Introduction
Follow this guide to replace a damaged or drifting joystick in the left Joy-Con 2 controller. If you need to replace the joystick in a right Joy-Con 2, follow this guide instead.
The Joy-Con 2 uses JIS screws. If you use a non-iFixit Phillips driver in JIS screws, you'll risk stripping them.
What you need
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Use a tri‑point Y00 driver to remove the two 3.1 mm‑long black screws on the right edge of the controller.
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Insert an opening pick into the gap underneath the bumper button on the left side of the controller, with a point of the pick pointing downwards.
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Pry up to slightly lift the plastic strip running across the left edge of the controller.
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Slide the opening pick around to the front of the controller.
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Slide the opening pick down the plastic strip to separate the clips and adhesive securing it to the controller's body.
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Pry up on the bottom edge of the plastic strip with slow, steady force.
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Repeat this prying action along the length of the strip until it's fully detached.
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Remove the two screws on the left edge of the controller:
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One 3.1 mm‑long tri‑point Y00 black screw
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One 3.0 mm‑long JIS 00 silver screw
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Insert an opening pick into the gap between the front and back halves of the controller on its left side.
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Slide the pick down the controller to disengage the clips.
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Leave the opening pick at the bottom of the controller's left edge, just before its curve.
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Hold the controller upside-down.
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Insert a point of another opening pick next to the release button at the top of the controller.
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Use the opening pick to press the release button through the gap.
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While holding the release button with the opening pick, use your other hand to slide the back cover down to release the clips securing it to the controller's body.
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Open the back cover.
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Firmly grasp the two wires (blue and white) above the rumble motor connector, located at the bottom of the controller's board, and pull the beige connector out of its socket.
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Remove the back cover.
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Use tweezers or your fingers to firmly grip the white JST connector and pull straight away from its socket to disconnect it.
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Insert an opening pick into the gap between the bumper (L) and trigger (ZL) buttons at the top of the controller.
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Pry up on the ZL button to pop it off and remove it.
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Use a JIS 00 driver to remove the two screws securing the release button mounting bracket:
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One 3.9 mm‑long silver screw
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One 6.2 mm‑long black screw
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Insert an opening pick underneath the release button bracket.
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Pry it away from the controller to remove it.
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Use a JIS 00 driver to remove the three 3.9 mm‑long silver screws securing the midframe.
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Hold the midframe lightly in place.
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Pull the L bumper button off its mounting pegs and remove it.
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Use a JIS 00 driver to remove the 3.9 mm‑long silver screw securing the trigger button board.
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Use the point of a spudger to flip up the locking flap on the trigger button ZIF connector, located on the controller's board.
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Use tweezers or your fingers to gently pull the cable out of its socket.
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Remove the trigger button board.
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Use the point of a spudger to flip up the locking flap on the joystick cable ZIF connector, located in the center of the board.
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Use a JIS 00 driver to remove the five 3.1 mm‑long black screws securing the board to the controller.
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Insert the point of a spudger underneath the board, next to the joystick, between the board and the frame.
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Pry up slowly on the board to lift it until you can grab it with your fingers.
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Use a JIS 00 driver to remove the two 3.9 mm‑long silver screws securing the joystick.
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Congratulations on completing disassembly! The remaining steps will show how to reassemble your console.
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Align the circular cut-out in the joystick's frame with the peg near the controller's inner edge.
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Set the joystick in the controller. Gently wiggle the joystick to ensure it's fully seated.
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Lower the board into the controller at an angle so it sits underneath the locking tab on the controller's inner edge.
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Use a spudger to bend the joystick's ribbon cable so it's perpendicular with the joystick.
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Lower the board so the joystick's ribbon cable routes through the joystick cut-out in the board.
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Make sure the locking flap is flipped up on the joystick cable ZIF connector.
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Insert the joystick ribbon cable into its ZIF connector until it's fully seated.
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Use your finger or a spudger to flip the locking flap down to secure the cable.
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Make sure the locking flap is flipped up on the trigger cable's ZIF connector.
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Position the trigger button board so its ribbon cable is aligned with its ZIF connector on the board.
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Use tweezers or your fingers to gently slide the ribbon cable into its ZIF connector.
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Flip the locking flap down to secure the cable.
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Align the midframe with its screw holes on the outer edge of the controller.
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Use tweezers or your fingers to set the bottom edge of the trigger button board underneath the tab on the midframe.
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Press the board into place so the black peg on the midframe protrudes through the hole on the bottom corner of the board.
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Align the two springs on the bumper with their two posts on the midframe, and press it into place.
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Use a JIS 00 driver to install the three 3.9 mm‑long silver screws securing the midframe.
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Align the release button bracket with its screw holes and set it in the frame so it snaps into place.
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Align the trigger button with the top of the controller, with the ZL engraving facing out.
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Set the trigger button onto its metal spring. Ensure the legs of the metal spring are seated properly in their channels on the midframe.
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Press firmly on the trigger button to snap it into place.
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Align the battery connector over its socket on the board.
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Press down on the connector until it's fully seated.
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Align the rumble motor connector to its socket on the bottom edge of the board and push down until it's fully seated to connect it.
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Use an opening pick to press and hold the release button.
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Place the back cover over the controller body so the release button cutout is slightly below the release button.
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Press and slide the back cover up until the cutout for the release button is aligned with the button itself.
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Install the two screws on the left edge of the controller:
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One 3.1 mm‑long tri‑point Y00 black screw
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One 3.0 mm‑long JIS 00 silver screw
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Align the clips on the plastic strip with their cut-outs on the controller body.
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Insert the clips on the bottom edge first, then insert the rest so the plastic strip sits flush.
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Use a tri‑point Y00 driver to install the two 3.1 mm‑long black screws on the right edge of the controller.
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You finished fixing your Joy-Con 2!
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Joy-Con 2 Answers Community for help.
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2 Guide Comments
I used this to get at the left joycon's socket cable (Nintendo Switch 2 Left Joy-Con 2 Socket Cable) , it was excellent for taking apart the controller to that point even if I did not go the distance to the joystick.
The hardest part isn't the guide's fault since the controller does not make it easy to take apart, but be careful when removing the shoulder buttons to not lose track of the L button springs.
I did it! This guide is wonderful.
