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How to calibrate a joystick, wheel or pedals in Windows

Reset and recalibrate any game controller with the built-in Windows tool. This fixes axes that stop short, off-center sticks and pedals that never return to zero.

By the YesWeTest editorial teamUpdated 2 min read

Windows has a built-in controller tool that dates back many versions and still works in Windows 10 and 11. It can store its own calibration for any DirectInput game controller: joysticks, throttles, rudder pedals, wheels and pedal sets. A good calibration can fix axes that don't reach their ends. A bad one, done with a foot on a pedal or a stick held slightly off-center, causes exactly those problems. That's why the first step is usually a reset.

Before you start

Many wheels, pedals and HOTAS systems have their own calibration in the manufacturer's software, sometimes stored on the device. If yours does, use that first and treat the Windows tool as a second option. Don't calibrate in both places at once.

Step 1: Open Game Controllers

  1. Press Win + R, type joy.cpl and press Enter.
  2. The “Game Controllers” window lists every connected controller. Select yours and click Properties.
  3. On the Test tab, move every axis and press every button. This shows what Windows currently reports.

Step 2: Reset to default

Go to the Settings tab and click Reset to default, then Apply. This removes any calibration Windows has stored and uses the device's raw values again. Now check the device in our joystick tester (or the wheel or pedal tester):

  • If every axis now reaches both ends and rests where it should, you're done. The old calibration was the problem.
  • If an axis still stops short or rests off-center, continue with step 3.
1Center2Full circles3Other axes end to end
The three steps of the Windows calibration wizard.

Step 3: Run the calibration wizard

  1. On the Settings tab, click Calibrate.
  2. Center point: leave the stick (or wheel) centered and don't touch it, then click Next. Let go completely: your hand's weight shifts the center.
  3. Axis range: move the stick in slow, full circles several times so it touches every edge, then click Next.
  4. Other axes: for each additional axis (Z, throttle, rudder, sliders, pedals), move it slowly from one end to the other two or three times. For pedals, press each one fully and release it completely.
  5. Click Finish, then Apply.

If the wizard asks you to center an axis that has no center, such as a throttle or a pedal, leave it at rest and continue. Windows uses the range you move through in the next step.

Step 4: Verify the result

Open the tester again and move every axis through its full range. Each axis should reach −1.000 and +1.000 (the tester shows a ✓), and sticks should return to about 0.000. For pedals, check that the rest value is near 0% and the maximum is 99–100%.

Troubleshooting

  • The device isn't listed in joy.cpl: Windows doesn't see it. Check the cable, the port and the driver. See controller not detected.
  • The calibration doesn't stick: some manufacturer software overrides it. Calibrate in the manufacturer's tool instead.
  • Xbox and other XInput controllers don't usually offer Windows calibration. Use the controller's own app or firmware update instead.
  • An axis is noisy or jumps after calibrating: calibration can't fix a worn sensor. See Hall effect vs. potentiometer for why.

Keep testing

ToolsJoystick & HOTAS TesterAll connected sticks, throttles and rudders at once, with axis ranges, hat switches and a button checklist.Open tool GuidesPedals Not Reaching 100%Calibration, deadzones, saturation, combined mode and worn sensors: fix pedals that stop short or jump.Read guide GuidesWheel Rotation ExplainedDegrees of rotation, soft lock and steering ratio, and how to make the driver and the game agree.Read guide