How to Fix PS5 Controller Stick Drift
Disassemble a PS5 DualSense controller to access, open, and clean the analog stick potentiometers with isopropyl alcohol to resolve stick drift.
- Read the tools, materials, safety notes, and steps below for free.
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- Allow camera and microphone. Point your phone at the work; the coach watches your progress and tells you the next step.
🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ PH00 precision screwdriver
- ✓ Plastic pry tool (spudger)
- ✓ Precision angled tweezers
- ✓ Cotton swabs
- ✓ Can of compressed air
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ 99% Isopropyl alcohol
- ✓ Replacement potentiometer wipers (optional)
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Ensure the controller is fully powered off and disconnected from any charging cables before opening.
- • Disconnect the internal battery connector before touching or cleaning any internal circuitry.
- • Use only 90%+ (preferably 99%) isopropyl alcohol to prevent liquid damage to circuit boards.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Remove Trim and Shoulder Buttons
Insert a plastic pry tool under the bottom tips of the black faceplate trim near the handle base and pop it loose along the edges. Use the pry tool to gently pry upwards on the L1 and R1 shoulder buttons until they unclip and lift out.
- • Black U-shaped faceplate trim completely removed, exposing the bottom two screws.
- • L1 and R1 button caps removed, exposing the top two screws.
- • Using metal tools that scratch or gouge the plastic housing.
- • Pulling the trim at a sharp angle instead of unhooking the clips along the seam.
Unscrew and Remove Rear Shell
Use a PH00 screwdriver to remove the 4 visible black screws: two from the handle bottoms and two from beneath the L1/R1 slots. Locate the two plastic lock tabs next to the headphone jack, depress them with a pry tool, and split the back casing away from the front.
- • Four screws placed safely in a tray.
- • Rear white shell separated from the front frame, exposing the battery compartment.
- • Yanking the rear shell off before releasing the small center clips by the 3.5mm jack.
- • Using the wrong size screwdriver bit and stripping the screw heads.
Disconnect Battery and Battery Tray
Gently wiggle and pull the battery's white wire connector straight out from the motherboard socket. Lift the battery out, remove the single silver screw holding the black plastic battery tray, and tilt the tray up to unclip the bottom microphone wire.
- • Grey battery pack completely disconnected and set aside.
- • Black battery tray removed, exposing the main motherboard and stick modules.
- • Pulling on the battery wires directly instead of gripping the plastic plug.
- • Tearing the delicate flat flex cable connected to the bottom microphone.
Open the Potentiometer Housing
Pull the removable thumbstick cap straight off the drifting joystick module to expose the potentiometers. Using a thin pry tool or tweezers, gently unclip the top of the green/teal potentiometer housing from the metal stick frame and fold it outward about 30 to 45 degrees without snapping it.
- • Rubber thumbstick cap removed.
- • Green potentiometer side casing swung open, revealing the small metal wiper disc inside.
- • Bending the green housing too far back (past 60 degrees), snapping the solder joints or plastic hinge.
- • Prying on the wrong axis (there are two potentiometers per stick: horizontal and vertical).
Clean Wiper and Resistive Track
Use precision tweezers to lift the tiny circular metal wiper out of the green housing and inspect its delicate prongs for bends or carbon buildup. Dip a cotton swab in 99% isopropyl alcohol and firmly wipe the circular black carbon track inside the housing, then clean the wiper disc before reseating it with tweezers.
- • Swab tip shows dark graphite/grease residue removed from the housing.
- • Clean, shiny metal wiper correctly reseated flat against the internal disc.
- • Green potentiometer clicked firmly back into its fully closed, locked position.
- • Deforming or flattening the tiny contact spring arms on the wiper disc during handling.
- • Installing the wiper disc backward or misaligned off its center post.
Reassemble and Test Controller
Press the thumbstick cap back onto the joystick shaft, reinstall the battery tray, screw it down, and reconnect the battery plug. Snap the rear housing back together, insert and tighten all 4 chassis screws, then snap the L1/R1 buttons and black trim back into position.
- • All shell seams flush with zero gaps.
- • L1, R1, and thumbsticks depress and spring back smoothly without sticking.
- • Controller powers on with normal blue pairing/charging LED.
- • Pinching ribbon cables between the front and rear plastic shells.
- • Forgetting to reconnect the battery plug before sealing the shell.
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by Yorrick — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Plastic pry tool (spudger)? Guitar pick or old credit card
- No Precision angled tweezers? Sewing needle or flat toothpick for wiper manipulation