How to Fix Joy-Con Drift on Nintendo Switch

Joy-Con drift occurs when there is no Joy-Con register input. This means that your character, or a reticle, could move in an unexpected direction. This issue was first reported early in the lifecycle of the Nintendo Switch. Reports of Joy-Con drift prompted the law firm of Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith (CSK&D) to file a class action lawsuit against Nintendo in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. In this article we will teach you How to Fix Joy-Con Drift on Nintendo Switch.

In response to the reports, Nintendo issued an official statement in July 2019 stating, “We are aware of recent reports that some Joy-Con controllers are not responding correctly. We want our customers to have fun with the Nintendo Switch, and if anything falls short of that, we always encourage them to contact official Nintendo Switch support so we can assist them.” Below we have mention the steps to Fix Joy-Con Drift on Nintendo Switch.

How to Fix Joy-Con Drift on Nintendo Switch

How to Fix Joy-Con Drift on Nintendo Switch

Reset Any Button Mapping

On your Switch, you can change the functions of the various buttons to make the controllers more accessible. You can also use button mapping to change the orientation of your control stick. Return to the Home screen and look in the bottom-left corner for a Switch or Joy-Con icon with a wrench on it to see if button mapping is enabled on your Switch. If you see it, navigate to System Settings > Controllers and Sensors > Change Button Mapping and tap Reset for each Joy-Con to restore them to their default button mapping.

Check Your Controllers Are Connected Correctly

According to Nintendo’s Joy-Con support page, you should double-check that your Joy-Con controllers are properly communicating with the Switch system. Go to the Home screen and select the Controllers option. The image on the left side of the screen displays all of the controllers that are currently paired with the Switch, as well as whether they are registered as attached or detached from the Switch. Check that this corresponds to reality, and move your Joy-Cons around on the console to see if the image updates. If your Joy-Cons are not properly registering, go to Change Grip/Order and press the minus (-) or plus (+) button. Then, again, follow the onscreen instructions to pair your Joy-Cons.

Update Your Switch System

Although most Joy-Con drift issues are hardware-related, there is a chance yours is software-related, in which case an update should fix it. Updating the operating system is an excellent way to resolve any Nintendo Switch issues caused by software bugs. First, ensure that your Switch is connected to Wi-Fi. Then go to the Home screen, select System Settings > System, and then tap System Update. Your Switch will scan for new updates and will download and install any that are available.

Update Your Joy-Con Firmware

You must also update the Joy-Con firmware in addition to the Switch’s operating system. It is critical to first update the Switch system because you may require the most recent operating system to use the most recent Joy-Con firmware. After you have updated your Switch system, navigate to Home > System Settings > Controllers and Sensors and press the Update Controllers button. Each controller on your Switch will be updated one at a time. Allow all updates to finish before testing your Joy-Cons again.

Recalibrate Your Control Sticks

It is possible that your Joy-Con control sticks are pulling to one side due to incorrect calibration. This implies that the control stick sensors have lost sight of what a centered control stick looks like. This is simple to resolve by recalibrating your control sticks in the Switch settings. Select System Settings > Controllers and Sensors, then scroll down to Calibrate Control Sticks on the Home page. To recalibrate your control stick, follow the onscreen instructions. You want the cross icon to appear in the center of the circle. You can also press Y to return your control stick to its default settings, but this will only work if there is nothing physically wrong with it.

Check for Game Software Updates

If your Joy-Cons always drift while playing the same few games, there could be an issue with those games. To check for updates, highlight the relevant game on your Nintendo Switch Home screen, then press the plus (+) button and select Software Update > Via the Internet. Also, check the game’s details online to see if it uses tilt controls. It is possible that your Joy-Cons are functioning normally, but they are pulling to the side because you are tilting them without realizing it. This is especially prevalent in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Breath of the Wild.

Remove Any Skins or Covers

You may have decided to personalize your Nintendo Switch by purchasing skins, covers, cases, and other accessories. While these are great ways to personalize your Switch, the adornments can occasionally interfere with your Joy-Cons working properly. Remove any skins, stickers, or covers from your Joy-Con controllers to see if this has any effect, especially if they wrap around the front of the controller near the control sticks.

Clean the Joy-Con Control Sticks

Often, Joy-Con drift is caused by dust and grime accumulating inside the control stick mechanism. If you do not want to completely disassemble your Joy-Con and void the warranty, you can still clean this dirt away to repair it. To do this correctly, you will need:

  • Tweezers with a fine tip
  • Contact cleaner for compressed air, also known as switch cleaner.

Pull the control stick to one side and use the tweezers to lift the thin cover, revealing the mechanism. Blast it with compressed air to get rid of any dirt or grit. Rep from different angles around the control stick. If that does not work, insert a small amount of contact cleaner into the mechanism and rotate the control stick to work it in. Apply very little liquid and use only contact cleaner, which is widely available in hardware stores.

Send Your Joy-Con to Nintendo

If nothing else works and your Joy-Con continues to drift, it is time to send it to Nintendo for a physical repair. This means you will be without your controller for a few weeks, but it will be worth it in the end. If your Switch is still under warranty, Nintendo should repair it free of charge. However, because Joy-Con drift is so common, Nintendo may repair the issue for free even if you are outside of the warranty period. Go to Nintendo’s Joy-Con repair page and follow the instructions to send your Joy-Con away for repair. Only the affected Joy-Con should be sent, not the Switch console or any other accessories.

Final Words

We hope you like our article on How to Fix Joy-Con Drift on Nintendo Switch. Will help you and resolve all your problems. After applying all this above solution and still stuck in the same issue than we recommend you to go to their official support website and request your problem to be solved. Nintendo Switch Joy-Con drift is a constant issue that will annoy anyone who owns a Switch, as it is a very common issue – your thumb sticks responding to nothing and pushing in one direction. 

I hope you understand this article, How to Fix Joy-Con Drift on Nintendo Switch.

Editorial Staff
Editorial Staffhttps://www.bollyinside.com
The Bollyinside editorial staff is made up of tech experts with more than 10 years of experience Led by Sumit Chauhan. We started in 2014 and now Bollyinside is a leading tech resource, offering everything from product reviews and tech guides to marketing tips. Think of us as your go-to tech encyclopedia!

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