Taking care of your controller: cleaning, battery and stick drift

Of all the parts of a video game system, the controller works the hardest. It spends hours in your hands, falls off the couch, travels in backpacks, sits next to snacks and gets squeezed hard in decisive matches. No wonder it is also the part that most often breaks. The good news is that a few simple habits make a real difference to its lifespan, and the manufacturers themselves now offer ways to fix the most common faults.

This guide combines guidance from the manuals and support pages of the manufacturers, listed at the end, with practical everyday tips. It applies to PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo controllers, and much of it also works for PC controllers.

Cleaning: less is more

The most common cleaning mistake is overdoing it. The manual for the DualSense, the PS5 controller, says to wipe it with a soft, dry cloth and not to use solvents, chemicals, insecticides or chemically treated cloths. It also asks you to keep the controller away from liquids and not to handle it with wet hands.

For sanitizing, Microsoft's guidance for Xbox controllers, shared in 2020, was to use isopropyl alcohol wipes or a cloth lightly dampened with alcohol, always with light touches and no scrubbing. On painted or specially finished controllers, such as limited editions and the Elite, scrubbing can peel the outer layer. If you clean under the battery door, let it dry completely before putting the batteries back.

• Wash your hands before playing. It sounds obvious, but it is what best prevents built-up dirt and grease.
• Turn the controller off and unplug the cable before cleaning.
• Never spray liquid directly on the controller. Dampen the cloth first, then wipe.
• Pay attention to the plastic seams and around the buttons, where dirt builds up, using a thin cloth or a soft, dry brush.
• Don't open the controller to clean the inside. The manuals ask you not to disassemble it, and doing so can affect the warranty.

Battery: heat is the big enemy

Today's controllers use rechargeable batteries, and every battery loses capacity with time and use. The DualSense manual notes that battery life gradually decreases and gives a few rules that apply to any controller: charge at room temperature, between 10 °C and 30 °C, don't leave the controller in a closed car on a hot day or near heat sources, and, if it goes unused for a long time, fully charge it at least once a year.

Another useful tip is to use a good-quality cable and power adapter. Very cheap chargers and damaged cables can overheat and harm the battery. If the controller starts to swell, gets too hot or smells burnt, stop using it right away and contact a service center.

What is drift

Drift is when your character or the camera moves on its own, without you touching the stick. Many analog sticks measure the stick's position with parts that wear down from friction over time, and dirt also interferes with the reading. The result is a controller that thinks the stick is slightly tilted when it is resting in the center.

Some newer controllers use magnetic sensors, called Hall effect sensors, which measure the position without physical contact and therefore tend to wear less. If you keep replacing controllers because of drift, it's worth looking for this feature when you buy a new model.

Before sending it for repair, try this

Not every strange movement is a fault. Nintendo, for example, recommends first checking whether the buttons have been remapped in the settings (a wrench icon next to the controller means they have), updating the console and the controller firmware, removing covers and skins that might touch the stick, and only then calibrating the sticks. If the problem shows up in a single game, check whether that game has an update and whether motion controls are turned on.

On Xbox, a February 2024 update added a stick recalibration tool to the Xbox Accessories app, available on the console and on Windows. Microsoft itself says it is meant for minor issues and does not fix drift caused by wear and tear. In every case, if calibration doesn't help, the next step is a service center.

The order that fixes the most: check button mapping, update console and controller, remove covers, calibrate and test in another game. Only then think about repairs.

Warranty and repairs in Brazil

Under Brazil's Consumer Protection Code, a controller is a durable product, and the deadline to complain about a defect is 90 days. When the defect is hidden, like drift that appears with use, that period starts when the problem is discovered. This legal period exists alongside the manufacturer's warranty, and both the store and the manufacturer are responsible for the defect. Keep your receipt and, if possible, record a short video showing the problem before taking the controller in.

Outside the warranty, there are independent repair shops and replacement parts for sale, and Microsoft now offers parts and repair information for Xbox controllers. Replacing a stick, however, requires soldering and some practice. If you've never done it, it's better to leave it to someone who knows how, so a small fault doesn't turn into a lost controller.

Quick summary

• Clean with a soft, dry cloth; to sanitize, use only a cloth lightly dampened with alcohol, without scrubbing.
• No liquid directly on the controller, and don't open it to clean the inside.
• Charge at room temperature and keep the controller away from sun and heat.
• Before assuming it's drift, check the mapping, update everything, remove covers and calibrate.
• Keep the receipt: in Brazil, the deadline to complain about a defect is 90 days, counted from discovery when the defect is hidden.

With these habits, your controller should last much longer, and you avoid buying a new one too soon. Have a good game!