How to Fix Stick Drift on Your Steam Deck

howtogeek.com:

If one of the thumbsticks on your Steam Deck develops stick drift, there are several solutions you can try to fix the issue. They range from the simple, like recalibrating the stick, to DIY adventures like opening your Deck and replacing the joystick module. Let’s go through them all.

Restart Your Steam Deck and Try Again

The simplest fix you can try is to restart your Steam Deck and then try playing the same game to see if that fixes your problem. If the problem persists, go through the control settings menu of the said game and make sure no options are set in such a way that can mess with the stick movement or sensitivity.

If that didn't work, launch another game and try playing it to see whether the problem is still present. Drift in one game but not another points to the game being to blame. If your thumbstick is still drifting, it’s time for a visit to Desktop Mode.

Recalibrate the Analog Sticks in Desktop Mode

You can recalibrate your analog sticks in Desktop Mode. To go to Desktop Mode, press the Steam button then select Power > Switch to Desktop.

Once there, click the “Application Launcher” icon followed by “System” and then scroll down until you locate the “Konsole” app.

Open Konsole, pull up the virtual keyboard by pressing the X button, type the following:

Hit Enter on the virtual keyboard.

Now follow instructions to complete the calibration process. Firstly, let go of both sticks and press the A button. Next, tap the taskbar at the bottom of the desktop so that your cursor is out of focus of the Konsole window, and then rotate both joysticks 360 degrees two times, tap on the Konsole window to get back into focus, and press the A button again. That’s it.

Now you can return to Game Mode and test the affected stick.

Increase the Joystick Deadzone in Game Mode

If you're still experiencing issues, press the Steam button > Settings > Controller. Then open the “Calibration & Advanced Settings” menu.

Select the “Left