What Causes Stick Drift On Your Ps4 Controller
The most common cause of Stick Drift on the Ps4 controller is Dust, dirt, and grime making their way into the controller and prevents the analog stick to go back to its original position. These things can add up over time, causing even severe stick drift issues on your controller.
Another not so common issue for controller drift is Moisture. And it can mess up your electrical connections a little, causing stick drifts.
Now, that we know what is stick drift and what is causing it. Its time to fix the stick drift of your Ps4 controller.
Most of the time, stick drift on the Ps4 controller can be solved without opening it. But in some cases, where the stick drift is severe, we have to open the controller. Dont worry we will guide you through both cases.
But I would highly recommend to open your controller only when nothing works.
Other Causes Of Analog Stick Drift
The analog stick drift can also be caused by natural fluctuations in the controller design. It might be positioned slightly outside of the axis of origin when in use.
This analog stick displacement is not unusual and can cause frustrating unintended movement or actions, which will depend on the game. This will depend on the developers chosen default sensitivity settings.
Press Down On Your Analog Stick
If you someone more advanterous like my little brother, who throws away his controller like he doesnt need it anymore, then this method is for you.
Sometimes controllers analog stick get dislocated and it can cause some major stick drift.
To fix this, follow these steps:
Step 1: Disconnect your controller from your Ps4. To do this hold Ps button for 20 second.
Step 2: Pull your Left-analog stick to the side and press it downwards on the created portion, with your thumb. And do this with every possible angle.
And please, dont be like my friends who shows all his power on his poor controller and broke it. Really, that was a disastrous tragedy for him and funny for us.
Step 3: Give the same treatment to your R-analog stick.
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A Short Outline For Those Diving Into Tech Surgery
Consider a DIY approach as the last line of defense, so it should involve the following steps:
- Players should systematically assess the three other options listed in this article:
- Is the controller properly calibrated?
- Is the controller clean?
- Is the controller treated with care?
As the famous old saying goes, “Give a man a controller, and he’ll game for a day. But teach him how to disassemble and reassemble its basic components, and he’ll game for a lifetime.”
Cleaning Your Ps4 Controller
If you are sure that your controller has no internal damages, then the next thing you can do is to give it a blow-dry clean from the outside. Simply follow the steps given below to make your controller neat and clean:
- Disconnect your Dualshock 4 and rub it thoroughly with a microfibre towel.
- Use compressed air to spray through the junctures in the along stick to remove any dirt particles that may have accumulated over time.
- Use a cotton swab to eliminate debris around the analog sticks.
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Reset Your Ps4 Controller
If your PS4 controller is malfunctioning while connected, reset its factory settings. To do this:
- Turn off your console.
- If this doesnt work, disconnect the DualShock 4 and reset it.
- Press the small reset button on the back near the L2 shoulder button.
- Then turn on your console and check if this resolves the problem.
How To Fix Analog Stick Drift On Ps4 Controllers
Our controllers are bound to take a bit of a beating every once in a while. Whether its that boss on Sekiro thats caused you to launch it across the room in a fit of frustration, or just hundreds of hours of general wear and tear playing fast-paced, intense shooters like Destiny or Call of Duty. If youre noticing analog stick drift on your PS4 controller fear not, heres what you need to know to fix it.
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Nintendo Switch Joycon Drift
Nintendo will fix your Joycon for free. If you previously paid a fee for it, they will also issue you a refund. Heres how to do it:
- Head on over to support.nintendo.com/joyconrepair
- Submit a support ticket.
Request a refund for a previous repair:
- Get in touch via Nintendos customer service portal.
You can send in as many Joy-cons as you have in one package. The only downside is that they may offer you a replacement in a different colour. So, you may not want to do that if you have a special edition.
Rough Treatment Of Controller
Raging and physical damage can occur during gaming sessions. We have all had our moments during an intense game. Losing a match in the 90th min during a FIFA weekend league has sent a lot of controllers back to their maker.
However, those who do not see that fate usually end up with permanent hardware damage, translating to instances of controller drift.
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Hard Reset The Controller
If the soft reset didnt do the trick, lets try a hard reset. To do this, we will use a dedicated Reset button at the back of your controller:
When your device is ready, log into your account and see if the controller has stopped drifting.
Clean Your Ps4 Controller
First, disconnect and turn off your controller by pressing the PS button for 10 seconds. Then apply a small amount of rubbing alcohol to a cotton swab or soft cloth and wipe the analog stick, especially at the base. Move the stick around as you clean so you can cover more area. Before moving to the next step, wait for the alcohol to completely dry.
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Separate The Chassis And Mainboard Assembly
Flip the controller upside down and separate the mainboard assembly from the top half of the chassis. The friction-fit buttons and contact pads in the top half of the chassis may drop under gravity, so exercise caution while handling it.
You can now pop off the plastic thumbstick covers/grips to expose the analog stick modules.
Why Does Your Ps4 Controller Drift & How To Fix It
The PS4 offers one of the best gaming experiences, but this experience can be interrupted if your controller is not functioning correctly. PS4 controllers could have several issues go wrong, and one of them is controller drift, where the character frame moves without you touching it.
There are many reasons why you can experience PS4 controller drift. These include regular wear and tear, grime and dust, and rough treatment of your controller. To prevent and fix it, keep your controller clean, order a controller kit to DIY, or turn off the calibration for the analog stick.
Gaming is not about just a good story and graphics anymore. A good gaming experience encompasses a responsive interface, and this responsiveness can be affected by controller drift. So to improve our gaming experience, lets take a look at why your PS4 controller can drift and what we can do to fix it.
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External Contaminants Are Literally Everywhere
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 look like greasy, salty snacks, or otherwise the fur shed by a cute 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.
How To Fix Stick Drift On Xbox Controllers
If you try to search for how to fix controller drift on your browser, Google will show you at least 10 results from multiple websites and even videos instructing how to fix the issues.
Judging from a large number of articles represents how common and widespread this issue is. Feel free to skip this part if you are using a Dualshock controller or trying to fix the Joy-Con drift problem.
If your Xboxs controller is in warranty, there are some methods which you should not attempt to fix the issue as they may void the warranty of your controller. There are manufacturer-approved methods that you can try which will not void your controllers warranty.
You can download and install a program named Game Controller Tester on your PC. The software is available to download from the Microsoft Store. Connect your controller with your PC and run the program.
It will point out the exact issue with your controller.
Method 1 By cleaning the thumbsticks
This method is the most common and easiest method that you can follow to fix the irritating controller drift. By following this method, you will not void your controllers warranty if it is new.
Connect the controller with your PC and run the Game Controller Tester shortcut from the desktop. Check if the analog sticks perfectly align with the white crosshair on the screen or play any game to check if cleaning the thumbsticks fixes the issue or not.
Method 2 Checking for loose or worn out thumbpads
Method 3 Replace thumbstick wipers
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What If Canned Air Doesnt Work
If canned air doesnt do the trick, its time for some troubleshooting. Analog sticks can sometimes drift in specific games, so test another one to make sure its not just happening in one game. If it is just one game, try either updating the software or, if possible, adjusting the controllers dead zone settings. It may be that a simple dead zone tweak can get rid of the problem.
Its also possible that theres an intermittent connection between your PS4 and DualShock 4 controller. Fortunately, this is a simple fix. All you need to do is press and hold the reset button on the back of the controller. After that, plug it back into the system and sync it. That should fix any wireless connection problems.
If neither of these do the trick, then your controller likely needs a deep cleaning. Canned air just wont cut it youll need to take it apart and clean out the joystick connections. This is an advanced fix, since the controller has many small parts and delicate cables. Still, it only requires a few basic tools as well as household items such as cotton swabs. To learn more about how to disassemble and clean a DualShock 4, check out this YouTube video from the crew at How-FixIt.
Damaged Or Loose Sticks
The most common reason for a DualShock 4 controller to move by itself on the PS4 is an issue with the sticks.
One of them is damaged or loose and not sitting in its socket.
You may also have something blocking the sticks or the area around them. Therefore, clean off your DualShock 4 and try moving the sticks a few times.
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Clean It With A Compressor
If all we have to do is remove dust particles, then what better way to do that than with an Air compressor. So, make sure to buy one from Amazon or anywhere you like.
After you buy the compressor follow these steps:
Step 1: Disconnect your controller from your Ps4. To do this hold the Ps button for 20 seconds.
Step 2: Clean under the analog stick with some rubbing alcohol on a q-tip. This should prevent you from blowing extra gunk deeper into the controller. Double-check to not miss any spot.
Step 3: Hold your Left analog stick to one side and blow with your compressor at its base. Hold the controller into your hand and make sure to keep the nozzle at least 3 inches away or else, you will risk blowing moisture into your controller.
Step 4:Do the same with your Right analog stick. And this should remove any dirt or dust from your controller.
Another PRO tip: Rotate the analog stick to reach those harder to reach places.
This method will definitely fix the stick drift issue you are facing.
Do this once every month and it can help you most of your stick drift problems.
But. if you dont have a compressor then dont worry we have a different method for you.
Replacement Of Analog Sticks On Ps4 Controller
Failure of the PS4 controllers cleaning and resetting methods leaves you with either replacing the analog sticks or contacting Sony. Undoubtedly, both are hectic. Replacing analog sticks will cost you a lot since you will have to buy analog sticks and the sensor of sticks by yourself. In addition, the process also requires a soldering iron.
Overall, the process is time-consuming, hectic and also terminates the warranty of your PS4 controller. If you open up your PS4 controller and replace the analog sticks, please remember that you will not be able to claim the warranty!
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Soft Reset The Controller
It is possible that some kind of pairing or software issue has occurred and caused your controller to act out and go up on its own. To rule out this possibility, follow the steps below.
In order to power down your PS4, press and hold the PS4s power button for about 7 seconds until you hear two beeps. The console will power off completely.
You can also power down your PS4 by holding down the PS4 button on the controller, navigating to Power in the menu and choosing Turn off PS4.
Once youve done that, lets go ahead and reconnect your PS4 controller:
If resetting the controller doesnt work, try connecting it to your PS4 console using a USB cable.
Once its connected, press and hold the PS button for a few seconds and see if that stops the controller from drifting.
When the controllers light turns solid, you can remove the cable and use the controller wirelessly.
Contact Sony For Repairing Of Your Ps4 Controller
If your PS4 controller has its warranty period remaining, and you have been encountering the controller drift issue, then the best option for you is to contact Sony. They will surely entertain your case. Either you will get your PS4 controller repaired, or they will issue you a new one.
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Perform A Deep Cleansing
You can also perform a deep cleansing of your PS4 controller, but I would advise that you just avoid that unless you do not have any experience in handling delicate electrical components.
All you have to do is open up your PS4 controller and then clean it out thoroughly with a cotton swab and take out all the dust accumulated inside.
Note: Just donât disconnect anything except the battery and do not use pressurized air on the internals of the controller.
Whats Needed To Repair The Ps4 Controller
Youll need a Phillips head screwdriver with the tip size of #00 in addition to a plastic pry tool or an expired credit card to disassemble the DualShock 4 controller. A good pair of precision tweezers arent mandatory, but they will make your life easier. You might also need flush cutters while desoldering the entire analog stick assembly.
Soldering and desoldering the components onto the controllers printed circuit board requires some form of work holding. Panavise makes great PCB vises, but you can save a lot of cash by opting for a 3D printed vise instead. You can even MacGyver some Play-Doh into a makeshift PCB-holder.
However, we strongly recommend against cutting corners with soldering equipment. The datasheet for Alps analog stick modules recommends soldering at a maximum of 660°F for no more than three seconds per soldered joint. Overheating these components will either destroy them outright or cause them to fail prematurely.
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If you dont own a decent temperature controlled soldering station, we recommend a combination of PINECIL soldering iron and a 2.4mm chisel tip paired with a charger or power bank capable of USB PD. For an investment that will last you a lifetime, the Hakko FX-888D is a terrific soldering station for the money. Dont forget to buy a compatible chisel tip, because that tip geometry makes soldering such plated through-hole joints easier.
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