How to fix joystick drift on a PS5 controller
Lately, some PlayStation controllers have been gaining a lot of negative attention for joystick drift. This mainly applies to the PS5’s DualSense controllers, but drift can also appear in PS4 controllers. A controller with a drifting joystick essentially renders your games unplayable, and getting it repaired or replaced can leave you with no way to enjoy your console for days. Before going through any of that, here’s how to fix controller drift on your PlayStation’s joysticks.
If you’re willing to pay a little extra, fixing this issue with Sony’s DualSense Edge controller is a breeze thanks to it having a modular design that allows you to swap out the control sticks. If you’re rocking an original DualSense, or older PS4 controller, the following steps are your best bet.
What is joystick drift?
Joystick drift is when your controller behaves as if you’re pressing one or both of the joysticks in a specific direction even when you are not touching the controller. It is also known as ‘controller drift’. In-game, it can manifest as your character spinning or walking in one direction constantly, or cycling through menu options out of your control. This happens with DualSense controllers because the sensors underneath the stick are either being triggered by something or are failing on a software or mechanical level. The former two you may be able to solve on your own with these tips, while the latter you cannot.
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What NOT to do
First off, do not attempt to open up your DualSense controller. Even if you do so as carefully as possible, opening it up will void your warranty, meaning that if none of the other fixes here work, you won’t even be able to return it for a new one. There’s also no reason to get inside unless the problem is mechanical, in which case you wouldn’t have
