How to Fix Stick Drift on Your Nintendo Switch Joy-Con

This trick might just help.

Unfortunately for Nintendo Switch users, the Joy-Cons have been plagued with stick drifting issues since they first came out and they haven’t got any better.

In fact, with the release of the new OLED Switch, Nintendo even refused to comment when asked if they had fixed the issue or not. 

Thankfully, the internet has come to the Joy-Con’s rescue with a solution that might fix the stick drift once and for all.

Let’s dive in and have a look.

What is stick drift?

First up, we better explain what stick drift is so you can work out if you’ve been experiencing it (tbh you probably have, it’s a widespread issue).

After using the Joy-Con for a while, the tension on the thumb stick loosens, resulting in the thumb stick slightly jiggling and causing unintended input detection. Basically, without you even touching the Joy-Con, your character, cursor or menu will move around. It’s super annoying.

Nintendo’s solution was to send it to them to fix or buy a new Joy-Con, so yeah...

Can I fix it myself?

DIY fixit jobs on the Joy-Con haven’t had huge success until now. YouTuber VK’s Channel has found a solution to the stick drift after working out that applying pressure to the outside of the Joy-Con stops the thumb stick drifting.

To make this pressure permanent, VK opened the Joy-Con and simply placed a thin piece of paper behind the sensor of the thumb stick, stopping the stick drift issue.

Whether or not this is a long-term fix for everyone is up for debate, but reading through the comments on the vid, VK’s solution is the real deal.

Take a look for yourself in the video below.

Wait, is this safe?

In theory, yes. The paper only needs to be at max 0.5mm thick. Anything thicker won’t fit. If placed properly (watch VK’s video above to confirm placement) then the paper won’t interfere with anything else in the controller.

There’s also no heating or conductive risks that you have to worry about. Just make sure you turn it off before you open the Joy-Con up.

If you’re worried about tampering with your Joy-Con then don’t feel like you have to. Just contact Nintendo and get them to professionally service your Joy-Con.

Header Image: VK Channel