JoyCon Drift Fix! How to Replace the Nintendo Switch Left Joy-Con Joystick
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ส.ค. 2024
- The Nintendo Switch is out of stock pretty much everywhere-again. This console has been a hot commodity since its release, but having limited quantities available for purchase means if your Switch experiences the dreaded joy-con drift phenomenon, you might be stuck with a broken system.
Well, we wouldn’t want that-so today, we show you how to replace the left joystick on your Nintendo switch and fix that drift.
Buy a Left Joystick Fix Kit over at iFixit.com!
www.ifixit.com/Store/Game-Con...
Our Fix Mat is great for organization!
www.ifixit.com/products/fixma...
00:00 Introduction
00:20 Tools Required
00:54 Opening Joy-Con
01:31 Disconnecting and Removing Battery
01:45 Mid-Frame Removal
01:58 Disconnecting Motherboard Zif Cables
02:15 Joystick Removal
02:25 Inserting New Joystick
02:39 Re-connecting Cables to Motherboard
02:50 Screwing Mid-frame Back In
03:05 Inserting Battery and Connecting Power
03:14 Closing Joy-Con and Inserting Screws
03:31 Whacking Character in Animal Crossing With a Net
Subscribe to our channel for all our latest teardown and repair videos!
th-cam.com/users/subscription_...
Follow us on Twitter: / ifixit
Check us out on Facebook: / ifixit - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
We forgot to mention calibration! If your replacement joystick is drifting after you finish the repair, a calibration should fix the problem. Here's a link to Nintendo's calibration instructions:
en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/22340/~/how-to-calibrate-the-controllers#DT:t1-q1a1EP:t1-q1a1-c
do you guys know how to tell the difference between a fake joycon piece and the original joycon pieces? i want to buy a kit like this but i cant be sure if the thumbstick involved with it is actually the same with the original one.
@@ozanozenir2503 I don't know if you still need the information but the replacement one I got had green strips compared to the original joycons that had blue. But still works the same.
@Ozan Özenir I had the same question then realised: "Why would I want an original when they are so bad quality?" The replacement ones are just as good of you buy a kit with good quality 4.5/5 star ratings (i.e. off I-fixit or Amazon)
Do you have a way to remove the buttons on the Joy Con to clean them?
Very Helpful @IFixit
Thank you!! I’ve been putting off replacing my left joycon’s stick, but as of yesterday the drift was so bad it was unusable. This made the whole process easy, as someone who’s never taken apart an electronic device period, I was done from start to finish in 10 minutes! Working perfectly after the calibration, couldn’t be any easier.
How does the Joy Con that you replaced the analog stick work after this time? Is everything ok, or has the problem returned?
Yeah Tyler, how long did the repair last?
@@mrcoolxoxo7007can you read?
@@nice_to_mitio can you read and comprehend?
@@mrcoolxoxo7007I like turtles
Simple, informative, easy, and to the dang point. Love it iFixit. Used your kit too.
This is such a coincidence. My Joycon replacement parts just came in yesterday and I planned on doing this today.
Lol same here, perfect timing, Thanks i Fixit
My tools just arrived yesterday and today this was in my suggested videos! Thank you!
How did it go?
from where did u get the drifting analog stick thingy?
Which you ordered and are they still working? Have had several replacements and from a week to a few hours Werbung was there. But more than the week they did not hold xx.
I ordered the kit to replace my left joycon on Friday. I saw it came in the mail when I got home from work today. As soon as I got settled in, I opened the package and got to replacing the joystick. I followed this video for instructions, got the new joystick put in, put the joy con back together and everything works. Great video, and awesome hardware guys! 5/5 stars from me!
Thanks for not only showing all the steps, but also lighting this video and zooming in properly so I can actually see what's going on unlike some other vids where the internal stuff looks like black block that's feet away from the camera.
Thank you SO MUCH!! You saved me at least $40 today and who knows how much money in the years to come. The spoken and visual directions were so helpful, and I really appreciate the little tips like "It doesn't take much pressure here", etc. Made the whole process a lot less stressful. And also? This was a lot of fun! Thank you!
Thank you! I must say though, it's unfortunate videos like this need to be made. Hopefully the next controllers Nintendo makes will be of a higher quality :/
Nah man, they did it this way to make more moneyz. Kids will lose the joycons and adults will break the analog drifting left. Either way the solution is to pay for more joycons.
@@shihoblade you do realize Nintendo offer to fix it for free even if theyre out of warranty right?
@@hafizmuizz7269 that deal only exists in the US i believe. It does not exist in Europe for sure cuz when i have to fix drifting i have two options, 1) try to fix it myslef or 2) buy a new pair. (as no tech-shop in my city fixes joycons)
It’s not only an issue with Nintendo. Xbox controllers appear to have the same issues. Specifically they’re elite series.
@@NcHawk17 wow... "elite" huh? Lol that's sad if true. I just got a PS4 again after not having one for a while and it reminded me why I always loved PS (and their controllers). I played SOOO much PS2, PS3 and PS4 over the years and NEVER had an issue with drifting. Btw, I also forgot how amazing PS games are lol I'm finally finishing GoW and it is AMAZING!
Just received my replacement parts today. My sons are coming over tonight and we are going to attempt this repair together. Thank you for the time you took to make this video. Will follow up in comments as to how well we did.
UPDATE: Success! It took me about 30 minutes altogether (because I had kids all around), but we managed to get it working and after doing a calibration and some breaking in of the new stick... it's working beautifully.
Again, thank you! I've been waiting over a month for Nintendo to even respond to my request for a repair, and you helped us become self-sufficient with this issue.
Does they still work?
@@carlb258 Yes, they do. I also got a set of metal clamps so the JoyCon stays attached. 8 months later and it’s still going strong.
@@robhulson thanks for the reply
We shouldn’t have to do this because of a design flaw…
I got a kit from somewhere else awhile back with instructions I couldn't figure out. I've since referenced this video twice (one for each joycon) on separate occasions and it's excellent!! So clear and friendly towards folks like me who haven't cracked open a device ever.
Thank you SO MUCH for this video!!
This tutorial is perfect: necessary secret knowledge, exact instructions, and simple. Thank you for the excellent organization in the video.
Really appreciated your informative video and all the close-up shots!
I noticed a few things when I was fixing mine today:
1) When taking the joycon case apart, watch out for the L/R button coming off. If you looked closely you will find a small spring attached to the button, and if you're not careful you could lose the spring
2) Don't try to be a smartass like my Switch's previous owner (I bought it second-hand), who put double sided sticky tape under the battery! Because of his genius idea I was sweating a bit because I could not understand why my battery was so difficult to remove compared to the video (almost gave up because I was worried I would break it lol)
How does the Joy Con that you replaced the analog stick work after this time? Is everything ok, or has the problem returned?
@@Lukail90 Unless you get the Hall Effect ones from brands like Gulikit, drift will always be an issue.
Regardless of whether or not you switch it for the potentiometer or hall effect one, you will need to recalibrate the stick.
The sticky tape isn't the previous owner's fault; it comes like that. Mine was like that, too, and so is the one in the video. It's misleadingly stated in the video that it's "lightly" adhered. It isn't.
Got in my kit today and pulled off this repair in no more than 10 minutes! Took a little bit of time to get used to re-inserting the ZIF connectors (some of them are more rigid and/or have less slack than others and I wanted to be careful not to apply too much force) but the rest of it was a breeze! For an aftermarket joy-con, it feels really smooth and responsive. Thanks for the kit, guys!
Followed video to a "t". And it was tedious but doable and I feel so accomplished. I bought my materials ;sticks that can with tools from micro center for ten bucks. I bought a mini organizer box to hold screws. I also bought an I fixit prying and opening tool assortment kit. Omg what a relief. I followed another video for the right joy con ! Amen for both videos!!!
Thanks so much for the help! This tutorial is so quick and easy that even me (a 11 year old ) did not have any complications fixing this.
A lot easier than expected. One of the better iFixit guides.
Thank you! I was nervous to take it apart because of everything that could go wrong. One screw was giving me trouble but managed to take it off with persistence. Was able to fix my joycon, thank you very much!
How does the Joy Con that you replaced the analog stick work after this time? Is everything ok, or has the problem returned?
Just repaired both of my left joycons with this guide. Thank you for making so easy to follow!
Phew, 3 years and still helping people! This was a challenge as I'm left handed and some of these operations felt awkward to me (waiting for the right joycon to start drifting 😂) but in the end I successfully replaced the analog, drift is no more, my inner peace is restored. Thanks!!
I just used this video tutorial for a joycon that had a broken R3 and just recently started drifting. I could not believe how simple it is (with a little patience)! Thank you so much for providing something like this to the community.
Thanks for this video! Simple and to the point. I watched another joycon fixing video that said to unscrew all 5 interior screws, which I found out was wrong because two of those screws are for the motherboard.
However, I also learned from that video that it isn't entirely necessary to unplug the battery; if you're careful with the wires, it can stay connected throughout the process.
Regardless, thanks so much! Hopefully the replacement joysticks I got will last a while, but, if not, I'll come back here for a refresher!
How does the Joy Con that you replaced the analog stick work after this time? Is everything ok, or has the problem returned?
@@Lukail90 I've replaced that joystick twice now. and will have to do so again soon, as well as the right joycon. these things are not designed to last, unfortunately.
This was very helpful step by step guide, thank you! I watched a other YTer who said pressure was the issue but when that didn't fix my drifting, I resorted to replacing the toggle. Works like a charm now!
Great video. Very helpful. I purchased the replacement analog a few weeks ago and when it came to the point that the analog was no longer tolerable this video helped me easily replace. I would highly recommend that anyone doing this to use the tweezers. Without them it makes the process much harder.
thank you! i was in line for nintendo to repair my drift for two months before i decided to buy a kit to fix it myself. i don't have anyone in my life with electronics experience so i fixed it all on my own with this video
I just want to say that if I could give this video a million likes on my own, I would. While there are plenty tutorials out there that are functional for individuals trying to replace joycon analog sticks, I appreciate how this video was clear and concise. I never felt confused because of how well and clearly you documented each step, leaving me to feel confident enough to try this myself. I repaired two drifting left joycons tonight and I feel absolutely ecstatic to have saved about $145 ($160 had I not bought a tool kit for repairing the joycons). Thank you very much!
in the future, if you have drift problems, you can actually just put a piece of cardstock behind the metal box where the stick is and that will apply enough pressure for the stick to no longer drift :)
This video is about to get very popular again. Thanks Guli!
I googled switch joycon looking for a new one as my drift just started and this video came up. Thanks for saving me money. I had no idea this was such a common problem. My controller became unusable the last few days. Thank you!
I have never repaired anything like this before and this video was perfect. I successfully installed the new joystick following these instructions and have a brand new joy stick!
This video just saved me £60 for replacement joycons. Can't believe how expensive they are. The toolkit was only £7 from eBay and included replacement thumb sticks. For someone who's never taken apart any electronics, this video guided me through perfectly. Thank you, Sir!
Send them off to nintendo repair they replace them for free even in the uk.
@@robthesamplist i went through the initial process and saw it was going to take 6 weeks. For £7 I sorted it myself within a few days.
@@ghdrum sent mine off last week got it back today...sending my daughters ones now too after considering this repair but the ease of which they give you another pair for free its a no brainer.
This was very helpful, thank you especially knowing which part of the connectors on the board flipped up- sometimes it’s the black but sometimes it’s the white bit! Much appreciated!
Recently bought a box with your tools and bits to mod my game boy advance sp and they were perfect for the job. I have been thinking of replacing my joysticks but don’t know how. I’m glad I stumbled upon your video! :D
Thank you for taking the time to put this video together. My joystick change out was successful.
Awesome tutorial. My left joycon joystick recently decided it doesnt want to register y-axis (up and down movement) so got a replacement joystick immediately.
I ordered replacement sticks on ebay from who-knows which seller. But this video helped me figure out how to disconnect and reconnect the wires/ribbon cables properly. It works so much better now! Let's hope the new stick doesn't end up drifting as well.
Ifixit! Thank you so much for this great video guide. Normally when our left stick quit working, I would've just bought a new Joy Con. But I said NO! There must be another way. I pulled up your youtube channel, found this video and thought "I can do this!" AND I DID! Thank you for the video help!
Was having issues with the thumb stick not clicking when pressing it down and was so close to purchasing some new joy cons. Glad I saw this video and fixed it myself 😮💨
Thanks I was just able to fix my son's joycon and save a ton of money! I really appreciate your very easy to follow tutorial.
Thank you for actually zooming in so we could see where the cables were going omg!! I did have one problem, one of the flaps that unlocks the cables fell off so I think this is the last time I'll be able to repair this joycon 😂
This was so helpful. Start to finish, including recalibrating and play test, it took a whole 20 minutes. I'll take 20 minutes of effort over the cost of sending the controller in to be fixed that will take 1 week+ to get it back.
Thank you so much!
Excellent video, thanks! The Ifixit kit was very high quality, and this video made the replacement pretty easy to do and saved me from spending $60 more buying new Joycons.
Worked a treat. The process is easy for this or any other button replacement, but having something step-by-step to follow makes it far less daunting for even the least technologically confident. I'd recommend doing this over messing with Nintendo or buying new ones. The parts are on amazon/ebay dirt cheap, and even come with the necessary screwdrivers and tools.
I watched this tutorial and then did the "Operation" along with it and it took me only like 8 minutes becuase I was having a little trouble with the cables. This is a really good video and has saved me from so much frustration so thank you very much.
Why am I watching when I don’t even have an Nintendo switch
same
same
When you do buy one, you will need to eventually know how to do this. Sad but true.
This method is valid for literally all small electronics. Knowledge is almost never useless.
Just in case. Anyway, is it still worth buying?
This was very helpful and comprehensive for my analog replacements. Luckily, everything works great after following your steps. Thanks for the awesome help!
How does the Joy Con that you replaced the analog stick work after this time? Is everything ok, or has the problem returned?
Thanks so much for this. I'm so happy to have it working again!!!!!!!
Just a sidenote for other people: I don't know if it's because mine is an older smash bros joycon or if it's because I was doing the right as opposed to the left, but there were no screws to be unscrewed in the battery tray. Instead, the screws were spread out. There were a couple of other cables in there as well. Also, most of my connectors did not have a locking mechanism, and the one that did was already unlocked. I didn't realise this so I may have damaged some of the connectors and getting them all back in place alongside the R button was a real test of patience with my shakey hands.
Judging by the reviews, most people aren't as bad with small cables as I am so you should be fine. Once again, thank you!
Thanks for the vid! Process took me around 30 minutes, of which 15 was just taking a mental break because I kept failing to put in one of the strips for a solid 3 minutes in a row. It's so demoralizing! But at the end of it, hard work feels good. No more drift!
I bought the parts I needed and this video was perfect to help me replace the parts with a magnetic stick instead of a physical potentiometer that Nintendo uses. This fixed my issue and saved me 50% on a new joycon that would eventually fail anyway. Thank you!!!!!!!!
I’ve had my joycons go without drifting for nearly 5 years. The left one finally started showing signs of drift so I had to go on and repair it. Glad I finally did, thanks for the tutorial.
Best video that I have viewed so far, others doesn't explain that there is a lock for the cable!!!! And how to re-connect the battery back on for amateur like me (although you can do without disconnecting them) !! So thank you, I will now go back and try to fix my failed attempts to replace the joycon.
Oh... if you are a first timer like me... word of advice, ONLY remove the 3 screws he show you in the video after you open open case. If you were like me ... unscrewed all the screws!!!! 😫😫😫and the buttons fall off when trying to figure out how to attached the cable by rotation the joycon. It was a pain.
The kit is great, the combination of this video and the replacement kit and I was able to get the left joy con working again in about 15 minutes! AWESOME THANK YOU SO MUCH! :D (especially since everywhere around is out of the joycons at the moment.) Also, the order got to me much faster than I expected. Thanks!
Does it still work?
@@PrincessKurae Yes it does! After a year it has not failed again.
Hey man just wanted to say thank you so much for this video! One of my joycon sticks just ended up breaking on me entirely, not reacting to input whatsoever so I said f it and tried fixing it myself. I was scared to do so because of the ribbons inside but it wasn’t as bad as I thought, and you made it a whole lot easier by keeping things short and sweet. Thanks again! 😊
thank you guys SO much! It took me ten minutes to get through this and I was able to salvage one of the joy cons my 11 year old broke. We were headed to our 4th pair of joy cons but thanks to you guys now I can save at least two or three more units
Great video, simple and easy, I succesfully replaced my joystick without any previous experience, I bought on amazon the whole kit with joysticks, screwdrivers and everything else needed
thank you for this video, i ordered the parts and found this great video, nice and professional, easy to follow and showed me how to effortlessly fix my joy-con.
you just extended the life of my controllers! thank you so much!
To the point, easy to follow and excellent kit, thank you for your services!
Thank you for such a great video! Got my neice's joy con working again in about 10 minutes. No more drift!
This worked amazingly well. Thank you so much. Not just for the amazing tool sets but for the videos as well.
Very helpful! New joystick is working great and all drift problems are now gone! Thanks!
thank youuuuu, i’ve never tried repairing any electronics before but this tutorial worked perfectly
Thank you so much for this!! I was able to successfully replace my joy con and now it's just like new.
This video was perfect. Thank you so much for putting this out for poor gamers everywhere.
Thank you so much! I was able to buy a kit and this made it much easier to replace them. They work perfectly after months of headaches!
thanks so much. every other video was very unclear and i couldn’t see what was going on. this one was perfect.
What a lifesaver! You have no idea how happy I am now!
Many thanks for this excellent visual guide! I was a dum-dum and dropped my Joy-con holder, causing the left joystick to break in the process. Since I have the white edition of the Joy-cons, there _are_ no replacements. I found a replacement/parts kit at a very good discount and have the Joy-con up and running again thanks to this guide! The added benefit is that I now have extra spare parts should drift ever become an issue on either Joy-con :)
great video. easy to follow, was able to replace the joystick in about 10 minutes! works like brand new
Awesome video! Just replaced my broken joystick and now it's working!!!
Thank you very much for this video! I was able to repair my joycon just watching this and everything went exactly as you described here. Again, THANK YOU!
work fine for me. Thank you, i didn't know I could repair something like this by myself.
Thank you. Fixed a limited edition Joycon and it works great now 😊
Just fixed my sons broken joycon joystick! Thanks for the clear instructions!
Bought a joystick from amazon, used this guide saved self 60 bucks ty
Just so everyone knows and feels at ease. I bought this with suspicion that it wasn’t going to work. Even looked over amazon but went with ifixit instead and it worked like a charm!. Just make sure to calibrate
Great tear down and replacement video, helped me get my wonky stick replaced.
Omg thank you so much! my joy-con stick snapped so replacing it was super easy because of you.
This fix worked perfectly for me. Thanks!
Thanks to you I also noticed a problem with my joycon battery being sticked out, I put back in and now it’s fully working, thank you bro 💯
Any suggestions for what to do if one of those tiny Y screws is stripped? I got 3 of the 4 off the back, but my screwdriver won't get any purchase with the 4th.
You're amazing, just what I needed! And really useful because all the other videos have a different model and yours is the only one similar to mine
Great instructional video by the way. Slow, concise and well filmed.
Thanks mate, I just repaired my son's Joycon following your guide.
Great vid
This was exactly what we needed. Joy con fixed! Thank you!
How does the Joy Con that you replaced the analog stick work after this time? Is everything ok, or has the problem returned?
This was perfect, just got a little kit with all the parts and tools and following this video was perfect. Took literally 10 mins to get a fully working joycon and only cost me $7.
Thanks a lot, i was scared about replacing my left joystick but, with your tutorial, I did it in just 10 mins! Thank you so much!
Edit: Typo
This worked great! My shoulder button fell out so I used a different video (from thecollegepicker) to see where to place it but this video had everything I needed otherwise. Thanks!
Thanks! Managed to fix my Joycon! Works like a new one now!
Small tip to make it even more easier:
Actually you don’t need to disconnect the battery from the mainboard.
I want to thank you for this video my puppy has destroyed my analogy stick twice (even when i put the controllers on a high shelf) i took it to the shop the 1st time but it cost me £20,
2nd time i decided to try replacing myself as a set including 2 analog sticks for £7.50 including the screwdrivers etc
This video was very helpful and it was successful
But for others who try make sure you remember to calibrate it afterwards
I just fixed my Joycon today and it took maybe like 20-25 mins to do, the instructions this guy says are perfect and super easy to follow! Thank you so much, just saved myself hella money, plus I have the animal crossing switch so that's a plus as to why it's fixed!
Quick tip:
Don't waste your time disconnecting the battery, just lift it up gently and fold it over to the bottom of the joy con.
I've seen people damaging the connector or the cables disconnecting it when they don't need it.
The only cables I disconnect are the (-) button ribbon and of course the joystick cable
Also use caution removing the Y screws as they stripped very easily, more so if using cheap Y bits or screwdriver.
Use a rubber band in-between the screw and the screwdriver for better "traction"
I destroyed my connector. Good advice
No, you should absolutely disconnect the battery. It is, generally speaking, a bad idea to have a circuit board connected to power while you're working with it. And, having just done this repair myself, it's very easy to press a button or several during the process, which causes the controller to power on and try to connect to the switch. It's safer for the board to disconnect it from power. Any accidental button presses after that should drain any capacitors that still hold a charge. Just be careful, and don't force it too hard.
Good video, simple and to the point with zoom when needed.👍
Thanks! I replaced mine, it took me 20 minutes, so easy with this instructions!
I've had an OLED model for about a year now, luckily no drift issues, but my left joycon got worn quickly. Obviously this is the more cost effective way to go. This video was very helpful. I actually ordered a very minimal part replacement kit after watching this and it was so easy I went ahead and ordered other parts for future repairs. My first attempt didn't work, because I didn't plug one of the cables in properly and the L button didn't work. My second try was successful.
Can it scan the amiibo?
Just did this, works fantastic. Thanks for the video, and all the great work you guys do!
Thank you for this great tutorial 👍 I replaced my left joystick, and it works great! Ty very much! You saved me a lot of money 👍
Thank you! Made this so easy. I got your prying kit which helped too.
Help hast I got my self a ifixit kit can I use the tweezers to unplug the battery?
Awesome, thank you very much, I repaired 4 joycon analog and it was so easy with your tutorial.
I bought the kit and was able to fix it! Took me about 30 minutes because I've never repaired anything like this before. My advice would be to not disconnect the battery. It saves time and you run the risk of damaging the joycon if you remove it. Thanks!
Did the kit come with one joystick or two?
Be careful with this- you could short out the MB if anything makes contact where it shouldn’t while the battery is still in, plus in general not a good idea to open/manipulate anything electronic while it is still powered on.
Is the Ifixit joystick a 1 to 1 comparison to the OEM? A lot of other replacement joysticks seem to be slightly smaller than the original