Some PS5 controllers are victims of the dreaded stick drift, where the stick moves on its own. Below we will show you how to identify and fix the problem with the PS5 DualSense.
Detect stick drift
The so-called stick drift is a problem in which the stick on the controller moves on its own, even if you don't have your hand on the DualSense. Identifying the shift problem is therefore quite easy as you should notice it straight away. It is not possible to play smoothly with this phenomenon, as the problem has a disruptive effect on your gameplay. In the following video you can see an example of the described stick shift of the DualSense controller:
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Fix stick drift on PS5 controller
The following steps can help solve the problem. Go through them one by one and see if any of the steps fix the stick drift:
Cleans the sticks: Clean your analog sticks, as dust particles or the like can sometimes cause stick drift. Not only does it clean the stick, but also the joint underneath. Use a dry, soft cloth such as a glasses cleaning cloth. Extremely wimportant: Under no circumstances use alcohol or other liquid cleaning agents.
Check whether your software is up to date: To control your Dualsense's software, briefly press the PlayStation button on your controller. Go to “Accessories” in the bar, third symbol from the right, then to “Wireless Controller” and lastly to “Controller Settings”. In the menu that follows, at the bottom it says “Device software of the wireless controller”, which should say “0210”.
Performs a reset on the controller: Turn off the PS5, not into sleep mode, but completely off. On the back of the controller you will find a tiny hole next to the “Sony” lettering. Press the button with a pin, staple, or other “tool” for 3 to 5 seconds. Then turn the PS5 back on and connect the controller to your console again.
Disconnect the controller and reconnect it via Bluetooth: Follow the instructions in the second step to get to the controller menu. Go to “Communication method” and select “Use USB cable”. Then switch back to “Use Bluetooth”.
Changes controller effects: Follow the instructions in the second step to get to the controller menu. Remember your current settings in the menu items “Vibration intensity”, “Intensity of the trigger effect” and “Brightness of the controller lights”. Change all three menu items to any specification, the only important thing is that you change the respective setting. After you've done that, change the 3 options again to your preferred settings.
Some games, such as Modern Warfare, have a Deadzone setting in their options. There you can change the dead zone and thus also improve the stick shift. Important: This solution is not ideal as the shift issue still affects your gameplay.
If no suggested solution helps, contact Sony support. Which brings us to the next point…
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If nothing works, contact Sony support
After the purchase You have one on the PlayStation 5 or a separate DualSense controller one year guarantee. If no suggested solution improves the stick drift, be sure to make use of the warranty and contact Sony support. To do this, go to Sony PlayStation Hardware Support, we have linked the official homepage for you.
Click on the “DualSense” button on the official homepage and follow the instructions. Once you have gone through the suggested support steps, you will receive a telephone number and reference number at the end. Call customer service, discuss your problem with the relevant employee and request an exchange.
Important: If you send the controller in, be sure to keep your receipt. If there is a problem with shipping, you can prove that you sent the controller to the correct address and that the error was not yours.
What are your current experiences with the PlayStation 5's DualSense controller? Have you already had problems? What do you think of the new features? Feel free to write it to us in the comments, we are interested in your opinion.