{"id":495819,"date":"2022-09-24T19:00:24","date_gmt":"2022-09-24T16:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/what-is-a-controller-dead-zone-and-should-you-change-it\/"},"modified":"2022-09-24T19:00:24","modified_gmt":"2022-09-24T16:00:24","slug":"what-is-a-controller-dead-zone-and-should-you-change-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-a-controller-dead-zone-and-should-you-change-it\/","title":{"rendered":"#What Is a Controller Dead Zone, and Should You Change It?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a36ec3ea6a6f\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a36ec3ea6a6f\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-a-controller-dead-zone-and-should-you-change-it\/#%E2%80%9CWhat_Is_a_Controller_Dead_Zone_and_Should_You_Change_It%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;What Is a Controller Dead Zone, and Should You Change It?&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-a-controller-dead-zone-and-should-you-change-it\/#What_Is_the_Dead_Zone\" >What Is the Dead Zone?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-a-controller-dead-zone-and-should-you-change-it\/#Adjusting_Dead_Zone_to_Eliminate_Drift\" >Adjusting Dead Zone to Eliminate Drift<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-a-controller-dead-zone-and-should-you-change-it\/#Adjusting_Dead_Zone_for_a_Competitive_Advantage\" >Adjusting Dead Zone for a Competitive Advantage<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-is-a-controller-dead-zone-and-should-you-change-it\/#Where_to_Find_Dead_Zone_Settings\" >Where to Find Dead Zone Settings<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CWhat_Is_a_Controller_Dead_Zone_and_Should_You_Change_It%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;What Is a Controller Dead Zone, and Should You Change It?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage size-full wp-image-830360\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/shutterstock_371984542-2.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Person's hand holding up a retro joystick controller.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/person-holds-retro-joystick-her-hand-371984542\">StepanPopov\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>When browsing through your controller settings, you may have seen a setting where you can adjust the \u201cdead zone\u201d of the controller. Dead zone adjustment can be crucial to getting the best experience using a controller if you know what it does.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_the_Dead_Zone\"><\/span>What Is the Dead Zone?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The\u00a0<em>dead zone <\/em>(or sometimes \u201cdeadzone\u201d) of a controller is the distance the stick can move from the neutral position before it starts registering as an input in <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a>s and <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>lications. A controller with a large dead zone takes longer to register inputs than one with a small dead zone. However, if the dead zone is too small, the controller may become too sensitive. It may even exhibit false inputs when the stick is untouched.<\/p>\n<p>Every controller has an inherent dead zone out of the box, but it can be tweaked to a certain extent. Why would you? There are two main reasons to adjust your controller\u2019s dead zone: eliminating drift or getting a more responsive controller.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Adjusting_Dead_Zone_to_Eliminate_Drift\"><\/span>Adjusting Dead Zone to Eliminate Drift<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Most mainstream controllers use a sensor design susceptible to wear and tear over the course of the controller\u2019s life. Eventually, this wear can exhibit as \u201cdrift\u201d, which is when the controller detects inputs when none are present. For example, your character might keep walking even with your thumbs off the stick, or the camera could keep spinning.<\/p>\n<p>Often drift is quite subtle, and by enlarging the dead zone slightly, you can cancel out the effect of drift. This is a great way to extend the life of a controller that\u2019s started to show signs of drift and if you\u2019re lucky, it won\u2019t degrade any further. In the worst-case scenario, you\u2019ll buy some time until the drift worsens to the point where a usable dead zone isn\u2019t possible anymore.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Adjusting_Dead_Zone_for_a_Competitive_Advantage\"><\/span>Adjusting Dead Zone for a Competitive Advantage<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-830365\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/shutterstock_2066187314.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Over-the-shoulder view of a man playing an FPS game on a TV.\" width=\"650\" height=\"366\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/young-person-playing-modern-technology-gadget-2066187314\">DC Studio\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The other main reason to adjust your dead zone is to improve the responsiveness of your controller in-game or to\u00a0<em>decrease<\/em> that sensitivity if that makes the game more playable. In the higher echelons of competitive gaming, the fraction of a second a smaller dead zone can fight you in reaction time can be the difference between taking out your opponent or being taken out.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_to_Find_Dead_Zone_Settings\"><\/span>Where to Find Dead Zone Settings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a>ly two places where you\u2019ll adjust the dead zone of a controller. The first is at the system level. For example, when you run the controller calibration function on a Nintendo Switch (which is notorious for drift) you\u2019re adjusting the dead zone to cancel out drift along with other calibrations. These are then saved to the controller itself.<\/p>\n<p>If you open the Start Menu in Windows, type \u201cControllers\u201d and select \u201cSet Up USB Controllers\u201d you\u2019ll see this window.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-829954\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2-14.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Controller Properties\" width=\"650\" height=\"350\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Select your controller and click \u201cProperties\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Under the settings tab you can calibrate the controller or reset it to default to adjust the dead zone to combat drift.<\/p>\n<p>In Steam, you can go to Steam &gt; Settings &gt; Controller &gt; General Controller Settings. Select your controller then click on \u201cCalibrate\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-829955\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-13.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Steam Controller Calibration\" width=\"650\" height=\"350\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Here you can manually adjust dead zone sliders, making it a great general-purpose solution for all your Steam games.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-829956\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-13.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Steam Deadzone\" width=\"650\" height=\"350\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>If you aren\u2019t looking to fix a drift issue, then you\u2019re better off adjusting your dead zone on a per-game basis. Most games that support controllers have a dead zone setting in their menus. With a little experimentation, you can find a dead zone setting that represents the best balance of responsiveness without being twitchy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>How to Calibrate Your Gaming Controller in Windows 10<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/826612\/what-is-a-controller-dead-zone\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;What Is a Controller Dead Zone, and Should You Change It?&#8221; StepanPopov\/Shutterstock.com When browsing through your controller settings, you may have seen a setting where you can adjust the \u201cdead zone\u201d of the controller. Dead zone adjustment can be crucial to getting the best experience using a controller if you know what it does. What&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":495820,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/shutterstock_371984542-2.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-495819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495819","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=495819"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495819\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/495820"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=495819"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=495819"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=495819"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}