Xbox Controller Drift: 6 Tips to Get Rid Of It

Clean your Xbox controller to fix the problem

6 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Key notes

Like other gaming controllers, Xbox controllers are prone to wear and tear, which causes several issues to develop on their own, including the frustrating Xbox controller drift problem.

The controller drift in Xbox causes the analog stick to move automatically even if you do not touch or move it. The Xbox controller drift is an irritating problem that needs to be resolved quickly, and this guide will provide you with the proven fixes to deal with it successfully.

Why do I face the Xbox controller drift issues?

The primary reason the Xbox One controller drift occurs is dust, debris, and grime build-up. Similarly, food particles, lint, pet fur, and dead skin clog the Xbox controller causing it to develop the drift issue. Apart from this, there can be other reasons which can cause the controller to drift.

Now that you know why the drift issues occur in the Xbox controller, let’s see how you can resolve it yourself.

How do I fix the Xbox controller drift issue?

Some of the simple tricks to try before implementing the advanced solutions are as follows:

If none of these workarounds help, jump to the complex solutions mentioned below.

1. Clean your Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S controller

Accumulation of dirt within your Xbox controller causes the joystick to malfunction. Fortunately, you can easily clean the thumbstick and surrounding cavity using a compressed air can and isopropyl alcohol to remove all the trapped particles, resolving the problem.

2. Repair the Xbox controller

Proceed with the following steps if the above methods did not troubleshoot the drift issue and your Xbox controller is not under the warranty period.

3. Adjust Deadzone

The Deadzone is that area around the joystick where you can move the stick without causing any movement. If you experience that the drift issues are causing the joystick to lean by itself, expanding the Deadzone area can successfully resolve the problem.

4. Resync the Xbox controller

If the controller drift occurred suddenly due to a troublesome connection between the Xbox console and the controller, resyncing the components will help resolve it.

That’s pretty much it! Hopefully, the solutions listed in this guide could successfully resolve the controller drift issue in Xbox Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S.

To prevent this stick drift from happening again, always store it in less dirty places and do not touch it with dirty hands. Needless to say, keep yourXbox Controller up to dateat all times to avoid such shortcomings in the future.

Which of these tricks worked for you? Do let us know in the comments section below.

Xbox Controller Drift: 6 Tips to Get Rid Of It#

Why do I face the Xbox controller drift issues?#

How do I fix the Xbox controller drift issue?#

1. Clean your Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S controller#

2. Repair the Xbox controller#

3. Adjust Deadzone#

4. Resync the Xbox controller#