What Is a Vibration Support Checker?
This tool checks whether your connected controller actually exposes a working haptic (vibration/rumble)
actuator through the browser's Gamepad Haptics API, and lets you trigger real vibration pulses to feel the
result directly. It doesn't guess or assume support based on controller model - it queries the live
Gamepad object for an actual actuator and only reports support when one genuinely exists.
How to Use the Vibration Support Checker
- Connect your controller via USB or Bluetooth.
- Press any button on it once, since browsers require an initial input before a gamepad becomes visible to the page.
- Check "Haptic API Detected" and "Actuator Type" once your controller appears.
- Click any of the pulse buttons to trigger a real vibration and confirm you can feel it.
- Try different pulse types to check both the strong and weak motors individually, if your controller has two.
How It Works
Once a controller is connected, this tool reads its vibrationActuator or
hapticActuators property, which is only present when both the controller hardware and your
browser support programmatic haptic control. Pressing a pulse button calls the actuator's
playEffect() method with a real "dual-rumble" effect, specifying independent strong-motor and
weak-motor intensity along with a duration - genuine parameters sent directly to your controller's actual
vibration motors, not a simulated animation.
Understanding Your Results
- "Supported" with a felt pulse on each button - your controller and browser both fully support programmatic haptics; both the strong and weak motors are working correctly.
- "Supported" reported, but nothing felt - check your controller's own vibration setting isn't disabled in its companion app or console settings, since some controllers have a hardware or software vibration toggle separate from what the browser can control.
- "Not supported" - either your specific controller model doesn't include haptic motors, or your current browser doesn't implement the Gamepad Haptics API for it; try a different Chromium-based browser if you believe your controller does support vibration.
- Strong motor only vs. weak motor only feel identical - some controllers only have a single vibration motor despite supporting the dual-rumble API, in which case both intensities are routed to the same physical motor.
Browser Limitations
The Gamepad Haptics API's support and reliability vary meaningfully across browsers and operating systems - Chromium-based browsers generally offer the most consistent support. Some controllers connected over certain Bluetooth stacks may not expose haptic control to the browser even if the same controller supports vibration when connected via USB or used natively with a console.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not pressing a button after connecting - many browsers only recognize a gamepad after it receives its first input, so pressing any button first is necessary before this tool can detect it.
- Testing with vibration disabled in OS-level controller settings - check your controller's own settings app or console pairing settings if you expect vibration but don't feel any.
- Assuming "Not supported" means the controller is broken - it more often reflects a browser or connection-method limitation rather than a hardware fault; try the controller in a different browser or over a wired connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my controller need a button press before it's detected?
Browsers intentionally require an initial input from a gamepad before exposing it to a webpage, as a privacy and security measure preventing silent background device fingerprinting.
Is this a simulated vibration or a real one?
Real. This tool sends genuine haptic effect parameters directly to your controller's actual vibration motors through the browser's Gamepad Haptics API - nothing here is animated or simulated.
Why does my controller show "Not supported" even though it vibrates in games?
Games often use platform-specific APIs with broader hardware access than a web browser has; browser support for the Gamepad Haptics API is narrower and varies by browser and connection method.
Does this drain my controller's battery faster?
Triggering a few short vibration pulses uses a negligible amount of battery, comparable to normal rumble use during any game.
Can this test multiple controllers connected at once?
This tool checks the first detected controller; for testing multiple controllers side by side, use the dedicated Multi-Controller Tester instead.
Conclusion
If you're wondering whether your controller's rumble actually works over the browser, this gives you a direct, real answer you can feel for yourself. For a fuller check of buttons and stick accuracy, pair this with the Gamepad Tester.