or more. The measurement above gives a starting value for each stick.
Why does my stick jump past the first few percent?
Something already applies a deadzone, such as the controller, its driver or a tool like Steam Input, so small values are reported as zero. Adding a large in-game deadzone on top makes small movements feel dead, so keep the game’s value low.
What is an outer deadzone?
It sets how close to the edge counts as full input. If a stick can’t quite reach the edge in some directions, a small outer deadzone still gives you full speed or a full turn there.
Should I raise my deadzone or fix the drift?
Raising the deadzone is a quick fix for slight drift. If you need more than about 20%, aiming suffers and the stick is probably worn; the stick drift test lists fixes.