how to fix joycon drift

Want to permanently fix that annoying Joy-Con drift on your Nintendo Switch console? One YouTuber has come up with a simple and effective solution to the years-old problem.

One of the Nintendo Switch's most notorious issues is its tendency to experience Joy-Con drift. The problem is so prevalent that thousands of fans around the world have experienced their Joy-Cons drifting to some degree.

If you're not too clued in on the subject matter, Joy-Con drift is where the Nintendo Switch controller's joystick registers inputs that a player isn't making. For example, you might notice your character moving slowly, despite not even having your fingers on the sticks.

Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Drift — (Source: Nintendo)

Following a series of class-action lawsuits against Nintendo, the company will now repair drifting Joy-Cons for free. However, there's a way to do it yourself that's incredibly simple and easy to do.

It seems that after years of dealing with the issue, one YouTuber may have found the perfect solution to fix Joy-Con drift for good. And with a Nintendo Switch stock shortage about to hit, this is the perfect time to not have to replace your hardware!

Read More: Nintendo Switch vs Switch OLED Comparison & Differences

YouTuber Fixes Joy-Con With Cardboard

In a new video by aspiring game developer Victorstk, the YouTuber shows us how to fix Joy-Con drift with nothing more than a piece of cardboard.

In the recent upload, YouTuber VK informs viewers that the Joy-Con drift in his controller appears to be caused by the slight loosening of the metal enclosure holding the stick in place. Because of this, simply applying pressure to the Joy-Con casing will stop the issue from occurring.

In order to replicate this effect even when using the controller, the content creator uses a small piece of cardboard. And when inserting it into the controller, it's enough to resolve the issue for good.

And with super fast-paced experiences like Splatoon 3 launching soon, this fix couldn't arrive at a better time.

Nintendo Switch OLED Joycon — (Source: Nintendo)

Of course, while VK calls this is a permanent fix for Joy-Con drift, we'll have to see if that stays true over the coming months. However, the YouTuber reports that it's already been about 2 months since they discovered this fix and everything is still working perfectly.

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How to Fix Joy-Con Drift

First, unscrew your faulty Joy-Con's casing
Carefully pull apart the two sides of the case, without breaking the ribbon cables that run between them
Using a pry tool, pry the battery out of the way
Remove the 3 screws holding the battery container in place
Gently lift the battery holder out of the way without breaking the ribbon cable that's still attached
Then, take a small square of cardboard and place it over the metal Joy-Con holder
Reassemble your controller, and enjoy a lack of Joy-Con drift!

We'd like to hope that this Joy-Con drift won't be an issue with the new Nintendo Switch OLED Model but we know better than to expect that. In fact, this Nintendo employee recommends not buying the Switch OLED unless you like the screen!

As for the actual major console upgrade, it looks like we could still be getting a Nintendo Switch with 4K visuals in 2022! We'd certainly hope this is the case, as reports suggest that Pokemon Legends: Arceus is getting a big upgrade on Nintendo Switch Pro.