Does it ever feel like you're dealing analog sticks with a mind of their own on your PS5 gamepad? Does it bring on a sense of existential dread, especially mid-game? Well, we know how irritating it is when your camera keeps panning without input or your character goes wandering off in games. That's stick drift for you.

The good news is, most of the time, it's an easy fix that you can knock out yourself without fancy tools or taking apart your controller. We'll show you a few quick home remedies. A little cleaning or recalibration is all it usually takes to get those twitchy sticks back in check. So grab that glitchy controller and let's get those sticks drifting back on track, shall we?

What Is Stick Drift?

The most obvious way of knowing your PS5 DualSense controller has stick drift is that it registers input on the sticks even though you're not using it. The best way to check for this is to start up a game that requires the use of both analog sticks, move them around a bit, and check for any haphazard movement. In serious cases, the controller may continually receive input even if you put it down. If you do spot any, your controller has stick drift.

Stick Drift usually occurs when some dust or dirt gets under the ♌stick base and gets stuck in the sensors. This results in inputs that you may not be giving the controller. In more serious cases, it occ🌊urs if the internal mechanics of the analog sticks start to wear and tear. While the former is easier to fix, the latter may require you to change your controller.

Make sure you check if your controller is still under warranty before trying anything. While stick drift shouldn't happen within a year of purchase, there have been a number of reports of occurrences. Most warranty agreements will simply swap out your controller for a new one.

Calibrating The Analog Sticks

First up, turn on your PS5 and grab your controller. Head on over to the Settings menu (the little gear icon in the top right) and open up the Accessories tab. Select 'General' and then 'Joystick Deadzone'. This setting basically controls how far you have to move the analog sticks before they start actually doing something. Crank it up to 15-20 percent if the sticks are acting all crazy and moving on their own. This is going to make sure that little accidental nudges don't register. Just don't go too high, or it'll make the sticks less responsive overall.

While you're there, also recalibrate the sticks. This essentially resets the center position and range of motion, so the PS5 knows exactly what's going on with those sticks. When it tells you to, slowly move both sticks all over, push them out to the edges, move them around in circles, etc. (the console will be guiding you, so you don't have to worry about the specifics here). Then gently bring them back to the middle to set that neutral position.

Really take your time pushing and centering the sticks during♎ calibration. The more thorough you are, the better the system can counteract any hardware foolery causing false inputs. Redo the calibration if the drift keeps happening.

Cleaning The Analog Sticks

If messing around with settings doesn't stop your PS5 controller's analog sticks from drifting, it's probably time to grab some tools and take a close look at the hardware itself. Chances are there's some gunk stuck in there that's causing problems.

Take the controller and shine a light around the base of each analog stick, zooming in real tight. You're looking for any bits of dust, pet hair, whatever, (stuff that can easily get lodged in there). Check around the little seam where🍨 the sticks pivot too. Nast🔯y buildup happens in hard-to-reach nooks like that.

If you spot anything, even tiny specks, try blasting it out with short bursts of compressed air. Tilt the controller to spray from dif❀ferent angles and really give it a thorough dusting underneath both sticks. The air might also break up any oil or grease that leaked inside.

You can also gently wipe around the edges with a cotton swab or cloth dampened with isopropyl alcohol if needed. Carefully rotate the sticks while you wipe to hit the entire perimeter. Real light pressure, though. Don't want to damage anything now, do we?

Updating Controller Software

Stick drift STILL not going away? Before you panic and buy a new c🔯ontroller, try updating the firmware first. Sony pushes out updates every so often that have little tweaks to counteract sensor issues that cause false drift inputs.

Plus, it's pretty easy to get the latest software on your DualSense. Just connect the controller to your PS5 with a USB-C cable and head to Settings > Accessories. Select General, then Wireless Controller Device Software. You'll see what version you currently have installed. While you're in there, check if your system software is up-to-date as well.

If there's a controller update waiting, go ahead and download it (usually around 100MB). It really doesn't take long. When it finishes installing, it'll walk you through some prompts. Let it do its thing. Do NOT disconnect the cable while the update is running. Once you get the "all ✱good" message, shut down the PS5 completely.

Now unplug the controller, restart the console and resync the gamepad. Snoop around a bit and boot up a game to test things out. Nine times ou♏t of ten, installing new firmware helps counter sensor problems by adjusting deadzones and improving tracking. So it might just dia𝓰l back that stick drift to tolerable levels.

Still, updated software can't miraculously fix a fully busted controller and there's still a chance you'll need to send it in for repair or replace it. However, keeping firmware current takes advantage of Sony's ongoing efforts to analyze reliability data and compensate for problems at scale.

Software-wise, there is one last simple troubleshooting step worth trying. A reset using the physical button on the back of the controller. Turn the gamepad over to locate a tiny recessed circular button near the top screw. You'll need to hold this for a few seconds using a pointed tool like a paperclip.

When the light bar blinks rapidly, it means that the controller has been reset. Resync that thing to the console by pressing the PS button once mor🎐e ▨and check if the drift is still there.

Contacting Sony Support

If you've tried everything to fix your PS5 controller drift with no luck, it's probably time to contact Sony support about a warranty claim or paid repair. The DualSense has a one-year limited warranty, so see what your options are; online, phone, mail-in or even take it to a repair center if there's one nearby.

Before packing it up, open up that controller carefully and double check all the connectors are seated properly and there's no dust or smudges on the circuit board. A dirty controller can really mess things up for the repair folks and maybe cost you more to fix.

When you talk to Sony, give them the full rundown of exactly what you've tried troubleshooting-wise - new parts, reseating connectors, the works. Details like when the drift started happening, if it's just one analog stick or both, and what games it impacts the most help them isolate the root cause when they test it out themselves. Not enough details sometimes means they ship back controllers unfixed, so be thorough.

Once you've sent in the controller, you can expect around one to two weeks on average to get it back, a little longer if you had to ship it to and from Sony. .

FAQ

Will using analog stick covers help fix or prevent future stick drift issues?

Not typically. Covers are mostly just there to prevent a lot of the wear an💧d tear that happens to the sticks over time. And they can catch anౠd retain more dust, dirt and particles that cause drift, so we do not generally recommend them as a reliability measure in such cases.

Can I swap out just one drifting analog stick module instead of replacing both?

Technically, yes, but drift issues tend to manifest in both sticks eventually. Replacing only one means you're going to have to crack open the controller again when the second stick starts drifting later on. It just makes sense to swap both simultaneously if you're replacing them.

Can blowing compressed air cause any damage when cleaning controllers?

Yep, using too much air pressure means there is a risk of cracking the plastic or damaging delicate components. Make sure that you use short, gentle bursts around sticks, and don't go overboard with it.