How to Finally Fix a Drifting Nintendo Joy-Con Yourself
After years of annoying Joy-Con drift issues plaguing Nintendo Switch consoles, a permanent fix can finally be found.
What is Joy-Con drift?
For those who don’t know what “Joy-Con drift” is, consider yourself in luck – it’s a widespread problem that most Nintendo Switch owners face at some point. After sufficient use, the force in the Joy-Con mechanism will weaken and the joystick will wiggle slightly, causing it to inadvertently detect input – in other words, your cursor, character, or menu will move around the screen even when you are not touching the controller.
This is a major issue that affects the overall gameplay and usability of the Nintendo Switch. In all fairness, this is not only an annoyance, but also a major drawback that makes it difficult to get an otherwise excellent portable home console hybrid.
Both Nintendo and users have tried to find a way to beat the drift. Fixes range from inconvenient (like sending Joy-Cons to Nintendo for repair or buying a replacement pair) to potentially dangerous (like using rubbing alcohol to clean the joystick sensor or opening the Joy-Con and replacing your thumb). poke yourself). But while almost all of these solutions worked (with varying degrees of success), none of them provide a permanent fix. At some point, the tension on the thumb grip will release and the Joy-Con will drift back.
However, a YouTuber called VK’s Channel claims to have found a permanent solution – and it’s surprisingly simple.
How to fix a drifting Joy-Con
As the VK channel (which we will call “VK” for simplicity) in the video below demonstrates, pressure on the outside of the Joy-Con removes the joystick from shifting. So, to provide constant pressure, VK opened the Joy-Con and placed a thin strip of paper behind the joystick sensor. VK says it fixed the drift right away and that the problem hasn’t returned yet.
There is no way to confirm if inserting a piece of paper into the Joy-Con is really a long-term solution for everyone as it was discovered very recently, but according to VK and social media comments, it looks like it works. already.
Is it safe to fix the Joy-Con yourself?
In theory, filling the tiny gap between the Joy-Con body and the back of the thumb sensor should be enough to hold the body in place as long as the paper is the correct size – just paper (or cardboard, cardboard, etc.). should be about 0.5mm high. Nothing else will fit. The paper will not affect anything in the controller as long as it is placed properly, and there are no heat or conduction hazards to worry about (just remember to turn off the Joy-Con first).
What You Will Need To Fix Joy-Con Drift By Yourself
I was planning to test the fix on a pair of Joy-Cons that I dropped due to severe drift issues, but I lack the proper tools to get the job done, which brings up some important caveats that switch owners should be aware of before trying this on their own. …
To perform the VK Homemade Drift Fix, you’ll need to remove the four tiny tricuspid screws on the back of the Joy-Cons. Most switch owners probably don’t have a three-wing screwdriver, and if they do, it may not be the right size (a 1.5mm three-wing screwdriver will do the job).
But even if you have the right screwdrivers, there are risks to opening your Joy-Cons. First, it can void the Joy-Cons warranty (or even your console’s warranty if you’re using the Switch Lite), meaning that if something breaks, you won’t be able to send them to Nintendo Technical Support. Fortunately, you only have to tinker with four screws; You don’t need to touch any other controller components other than placing a tiny piece of paper or cardboard behind the joystick body.
However, despite the fact that the VK paper trick requires zero technical accuracy, making your own fixes is risky. Excess dust can accidentally get on the internal components, and small parts can break, fall out and get lost. If you are not comfortable with risking the warranty and usability of the Joy-Cons, contact Nintendo for a professional drift service, or simply buy an extra pair. But if you’re ready to take matters into your own hands, try fixing it at home.
[ Nintendo Life ]