Controller drift is a curse that befalls every gamer at one time or another, but fe🍸w feelings are worse than when it occurs mid-play session. For the uninitiated, controller drift is the terminology for joysticks that take on a life of their own, wrestling 🍌control away from the user. Sounds familiar?

Ironically (and frustratingly), it's a modern 💞issue, as it rarely occurred in older consoles. In conjunction with how much more expensive every facet of gaming is in the present day, it can easily be the last straw. Fortunately, there are a few options for overcoming drift. Here are a few options that can mitigate the damage.

Updated September 2, 2024 by Jacqueline Zalace: Still dealing with the ever-frustrating controller drift? We've added a bit more information to this guide to help you deal with stick drift.

How To Calibrate Your Controller

Some controllers are more well-built than others. 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Nintendo's Joy-Cons, for example, aren't exactly designed to handle much stress. All that protects the joystick component from outside agents, like dust particles or grime, is a thin flap of soft plastic. If that flap is lifted, even briefly during gameplay, all sorts of stuff could get inside the controller andಌ ruin functionality.

Calibration On The Nintendo Switch

If drift occurs, the first line of correction should be to rule out possible ⛄facto♉rs. The Nintendo Switch has a handy calibration function in its settings, which will help the controller figure out where the stick's neutral point really is.

A neutral point is essentially the resting position of the stick and drift causes a controller t𒉰o think t🔯he neutral point is floating around.

Calibration On The PlayStation

Unlike the Nintendo Switch, the PlayStation does not have a built-in calibration system. Some games offer dead zone calibration settings, although such features are rarely marketed.

How To Keep Your Controller Clean

Drift isn't just caused by rough gameplay or bad design, but also by the environment. While dust and grime were previously mentioned, environmental containments might lo🎶ok like greasy, salty snacks, or otherwise the fur shed by a pet.

Has the controller been improperly stored during a trip, or have unwashed hands used it? Both might cause contaminants to enter unwanted areas. Whatever the case, external agents can easily cause even the best-designed controllers to drift.

Store Your Controller In A Safe Place

The best way to prevent stick drift is to make sure the controller isn't passively exposed to stuff that might be floating in the air. Additionally, we recommend not snacking while gaming. While this may be tempting, you could get bits of food stuck 🐻in your control.

If you need to snack, be su﷽re to have a napkin or something to wipe your hands on.

Using Pressurized Air

If there are particles stuck in your controller near the joystick, you can also try to use pressured air to blow them away. Pressured air can be purchased at any office supply store, as well as online.

If you have never used it before, be cautious! Heavy use of a pressurized air canister can cause it to become really cold. If you spray the cold air on your skin, yꦬou can easily get frostbite.

Cleaning An Already-Dirty Controller?

Has your controller gotten a bit too dirty? Don't worry, there are some extra steps that you can take.🧔 First, make s෴ure any big crumb pieces are removed. Any large crumbs present may get stuck inside the controller and be difficult to get out, especially if you shoot it back in with pressurized air.

If grime is your issue, this can be dealt with carefully. First and foremost, do not use water on your controller. If there is some residue on your control, we recommend using either alcoholic wipes or a Q-tip or cotton swab dipped into isopropyl alcohol. Both of these can be used💙 carefully to clean electronics.

Isopropyl alcohol is a good way to get rid of any sticky bits that may be on ▨your controller, but we advise you to take caution while us𝓀ing it.

Natural Decay Comes With Play

A common reason for why controllers run into drift problems is that they are prone to deterioration, which will naturally occur with use. In more recent years, the life cycle of technology has shortened dramatically to promote f🐎urther purchases, thereby further exacer🐷bating the issue.

Take the DualSense, for example; the joystick component, responsible for the controller's longevity, has an operating life of about two million input cycles. That translates to about 400 hours of Call Of Du🌳ty gameplay.

Want To Game Longer? Game Gently

The best way to postpone drift is to treat the controller like a brand-new car every time it's used. Tossing your controller, whether out of boredom or anger, is a bad idea. A good idea, on the other hand, is to treat the joysticks with extreme care. Dutiful kindness may not prevent ⛎eventual drift entirely, but it will prolong the golden day✨s.

When To Get A New Controller

Sometimes, the best solution is to just get a new controller. This isn't alwa🅘ys ideal, as it can be pricey, but (hopefully), this will immediately fix your🥂 problem.

If you are waiting to get a controller, you can adjust your gameplay in the meantime. Not all games require sensitive and precise movement, but some games make the drift feel very evident. For example, if the drift causes a character in a game to continuously walk forward, you may want to consider pulling back a little.

Some Games Cause More Wear Than Others

Yes, wear and tear are expected to occur with time, even on the sturdiest controllers, but the longevity of the joystick can heavily depend on the games being played. Most games allow for normal wear upon the joysticks (specifically the right one, or whichever a player uses to control the ca꧂mera) but there are some games that will put a controller through grueling paces.

Consider Enter The Gungeon; the twin-stick shooter title puts a lot of emphasis on constant movement and aiming. Players who find themselves loading up these types of games often will likely see drift issues far sooner than someone who is playing🙈 a turn-baᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚsed RPG.

Unfortunately, there's only one way to ▨prevent such wear an♔d that's to avoid input-heavy games altogether, and that's no option at all, not really.

How To Reset A DualSense Controller

Although there is no simple calibration feature on a PlayStation, there are still other methods to fix controller drift.

If you have a DualSense controller for your PlayStation 5, you can try to reset it. The easiest way to do this is to turn the controller off and then on from the Accessories menu of your PS5.

This isn't guaranteed to work, but you can also perform a hard reset. To do this, flip your controller over. On the back, you should see a little hole. Using something thin and pointy (like a paperclip), press the button found within this small hole. Hold down for at least five seconds, and your controller should do a hard reset.

How To Deal With Meta Quest Controller Drift

Controller drift can also occur in your Meta Quest. Thankfully, there is a recalibration feature right in the Settings menu. From here, head to the Controller Setting option, and then select "Joystick Deadzone and Range". You can recalibrate the joystick that is givi💟ﷺng you problems here.

Remember to first try turning the controllers off and then back on again! While thi💖s sounds simple, this could fix yo𒊎ur issues!

DIY Replacement Of The Joystick

Although it may seem intimidating at first, changing out the joysticks on a controller is simple enough once the information is digested. Thankfully, there are tons of easy-to-follow and helpful step-by-step guides on YouTube for every possible controller type. Even better, there areജ inexpensive kits available that have everything a gamer needs to effectively fix their drifting iওssues.

Below, you can check out some helpful videos to help you on your DIY journey.

• (PS4)
• (PS5)
• (PS5)

It's incredibly important to remember that replacing any component yourself could void the warranty. For example, if you replace a joystick fo🍬r yoꦜur Nintendo Switch, the warranty will be void and you will no longer be able to get it repaired by Nintendo.

If you are still under warranty for your given console, then we suggest contacting the company. They may repair your controller free of charge, which is definitely better thღan watching a YouTube video to figure it out yourself.

That's all there is to it! Overall, the main takeaway is that controller drift will happen eventually, especially if you've had a controller for a while. Ultimately, the best solution is to buy a new controller, but this isn't always practical, so be sure to problem-solve and take care of any other controllers that you have.