What does drifting mean on a controller?

Basically, stick drift is when your controller seems to work on its own. If you notice your in-game character keeps looking around by themselves, or if your gun keeps shooting without you ever pressing the trigger—your controller has almost definitely developed drift.

What happens when a controller drifts?

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, frustratingly, it's a modern issue, as it rarely occurred in older consoles.

Why do Joycons drift?

The Nintendo Switch's Joy-Con drift issue is caused by a fundamental design flaw according to a UK consumer group. As reported by Eurogamer, a report from Which claims that, even after just a few months of use, the Joy-Con's plastic circuit boards show significant wear on the joystick slider contact points.

Does Nintendo fix drift for free?

Nintendo has been repairing Switch players' Joy-Con "drift" issues for free, even if they're no longer under warranty, in North America since 2019.

Does resetting controller fix drift?

Fortunately, it's easy to fix stick drift by resetting and cleaning the controller, or by maneuvering the thumbsticks. If that doesn't fix the stick drift, you can replace just the analog sticks, or the entire controller. This wikiHow article teaches you ways to fix the stick drift on a PlayStation 4 controller.

The REAL Science Behind Controller Drift

Do all Controllers have drift?

Though stick drift can happen to any controller, today's latest models seem to be the most susceptible to this problem. According to IGN, PS5, Xbox, and Switch Pro controllers have similar potentiometers.

Can you stop controller drift?

Disconnecting your controller from your console's Bluetooth® devices forces the controller to forget it and then recognize it upon syncing again. Sometimes, this can eliminate controller drift.

Do pro controllers drift easily?

Drifting is a problem that is undeniably common in the Switch's Joy-Con, but it can also affect Pro Controllers as well. That's not to say Nintendo's products are cheap or shoddy universally; drift is an issue that can affect any controller on the market – even the mighty Xbox One Elite Controller isn't safe.

Which controllers don't have drift?

Every controller, except for the Gulikit King Kong Pro 2 controller, and the Dreamcast controller from twenty years ago can suffer from stick drift. The only way around this is to replace the stick itself.

Why does my controller still drift after cleaning it?

PS4 controller drift can be due to one of two things: The analog stick is dirty. The analog stick or the potentiometer is damaged.

Does it cost money to fix Joy-Con drift?

Like we mentioned, Nintendo will repair any drifting Joy-Cons for free.

Does buying new Joy-Cons fix drift?

Send it to Nintendo For Repair/Refund

Since the issue is widespread, Nintendo actually offers to fix Joy-Con drift for free (and has allegedly fixed the issue on newer Joy-Cons).

How to fix controller drift Switch without taking it apart?

Navigate to System Settings > Controllers and Sensors > Calibrate Control Sticks. Follow the on-screen prompts on your Switch.

How long will Nintendo fix Joy-Con drift?

How long does a Joy-Con repair take? The general consensus indicates that Joy-Con repairs by Nintendo can take anywhere from 3 days to a month. If it turns out your Joy-Con issues aren't covered by Nintendo or you need it faster, we can help.

Can low battery cause stick drift?

If your Xbox controller is broken and you're experiencing joystick drift, there are a few possible causes. One is something as simple as low batteries. A more common cause is dust or debris inside your controller.

Can alcohol fix stick drift?

Put some isopropyl alcohol on a q-tip and put some around the joysticks making full rotation motion of the stick as well. If you can open the controller up and take the joysticks off then do the same steps as above. You'll fix your stick drift or drastically improve it.

Does replacing sticks fix drift?

If you're still having Joy-Con drift issues after using the canned air method, foam fix, and recalibrating the controllers, you may need to replace the analog sticks.

How many hours do Joy-Cons last?

When fully charged, the battery duration for the Joy-Con controllers can last approximately 20 hours. This can be shorter depending on the software application and functions being used.