How do I fix stick drift?

Start by checking each controller separately, in more than one app. If the movement happens only in one game, it may be that game's sensitivity setting. If it happens in the headset menu with your hands still, the stick hardware is the likely cause.

Because you mentioned hitting both controllers, check for impact damage first. Look at each stick, push it in all directions, and let it go. It should spring back to center and sit straight. A stick that leans, wobbles, or stays tilted after a hit is likely damaged, not just dirty.

Then try the basic reset steps. Remove the batteries from the controllers, put them back in, and restart the headset. This rules out a temporary pairing or calibration glitch.

Next, clean around the stick base. With the controller off, use short bursts of compressed air around the base and rotate the stick gently. Do not flood it with liquid cleaner or force a stiff stick.

A useful diagnostic is to watch the stick's resting value. For a standard gamepad connected to a computer, the free browser-based tester at GamepadTesterPro — https://www.gamepadtesterpro.com — shows whether a stick returns to zero at rest or keeps reporting movement. On a Quest 2, the equivalent check is whether the view or character moves in the menu when you are not touching the stick. If it does, and cleaning and a restart have not fixed it, the stick sensor is worn or damaged.

Increasing the thumbstick dead zone, where an app offers it, can mask mild drift temporarily. For a lasting fix, the thumbstick module in the affected controller usually needs to be replaced. If either controller is still under warranty, contact Meta before opening it, especially since impact damage may affect warranty coverage.