People are already experiencing stick drift on Steam Decks. Is it fixable?

Valve's new Steam Deck launched at the end of Feb. 2022, to the joy of many gamers who had been waiting for the handheld console for quite a long time. Many are now dismayed to find that the console is experiencing issues like stick drift not even a week into the launch. If stick drift is fixable, how can it be done?

How to fix Steam Deck stick drift

Some players have lamented the stick drift issue and said it is entirely a lost cause. This may not be entirely true, however. One method can be attempted right now, as suggested by Reddit user Hollandje on the Steam Deck Subreddit. While Steam Deck does not currently have official calibration settings, you can control this in Big Picture Mode. Follow these steps:

• Select Power and choose Switch to Desktop out of the available options
• Open the Steam Client and then Big Picture Mode
• Within Big Picture Mode's Settings, Go to Controller Settings
• Select the Steam Controller detected
• Hit the Calibrate button on the right side of the screen, next to Support
• Complete the calibration by lining the targets as directed by the tutorial

After doing this, you should restart your console entirely. Hopefully, this improves your Steam Deck's performance, as this is the only currently proposed fix until Steam addresses the issue further.

Related: Will Elden Ring run on Steam Deck?

What is stick drift?

Don't feel discouraged for those who don't understand what stick drift is. It's a pretty simple concept that relates to the functionality of the analog properties of a handheld console or controller. For example, in the case of Steam Deck consoles, many players are reporting their consoles' stick control (used in many games to move a character or pan the screen) is either moving more or less than what they are manually doing or moving on its own entirely.

Want to read more about Steam Deck? Check out Best Steam Deck Accessories on Pro Game Guides.