What to do if the joystick on the console controller moves by itself

What is joystick drift? What to do about joystick drift? How to fix drift by disassembling the controller?

One of the most important elements of our gaming consoles, whatever they may be, remains the controllers. Whether you have a PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, or other machine, you won’t be able to play without a controller. And on these controllers we usually find one or more joysticks. The problem is that these mechanical components can fall victim to what is known as drift or joystick drift.

What is joystick drift?

Drift is a problem directly related to the joystick, which manifests itself as an unwanted action that occurs on the screen. As if, for example, the joystick was in the right position when it was not. Then you will see that in your favorite game, your character is constantly moving to the right without even touching the controller.

This problem is very common and is most often the result of the use of joysticks. The more you play, the more likely it is that your controller sticks will drift. Fortunately, there are several ways to fix the problem.

What to do about joystick drift?

The first decision to consider before buying a controller or disassembling a beast is a fairly simple one – cleaning it. Indeed, the dirt and dust that builds up can be the cause of the problem.

Take a compressed air dust bomb equipped with a precision tube. Turn off the controller completely (remove the batteries if your wireless controller has them), spray the product along the contour of the stick, pressing lightly, without staying too long in one place. Flip the controller over to make it easier to remove dust wherever it has accumulated. Wipe the controller clean, let it rest for a few minutes before turning it back on. This may be enough.

Eliminate skid by disassembling the joystick

If your controller is under warranty, it’s best to send it to the manufacturer for repair. On the other hand, if it is no longer the case, you can try to fix it yourself before spending money on fixing it or buying another one.

The process is very similar with all controllers. The goal is to remove the chassis to have full access to the joysticks. After that, you can completely clean the inside of the controller and the joysticks themselves. Once there, it’s also possible to replace a failed component (which costs less than a complete controller).

On the Internet you will find many video tutorials specially adapted for your console and your controller.