How To Fix Ps4 Controller Joystick

How To Fix Stick Drift On Ps4

Now, this was the best guide to open and clean Dualshock 4s and will help you in every aspect. There is some difference in the old and newer models but this guy explained everything from what you see here and what you might to fix stick drift issues.

This video is necessary because visual representation of what you are doing for the first time helps a lot.

Down are the step is you need them on a single page after watching the video, this will make work easier for some after understanding the procedure or rechecking if something went wrong

How To Fix Stick Drift on PS4

Step 1: Unscrew the 4 little screws on the back and gently separate the controller.

Step 2: Dont pull too hard while separating because there is a ribbon connecting them both. Gently pull the blue tab that will pull out the ribbon separating them.

Step 3: Separate the battery by pulling the connector out and then snap out the battery board as shown in the video.

Step 4: Disconnect the cable at the top right by either pulling or by opening the clamp depending the version of your controller.

Step 5: Unscrew and separate the board from the front panel. Be gentle and check if the ribbon is coming through the front panel.

Step 6: After removing the green board youll see the board connected to the analog stick. Clean every dust on it.

Step 7: remove the analog sticks by pulling it out and you see some familiar green boxes if you read about the potentiometer above.

How Do I Fix My Controller Drift Without Opening It

If your controller is new and you dont want to rip open it thats understandable. There is a popular trick for that, we have using it since the days of Nintendo.

Most of stick drift issues in new controllers occurs because of dust particles inside the analog stick.

Now just blowing inside the joystick can make the situation even worse as it can push more dust particles inside it. The best way to fix the stick drift is by applying some Isopropyl Alcohol on the stick.

Isopropyl alcohol is known for its cleaning capacity so dont worry it will clean the dust on your stick.

Now take few drops of alcohol and rotate the joystick. Make sure it spreads perfectly and then blow the joystick. This will remove the dust and allow the stick to move easily. Dust pushes the stick which causes the unwanted movements.

Do this and see if it fixes your stick drift. If it doesnt then thats because the thing responsible for movement register is either dirty or faulty

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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What Is Analog Stick Drift

Okay, first things first. What exactly is analog stick drift? Well, it basically means that one of your two analog sticks start moving things onscreen when they shouldnt.

Lets say youre playing Fortnite, and your character starts running around in circles for no reason. Or you line up a perfect shot in Call of Duty and suddenly, your sight moves a foot to the left. Or if you veer off the course for no reason in the final lap of a Need for Speed session these are all signs that your PS4 controller is suffering from analog stick drift.

How To Fix Ps4 Controller Jitters

One relatively common issue with PS4 DualShock controllers seems to be the jitters . It’s as if your controller has had too many cups of coffee. If you are experiencing this issue, you will find that input from your sticks will start to stutter. When you push the stick forward, instead of seeing smooth movement on the screen, you’ll see a movement that starts and stops with no rhyme or reason. Have no fear. Before you toss that dual-stick in the trash and buy another of the best PS4 controllers out there, let’s take a look at what you can try to remedy your problem.

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Take Off Your Thumb Grips

Thumb grips are one of the best controller accessories, especially for shooting game players. While the highest quality of them will be a blast to use, the bottom of the barrel may be made out of plastic that significantly degrades over time.

This will cause your thumb sticks to either stick or get stuck to the corner of its movement area, which may cause a drifting effect. Sometimes this issue can be instantly recognizable due to how sticky it can get, but it may also fly under the radar.

To make sure that it isnt your thumb grips that are playing mind games with you, take them off and see if it fixes the issue. You can snap them back on if it doesnt fix the issue or look for alternatives if they were the root of your problems all along.

Use The Controller In Wired Mode

Before you give up on the controller, you should try playing with it permanently connected via a USB cable. However, keep in mind that this only works for the revised model of PS4 controllers. You’ll know you have this model if there’s a light bar inside the touchpad on the front of your controller. If not, you can’t force wired communication.

If you don’t already have one, purchase a long cable so you can still enjoy gaming from the couch. The Ailun three-pack of 10-foot micro-USB cables is a good cost-effective option.

To force your PS4 to connect controllers over USB, head to Settings > Devices > Controllers > Communication Method and choose Use USB Cable. This will prevent the DualShock 4 from using Bluetooth, even when connected via USB.

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Products Used In This Guide

• Blow out the dust-bunnies: 2-Pack Dust-Off Compressed Air
• Adieu dust: AmazonBasics Microfiber Cloth 24-pack
• Grime be gone: Babyganics Alcohol-Free Sanitizing Wipes
• Get crafty: Joystick Wireless Controller Rocker for PlayStation 4 PS4 Controller
• Small Philips: Dynamite Screwdriver
• The whole package: Plusivo Soldering Kit
• It’s getting hot in here: SEEKONE Heat Gun 1800W

Solution : Compressed Air

This technique works to remove debris from inside the Controller without having to disassemble it. For this, youd require a compressed air can, which translates to concentrated blasts of compressed air into the Controller to get rid of dirt and debris from inside that is causing the drift.

So how does this work?

This is probably one of the easiest methods where you start with a can of compressed air, targeting the bottom of the analog sticks. Make sure that your Controller is powered off.

Spray bursts that last five to eight seconds only, and then repeat again after an interval of a few minutes in between each burst. In about 3-4 bursts, you shall have all the debris removed. Keep moving the analog stick in different directions simultaneously while blowing compressed air into the stick where it slots with the Controller. This ensures that the air hits all internal parts where there could be debris, disrupting the internal working of the Controller.

Once youre done, dislodge the debris that surfaces before moving to another set of bursts. Make sure not to invert the can of air while spraying since that can liquefy the compressed air within. And, we all know how electric and liquid are a sinister match for any gadget .

Now, turn on your console and your Controller to check if the drifting has been fixed.

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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.

Solution : Reset Your Ps4 Controller

Soft resetting is the first and the easiest fix to try controlling the drifting. To soft reset your PS4 Controller, follow these steps:

• Log in with your second Controller and navigate to Settings.
• Choose Devices, and then choose Bluetooth Devices.
• Navigate to the PS4 Controller that is drifting from amongst the list.
• Press the Options button on the controller and then select Forget Device.
• Now, turn off the console.
• Next, connect the malfunctioning Controller to your console using a USB cable.
• Reboot your PS4. Press the PlayStation button and log in to PS4. The Controller that you connected with the USB will now be paired with the PlayStation. The soft reset is complete. Check to see if the issue persists.

If soft-reset does not work, you can try hard-resetting the PS4 Controller. Here is how:

• Power down your console.
• Using a paperclip, press the hole near the left shoulder button of the Controller for about 5 seconds.
• This will hard-reset your Controller. To connect it to your PS4 again, follow the last two steps mentioned above in soft-resetting. Youll notice a blue light that indicates that your hard-reset PS4 Controller has been paired with your console.

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Learn How To Fix Your Pesky Ps4 Controller

So youve noticed your skill level just isnt what it used to be, youve started swerving right when you should be running forwards.

In fact, youve started swerving right when youre stood still too, so maybe its not you at all, maybe youre suffering from analogue stick drift.

Well, the good news is that you can get that fixed. There are two ways of doing this, one of which is easy and doesnt involve opening your controller up, the other is, well, the opposite.

So, heres how to fix stick drift on PS4.

How Do I Fix My Ps4 Drifting Controller

A drifting PS4 controller can be fixed by cleaning it out thoroughly. If that does not work, you will have to disassemble the controller and diagnose the problem so it can be fixed

Get a can of compressed air/ air dust blower for a great price on Amazon here and a microfibre clash needed to clean the controller here.

Months of gaming on your PS4 might take its toll on your controller because after all, it wasnt designed to last a lifetime, was it? No matter how much of a clean freak you are, the dust always finds its way into the nooks and corners of your controller, resulting in your controller drifting.

Many users encounter a drifting controller .

For example, you are aiming at a perfect shot in a first-person shooter game when suddenly your character just veers off to the side,this happens when your controller is drifting.

Thoroughly cleaning it might do the trick sometimes, but if it does not do it, you might have to disassemble your controller.

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How To Take Apart Your Dualshock Controller

What To Do When Nothing Works

Almost every time stick drift can be solved without open the controller. But if the stick drift is severe then the only thing we can do is open the controller.

if your Ps4 controller is less than 1year old then its is highly recommended to pay service center a visit. Your controller will be replaced if the damage is not physical.

How to do it?

Now, this was the best guide to open and clean Dualshock 4s and will help you in every aspect. There is some difference in the old and newer models but this guy explained everything from what you see here and what you might to fix stick drift issues.

This video is necessary because the visual representation of what you are doing for the first time helps a lot.

Down are the step is you need them on a single page after watching the video, this will make work easier for some after understanding the procedure or rechecking if something went wrong

How To Fix Stick Drift on PS4

Step 1: Unscrew the 4 little screws on the back and gently separate the controller.

Step 2: Dont pull too hard while separating because there is a ribbon connecting them both. Gently pull the blue tab that will pull out the ribbon separating them.

Step 3: Separate the battery by pulling the connector out and then snap out the battery board as shown in the video.

Step 4: Disconnect the cable at the top right by either pulling or by opening the clamp depending the version of your controller.

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Good Old Wear And Tear

One of the most common reasons behind drifting by your Controller is the condition of your Controller.

The joystick component in the PS4 Controller is responsible for the longevity of the Controller it has a lifecycle of 2 million inputs, which means it can operate just fine till then. The two million inputs, however, may come sooner for some gamers than later, depending on their gameplay and habit, so wear and tear is subjective to individuals and their gameplay.

Can Sony Fix Ps5 Drift

At this time, Sony is willing to repair or replace the controllers as long as they are still under warranty, but owners will have to pay shipping to get the controller to Sony for that repair, as well as provide the box and it may take a few weeks to ship it there, have them repair it, and get it back.

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How To Fix Ps5 Dualsense Analog Stick Drift

Here are several tips to try to solve your controller issues.

You can call it planned obsolescence or just gaming too much with Cheetos fingers, but either way, gaming peripherals wear out over time. Your favorite gaming mouse may start becoming unresponsive after years of serving you well and your PS5 DualSense controller can develop a drifting issue on its own.

Analog stick drifting causes your point of view to slightly shift while playing games. This can happen slowly in a drifting manner or in a snappier way if something is pushing back against your analog stick. While getting a new controller will always be the ultimate fix, the $69.99 price tag of the DualSense controller makes purchasing one less appealing.

Considering you can get a AAA game during its launch period for that money, trying to fix your controller first before buying a new one will always be the smartest course of action.

Heres how you can potentially fix your DualSense controllers analog stick drift.

Carefully Pry Off The Potentiometers

Flip over the PCB to pry the potentiometer from the main analog stick housing. The module should come off easily. Dont attempt to force it out if its stuck, because that can lift a pad. A tiny sliver of solder might be holding back one of the leads. Heating the offending pad with the soldering iron should release it.

Repeat this procedure for another potentiometer. Skip to Step 13 if you only need to replace the potentiometers.

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