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Not many things in the universe can ruin a Mario Kart marathon session as effectively as Joy-Con drift does. You know what we’re talking about, that god-awful moment when your kart randomly pulls to the side, sending you careening off the track despite the joystick being centered. We’ve all felt the frustration, but don’t chuck your Switch out the window just yet.
While a nuisance, Joy-Con drift is usually fixable with some handy DIY solutions. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll outline the common causes behind Joy-Con drift, the best methods for troubleshooting and fixing it, options for repairs, and steps you may take to prevent it from recurring. Let’s dive in and get you comfortably back to drifting around corners!
What Causes Joy-Con Drift
Before trying to fix your Switch, it might be a little helpful to understand what it is that causes this issue in the first place. When it comes to Joy-Con Drift, the usual culprit is thedust, dirt and debristhat comes with months of usage, interfering with the analog stick’s internal components.
When used over long periods of time, these thingscan build up under the joystick covering and end up causing resistance.This in turn, leads to the Switch’s sensors detecting the resistance as unintended movement and causing drift.
But it’s not just that,general wear and tearon the analog stick mechanismcan also lead to drift,especially if the contacts on your Switch aren’t perfectly aligned and connecting smoothly.
Manufacturing flaws that allow dust ingress or lead to early wear are other potential factors. While it may seem frustrating, the causes of drift ultimately come down to routine usage, taking a toll over hundreds or thousands of gameplay hours.
Troubleshooting Joy-Con Drift
Before diving into fixes, it’s very important to properly diagnose Joy-Con drift through some handy systematic troubleshooting. So take a few moments and try these out before heading on to the next steps!
DIY Fixes For Joy-Con Drift
If you’ve confirmed drift occurring on one or more of your Joy-Cons after troubleshooting, we’ve got a few DIY solutions worth trying before resorting to repairs or replacements. While not guaranteed permanent fixes, these handy methods can dissolve dirt build-up and dislodge debris causing the drift interference. Check them out below.
Compressed Air
One of the easiest and most effective DIY drift fixes isblasting compressed air around the base of the analog stickand just underneath the edge of the rubber cover.Short bursts of air can help dislodge any debristhat has worked its way into the mechanism. The goal is to shift built-up dust and dirt particles without forcing them deeper inside.
Rotate the analog stick so you may spray from all angles and under any accessible gaps in the housing. Tilting the Joy-Con allows debris to fall out. For best results,use short half-second blasts while moving the stick and Joy-Con. Repeat the process a few times over several days, testing for improvements in drift after each session.
Contact Cleaner Spray
Electronic contact cleaner spray, available at any electronics retailer, can also effectively flush out contaminants causing drifting.Avoid standard cleaners and use an approved contact cleanerdesigned for electronics. Thoroughly spray the nozzle into any gap at the base of the analog stick while rotating the stick in circular patterns.
This allows the pressurized solution to penetrate deeper into the mechanism to dissolve built-up grime the compressed air may have missed. Theactive cleaning agents in contact cleaner break down oil, dust and debristhat could be interfering with the sensors.
Work the analog stick vigorously in all directions for 30 seconds after spraying to ensure the solution reaches all areas and has time to break down contaminants before evaporating. Like compressed air, perform this cleaning ritual a few times over several days to maximally flush the mechanism internals.
Q-Tips For Visible Debris Removal
For more targeted cleaning of visible debris around the analog stick, you’re able to use Q-tips (cotton swabs) dampened with isopropyl alcohol. Gently roll the cotton tip around the edges where the stick meets the housing, twisting to reach the seam. The small cotton swab can pick up any larger particles along the housing perimeter that blasts of air may have missed.
Take care not to get any cotton strands detached in the mechanism. Also avoid pushing down too firmly, which can further grind debris deeper inside. The goal is asoft, delicate sweeping motion to lift contaminants.
Joy-Con Analog Stick Recalibration
In addition to cleaning, you can alsotry recalibrating the analog sticks in the Switch system settings menu.Over time, the resting center position can get slightly offset, causing drift. Recalibration re-centers the sticks.
To recalibrate:
Recalibrating can help realign the analog stick’s dead zone if it has shifted over timeand is detecting false inputs. Test for drift improvements in games after resetting the center point.
While not a permanent drift fix, a few rounds of DIY cleaning can significantly improve Joy-Con performance and save a repair visit. But if issues persist after a week of trying these methods,sending to Nintendo for an official fixis probablybest to address any internal hardware wear.
Official Joy-Con Repairs and Replacements
If DIY efforts fail to correct Joy-Con drift, Nintendo’s repair services provide official factory fixes:
Preventing Future Joy-Con Drift
To help minimize the chances of drift happening again after fixing your Joy-Cons, consider these best practices:
A few rounds of DIY cleaning may get your Switch back on track, but for persistent issues, you gotta trust Nintendo’s seasoned technicians to provide permanent fixes. Just ensure to maintain a decent gaming hygiene and the occasional cleanup, and you too can keep your Switch in top gaming shape for years of motion-controlled fun.
