How to test rumble
- Connect the controller and press any button so the browser exposes it.
- Press Strong motor. The left grip should buzz with a low, heavy vibration for about a second.
- Press Weak motor. The right grip should vibrate with a lighter, higher-pitched buzz.
- Press Both motors to feel the combined effect used by most games for explosions and impacts.
If one side stays silent while the other works, that motor or its ribbon cable has failed. If neither works, read the compatibility notes below before assuming the controller is broken.
Vibration support by browser and controller
Rumble over the web uses the vibrationActuator extension of the Gamepad API. Chrome, Edge, Opera and other Chromium browsers support it on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android. Firefox added support in version 125 for most controllers. Safari does not expose rumble, so on iPhone, iPad and Mac Safari the buttons will report that vibration is unavailable even though the controller is fine.
Xbox Series, Xbox One, DualSense, DualShock 4 and most third-party pads rumble correctly over USB. Over Bluetooth, DualSense rumble works in Chromium but Switch Pro Controller HD rumble is not supported by any browser yet. Adaptive trigger effects on DualSense are also outside the API and cannot be tested here.
Frequently asked questions
The buttons say the command was sent but nothing vibrates.
The browser accepted the request but the driver ignored it. On Windows, check that the controller is not in 'wireless Xbox' mode through Steam, which intercepts rumble. On macOS, DualShock 4 rumble over Bluetooth requires macOS 11 or later.
Can I test the DualSense adaptive triggers?
No. Adaptive trigger resistance is a proprietary Sony feature that the Gamepad API does not expose. Only the standard dual-motor rumble can be triggered from a web page.
Why is the vibration weaker than in games?
The test runs each motor at full magnitude for 800 ms. Games often use longer, patterned effects that feel stronger. If the motor spins at all, it is working.