How to Fix Stick Drift Without Opening Your Controller
Stick drift is the nightmare of every gamer. It happens when your controller registers movement even when you aren't touching the thumbsticks. Before you throw your controller away, try these steps:
- Compressed Air: Dust often gets trapped in the sensor mechanism. Blow compressed air into the base of the stick while rotating it.
- Isopropyl Alcohol: Use a Q-tip with 99% alcohol to clean the base of the stick.
- Adjust Deadzones: Most games (like Call of Duty or Fortnite) allow you to increase deadzones in settings. This ignores small drift movements.
If these don't work, the potentiometer is physically worn out. The only permanent fix is to buy a Hall Effect controller like the GuliKit KingKong 2, which uses magnets instead of physical contact parts.