Fixing Controller Drift in Meta Quest 2 and Quest 3

A controller drift issue affects all controllers, regardless of whether they are wired or wireless. When a controller drift issue occurs, you may notice that your controller behaves strangely.

A controller drift issue can also cause your character or the camera in a game to move toward a specific side, causing you to have an unpleasant gaming experience.

Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3 hand controllers suffer from controller drift while controller manufacturers try to make the best controllers.

Here’s how to fix the controller drift issue in the Meta Quest 2 or 3. For those who own the Meta Quest 2 or 3, there are a few solutions that you can try.

It’s important to understand why and how controller drift occurs before we look at the different methods you can use to fix it.

Let us examine the various causes of this problem.

• The controller is subject to normal wear and tear

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• The joysticks of the controller are covered in dirt and dust

• Some games may cause controller drift

The reason for the controller drift problem on the Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3 controllers can be attributed to several factors, and now that we know those factors, let’s examine the various troubleshooting steps you need to follow if you want to solve the controller drift problem.

Fix Controller Drift Issues on Meta Quest 2 and Quest 3

As a result of the controller drift issues that can be seen on your Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3 or any Meta Quest game, there are several troubleshooting methods that you can follow to try to resolve these issues. Let’s take a closer look at them now.

Clean Up Your Controllers

It is essential to clean your controllers as soon as possible. A little bit of dust and dirt can cause the joystick to become locked in a particular direction and remain so for a long time. To ensure your controllers’ joysticks and buttons are kept clean and dry, use a soft and dry cloth whenever possible.

Calibrate Your Controllers

In addition, you can calibrate your Meta Quest controller at any time by using the calibration tools built right into the Meta Quests software. The good thing about these controllers nowadays is that you have the option of doing so whenever you wish. Here are the steps you can follow to calibrate your Meta Quest controller.

1. Make sure your Meta Quest headset is powered up.

2. Select the Settings motion from your headset’s menu.

3. The next step is to select the Controller Settings option.

4. Select the joystick that is experiencing controller drift from the Joystick Deadzone and Range menu.

5. As you can see on the screen, you must now adjust and set up the dead zones of the controllers.

Reset Your Meta Quest Controllers

You can perform a controller reset directly from the Meta Quest game console if recalibrating your controllers has not rectified the drift problem. Here are the steps and procedures to follow.

Set the Meta Quest 2 and 3 controllers to default

1. Turn off your Meta Quest 2 and 3 controllers.

2. Remove the controller batteries now.

3. For about 30 or so seconds, leave them without batteries.

4. Put the batteries back in the controller and turn it back on after 30 seconds.

A reset of the controllers usually solves a lot of problems, apart from drifting controllers. The reset process for the controllers is straightforward.

Disassemble and Clean Up The JoyStick

You can also disassemble and clean up your Meta Quest controllers on your own as a final option to fix the controller drift issue. It is better to seek the advice of someone who knows what they are doing if you don’t know how, as this will prevent you from making any further problems with the controllers.

1. Disconnect the controllers from the power source and remove the batteries.

2. A black plastic faceplate is located on the controller, and it can be removed using an opening tool.

3. Removing the cap covering the joystick’s solid part is straightforward after you remove the faceplate.

4. You can then gently release the compressed air over the joystick’s surface.

5. Take some isopropyl alcohol and clean the joystick after you have removed the dust and any particles.

6. You need to move the joystick manually for the solution to be applied throughout. Appley a bit around the joystick.

7. To reassemble the faceplate, joystick caps, and batteries, allow the solution to dry before reassembling them.

8. Check if the issue has been resolved by connecting and powering up the controller.

Closing Thoughts

Lastly, I would like to conclude this guide with a brief explanation of how you can solve the controller drift of Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3 respectively. Whenever you want to service the controllers, you have to call Meta and send the device in for service, if you do not intend to open up the controllers. You may receive either a replacement controller or a repaired controller and returned to you in many cases.

We can fix or replace the controllers for free if they are still under warranty. If you have any questions or concerns, please speak out below!