If you're suffering from Oculus Quest controller drift, then you need to read this article. We'll run you through what you can do in order to thwart Oculus Quest stick drift, and play your games in full confidence that what you are trying to do on your controller, is reflected on the screen.
A quick google search shows that you are certainly not the only Oculus Quest owner suffering from this particular issue. While it may be frustrating, there are things you can do to mitigate it. Here are our top tips for fixing stick drift on your Oculus Quest 2.
How To Fix Stick Drift On Quest 2
Stick Drift has been a problem for a not insignificant number of Oculus users. The most effective solutions appear to be as follows:
Clean the controller
This may seem somewhat obvious, but sweat, dust and other bits of debris can easily start to build up in and around the controller. So giving it a thorough clean can be an effective solution.
One method we've seen involves users reporting that pushing down the joystick and blowing into it has solved the problem. You could also use a can of compressed air, and use to dislodge any dirt or debris.
In addition, official Oculus guidance is as follows: Use a dry cloth or non-abrasive anti-bacterial wipes to clean your remote. Don't use alcohol or an abrasive cleaning solution.
Remove the batteries
Removing the batteries is another method that seems to have been effective for players. This is the controller equivalent of a hard reset. Remove the batteries, wait for a few minutes, and then reinsert them. While it may not work for everyone, some players have reported that this has mysteriously worked for them.
But what if cleaning the controller and removing the batteries don't seem to have worked?
Reach out to Oculus
Your next option is to contact Oculus for support. Despite this being a fairly common issue, Oculus has been known to ask users to send them a video to demonstrate the problem. Presumably, this helps them to diagnose the source of the fault. It also helps them to determine whether it needs to be repaired or replaced. So bear that in mind, as you may need to do some recording.
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What Is Oculus Quest Controller Drift?
In case you aren't certain whether this is the issue you are experiencing, let's take a few moments to talk about stick drift. This is a phenomenon that is known to occur on more or less any controller that has a joystick component.
You will know if you are suffering from stick shift if you start to see peculiar behaviour from your character. So you may want to move forward, but you suddenly veer off to the side. Or you have stopped pressing on the joystick, but your character continues moving.
Not only is it quite annoying, but it also makes playing your game much more difficult, as what you want to happen won't necessarily be reflected by what your character does.
Of course, that may be a reflection of your limitations as a player. Not every mistimed jump or missed shot is the result of stick drift (if only!). But if you are finding that your instructions are even more erratic than usual, stick drift definitely comes into the conversation.
Without getting bogged down in too much detail, the main factors that cause stick drift are dirt build-up, manufacturer error, and wear and tear on the joypad.
In basic terms, the components that make a joypad work do have a limited lifespan, so the more use your controller gets, the higher the chances that a component will wear out, and start causing stick drift.
Keep it clean, don't bash it against a wall if you get frustrated, and hopefully, you will avoid stick drift. But chances are, eventually it's going to happen.