Nintendo Switch Joy-Con drift: what you can try at home in India

Joy-Con drift is when your character or cursor moves on its own even though you are not touching the stick. Calibration, a firmware update and a careful clean fix some cases, and this guide also explains your repair options in India.

Update the Switch, then go to System Settings > Controllers and Sensors > Update Controllers. Next, choose Calibrate Control Sticks on the same screen and follow the prompts. If the stick feels gritty, power off the console and brush around the stick base with a clean, dry toothbrush. If drift continues after all this, the Joy-Con itself needs service.

• 1. Rule out remapped controls: Look at the bottom-left corner of the screen near the controller icon. A small wrench symbol means someone has remapped the buttons or sticks. Put the Switch to sleep and wake it, and you will be offered the option to reset the controller inputs to standard.
• 2. Update the console: From the HOME Menu, open System Settings, scroll to the bottom and select System, then System Update. Let it download and install any update before you move on.
• 3. Update the Joy-Con firmware: Make sure the Joy-Con is paired and switched on. Go to System Settings > Controllers and Sensors > Update Controllers. If more than one controller is paired, the Switch updates them one by one. If the update stops halfway, run it again.
• 4. Remove skins and grips: Take off any stick caps, skins or covers from the problem Joy-Con. A tight third-party cover can press on the stick and make it register movement when you are not touching it.
• 5. Calibrate the control sticks: Go to System Settings > Controllers and Sensors > Calibrate Control Sticks. Tilt the drifting stick fully in one direction, hold it for a few seconds, then follow the on-screen test. If the test shows the stick is off centre, press X to calibrate and follow the prompts. If you get it wrong, press Y to go back to default settings and try again.
• 6. Clean around the stick base: Hold the POWER Button and choose Power Off. Gently brush around the edge of the stick with a clean, dry toothbrush, then wipe away any dust with a soft, dry cloth. Switch the console back on and calibrate again. Skip sprays, water and opening the controller.
• 7. Reset the Joy-Con connection: If calibration finished but the drift seems unchanged, put the console to sleep and wake it with the POWER Button. If that does not help, press the small SYNC Button on the Joy-Con rail once, then press any other button to turn it back on.
• 8. Test in more than one game: If the drift only appears in one game, update that game and check its settings. Some titles, such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, support tilt controls, and when these are on it can feel like the sticks are misbehaving.