Why do Switch sticks drift?

A lot of the time, Joy-Con drift is caused by dust and grime building up inside the control stick mechanism. If you don't want to totally disassemble your Joy-Con—voiding the warranty in the process—you can still clean this dirt away to fix your Joy-Con.

Can you fix stick drift on Switch?

Nintendo has an easy guide for doing so. Simply go to the System Settings menu, and navigate to the Controllers and Sensors section. Scroll down to the option for calibrating control sticks, hit X to recalibrate a stick, and follow the on-screen prompts. Repeat for the second thumbstick, and you're all set.

What causes Switch joystick 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.

Is drift common for Nintendo Switch?

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.

How do I stop my Switch controller from drifting?

Here's Why Your Nintendo Switch JoyCon Stick Drifts

Can drift be fixed?

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). This is currently the only "official" method of dealing with drift, though check below for some ways you can address the issue yourself.

Does Nintendo fix drift for free?

Send your Joy-Cons to Nintendo

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

Does Nintendo only fix drift for free?

The good news is that even if your Switch is not under warranty, because of the widespread nature of the Joy-Con drift problem, Nintendo provides free repairs. Unfortunately, this doesn't extend to Switch Lite.

Do Joy-Cons drift?

Joy-Con drift is the name given to an issue some Switch owners have experienced with one or both of their detachable controllers. They have found that movement is being detected by their Switch even when they are not touching the thumbstick on a Joy-Con.

Does Nintendo repair Joy-Cons for free?

Although Nintendo has offered free repairs for out-of-warranty Joy-Cons in North America, Latin America, and France, it never extended the policy to the UK, Switzerland, and all of the EEA until now.

How long does it take for Nintendo to fix stick drift?

The current total turnaround time for repair orders is around 2-3 weeks.

How long is Switch warranty?

Nintendo systems carry a standard 12-month warranty, which is one of the longest standard warranties in the video game industry. Games and accessories sold individually carry a three-month warranty. Please see the Complete Warranty Text for full warranty details.

How long does Switch repair take?

Under warranty repairs take 4-5 days plus shipping time. Normally you will receive your product back within one week. If a repair free of charge is not possible, you will receive a cost estimation via email and the repair will take longer, depending on how much time passes before you reply.

What causes drift error?

Drift errors are caused by deviations in the performance of the measuring instrument (measurement system) that occur after calibration. Major causes are the thermal expansion of connecting cables and thermal drift of the frequency converter within the measuring instrument.

How much drift is too much?

At the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM), we have defined a displacement with an absolute value greater than or equal to 0.6 logits as excessive and found this threshold to be useful.

Is stick drift a hardware issue?

If there are two words that strike fear into the heart of every gamer, they're “stick drift.” This dreaded hardware failing on analog sticks has been the bane of many a controller, notably the Nintendo Switch's Joy-Cons, and unfortunately it's a rare but confirmed issue for the Steam Deck as well.

Does GameStop fix controller stick drift?

Need your console or controller repaired? We can fix it! Just bring your eligible products into any GameStop store and we'll take care of the rest.

Does Geek Squad fix joy cons?

We generally aren't able to do repairs on joycons that are not covered by protection. We'd still recommend connecting with your local Best Buy store to get that definitive answer. You can find information about your local store at www.bestbuy.com/storelocator.

How many Joy-Con sets can I send for repair?

From there you'll get a free label for up to four Joy-Con: if you want to do more, you'll need to fill out another form. The “reason for repair” line is even optional, so that's what I mean by “non-invasive.”

How much does Nintendo charge to repair joy cons?

After pressure from several class-action lawsuits, Nintendo has started to offer free Joy-Con repairs through its customer service portal. The process is straightforward; fill out an online form (or call a customer service representative), mail out the equipment, and then wait.