How to Fix PS4 Stick Drift: Reset, Clean or Replace

To fix PS4 controller stick drift, start with a reset, often PlayStation's first step for controller issues. Before resetting, disconnect the DUALSHOCK 4 controller from the official USB cable. If you lack soldering equipment, use a shop for joystick replacement, since iFixit's repair needs a soldering station.

Illustration of a slim black game console and a controller with a tilted thumbstick on a pale background.
Illustration

By Published 3 min read

Key takeaways

  • Before the reset, disconnect the controller from the official USB cable, then hold the reset button for at least five seconds.1
  • Choose internal cleaning only if you're prepared to open the controller and remove its circuit board.3
  • Use a shop if you lack the soldering station needed for iFixit's joystick replacement repair.2

How do you reset and reconnect a PS4 controller?

Hold the reset button on a PS4 controller for at least five seconds using a small, unfolded paper clip or something similar. It's inside a tiny rear hole. Then connect the official USB cable to the console's front or rear port and press the PS button to pair.1

How do you clean the left joystick's internal chambers?

Cleaning the left joystick's internal green chambers doesn't involve soldering in iFixit's drift repair. Begin by removing the four 6.0 mm back shell screws with a Phillips #00 screwdriver. Lift the shell away gently. The blue ribbon could be damaged as you detach it.3

Press the battery connector's sides. Pull the connector upward from the circuit board, then remove the battery holder's screw to loosen the holder. Lift the holder out. Remove the battery cable.3

  1. Detach the circuit board

    Pull upward to disconnect its cable, then lift the board away from the front shell until it's separate from all the other parts.3

  2. Open the green chambers

    Put the tip of a flathead screwdriver into the gap in each green chamber. Push inward to pry it open.3

  3. Clean the chambers thoroughly

    Use a soaked Q-tip. Let the chambers dry for about 5-10 minutes before you put the controller back together.3

Thread the cable connector from the front shell through the hole in the circuit board to bring the parts back together. Tweezers can help you thread it. Fit the battery holder's pegs into the holes.3

Secure the holder to the circuit board with its 6.0 mm screw, using the Phillips #00 screwdriver. Place the battery in the holder. Press the battery's red and black wire down into its socket to reconnect it.3

What do you remove to replace the joystick?

For a joystick replacement, flip the rear case over the controller's top and lay it down without straining the cable between the parts. Disconnect the cable by pulling its blue tab straight out of the socket. Use tweezers or your fingers.2

Using tweezers or your fingers, grip the head of the battery cable's connector and disconnect it from the main circuit board before removing the battery. Don't pull on the cable itself. Lift the reset button extension out of its recess in the battery bracket.2

Two clips secure the battery bracket. Lift its right edge and remove it. Use a spudger's point to flip up the locking flap on the touch pad cable connector.2

Disconnect the touch pad cable by pulling its blue tab with tweezers or your fingers. Guide the analog stick covers through their cutouts in the front case as you separate the board from the case.2

When should you take your PS4 controller to a shop?

Choose a repair shop for joystick replacement if you don't have the soldering station that iFixit's repair requires. The replacement joystick sold by iFixit fits PS4 and Xbox One game console controllers and is intended to fix drift or an unresponsive joystick.2, 4

iFixit's part price, read October 7, 2026.4
FixPriceShop or DIY
Controller resetFreeDIY: often PlayStation's first troubleshooting step
Left joystick chamber cleaningFreeDIY: internal repair without soldering
Controller RepairPart $9.99 (iFixit, DualShock 4)Shop: iFixit's replacement repair requires a soldering station

Questions

Can the joystick replacement steps differ between controllers?

In iFixit's repair, joystick replacement on model CUH-ZCT1U resolved drift in both analog sticks. The steps and parts may differ slightly if your controller is another model. Check your controller's model before following those repair steps or choosing the replacement parts.2

How should you support the controller while it's open?

If you need to steady the controller during the joystick repair, lay it on a soft surface such as a microfiber cloth. Clips hold the rear case near the extension port and headphone jack, but breaking them won't affect the repair or the controller's function.2

What needs attention after the joystick has been replaced?

After the joystick replacement, clean the old flux from the repaired circuit board with some isopropyl alcohol. When you reconnect the cable that joins the case parts, its blue pull tab needs to face toward the outside of the controller.2

Find a repair near you

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Sources

  1. How to troubleshoot DUALSHOCK 4 wireless controller issues, PlayStation. accessed Oct 7, 2026
  2. DualShock 4 Left Analog Stick Replacement, iFixit. accessed Oct 7, 2026
  3. How to Fix Left Joystick Drift on a DualShock PS4 Controller Without Soldering, iFixit. accessed Oct 7, 2026
  4. DualShock 4 and Xbox One Controller Joystick, iFixit. accessed Oct 7, 2026