How to Calibrate Steam Deck Thumbsticks

Written By: Carsten Frauenheim
  • Comments: 18
How to Calibrate Steam Deck Thumbsticks

Difficulty

Easy

Steps

3

Time Required

1 - 5 minutes

Introduction

Use this guide to calibrate your Steam Deck's thumbsticks from within SteamOS.

Valve recommends performing this software calibration after installing new thumbsticks.

NOTE: Both Steam Deck thumbstick and trigger calibrations may not function as of SteamOS version 3.3. Functionality is planned to return in a future release.

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    • If you're not already in desktop mode, navigate to the Steam Menu → Power, and select Switch to Desktop.

    • If you don't have a keyboard plugged into your Steam Deck, you'll need to use the on-screen keyboard.

    • Press the Steam Button + X to enable the on-screen keyboard.

    • Thumbstick calibration is done within a terminal window using SteamOS's console, named Konsole.

    • From the Search menu, search for and open Konsole.

    • If you need to, move the Konsole window so your on-screen keyboard doesn't obscure it.

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    • Within Konsole, type thumbstick_cal.

    • Alternatively, type thum and then press Tab to auto-complete.

    • Press Enter.

    I get a command not found error when using the above script in Konsole.

    Josh Cedillo -

    Solved - must be using “stable” os channel vs “beta” for this to work.

    Josh Cedillo -

    I am in stable and in a recent update this command is indeed not available ;( (was before)

    Aurélie Violette -

    Hello, I was able to solve this issue it is in a dedicated comment on this step.

    Mark Taylor -

    I was able to calibrate my thumb sticks in multiple update channels recently. The command in this guide, thumbstick_cal_v1_1, no longer exists as it's now named simply, thumbstick_cal.

    However, even then I needed to run the commands sudo steamos-readonly disable and then sudo chmod +x /usr/bin/thumbstick_cal (both of these commands will require the user to have set their user password with the command passwd before executing them). Executing the command sudo sudo steamos-readonly enable after this is recommended unless you know what you are doing.

    For whatever reason the calibration program wasn't executable (auto-complete will not work on non-executable files if they are they first thing being typed in the shell, and non-executable files will give a 'permission denied' error while trying to be executed).

    After that I was able to run the command like normal. From my experience, this will have to be done every update until Valve ships the program with the executable flag set.

    Mark Taylor -

    Does changing it from read only allow it to actually function properly and save the changes? I found a different method to run thumbstick_cal on Reddit, and while it would run, the new calibrated values didn't seem to do anything.

    joshuafrichards -

    New Method

    How to calibrate your thumbsticks if it gives you permission denied on konsole:

    1. Go to your rootfs folder

    2. Go to you usr folder

    3. Go to bin folder

    4. Now look for the thumbstick_cal file and copy it

    5. Paste it anywhere you like (desktop, micro sd, etc)

    6. In this case I paste in the root of my micro sd

    7. Next go to properties then permissions and check the is executable box

    8. Go to konsole and copy then paste the thumbstick_cal file

    9. And done you're ready to calibrate your new gulikit thumbsticks without any errors or any permissions.

    Hope this helps anyone having drift on their steam deck.

    John Lock -

    Im still getting the permissions denied on mine after following your steps

    Ssgss Drew -

    I copied it to my desktop made it executable. I then dragged it to a command prompt and ran it from there worked like a champ no permission change is needed

    PETE BUKA -

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    • The software will first calibrate the thumsticks' resting position.

    • Ensure that both thumbsticks are untouched and centered. Press Enter.

    • The software will now calibrate the thumbsticks' full range of motion.

    • Tap on a blank desktop area to move the cursor off of the Konsole window. Make sure Konsole isn't in focus.

    • Rotate each thumbstick through a full rotation (360 degrees) twice.

    • Tap on the Konsole window to bring focus back to it. Press Enter.

    • That's it! Your thumbsticks are now calibrated. The terminal should say "Thumbstick calibration successful."

    I get permission denied when I try this Help

    Retro VeteranGamer -

Conclusion

Click here to return to the left thumbstick replacement guide. Click here to return to the right thumbstick replacement guide.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Steam Deck answers community for help.

Author

Carsten Frauenheim

Member since: 10/03/20

87825 Reputation

8 comments

Hey, bei mir fehlt dieses Kalibrierungsdtool irgendwie.

Habe einen factory reset gemacht und nun spinnen bei mir einige Sachen.

Hat jemand 'ne Idee woran das liegen könnte, oder woher ich das Tool bekomme?

Niko Inkog -

nevermind

Nach einem erneuten firmware reset war das Tool plötzlich wieder drauf. *klatsch* *klatsch*

Hatte gehofft es hilft bei meinem Snapback-des-Todes Problem beim linken analog stick.

Leider nichts gebracht. Trotzdem danke für das Tutorial, bzw. die Übersetzung davon!

Niko Inkog -

If you get an error about command not found when you try to run the joystick_cal_v1_1 script, this is likely due to you being on a beta OS, or just Valve decided to move it? not sure...


In any case, you can still run the calibration with the following commands (Thanks to dorsey6250 on Reddit for this workaround)


``cp /usr/bin/thumbstick_cal ~/thumbstick_cal_v1_1

``(This will copy the script from a system copy to your local home folder)

``chmod +x ~/thumbstick_cal_v1_1

``(This will make the script executable)

./thumbstick_cal_v1_1

(This will actually run the script)


Valve needs to either put it back where it was, or iFixIt needs to include these instructions in addition to what they have.

Hope this helps someone!

-WACOMalt

Ben Sumner -

I have the Hall effect sticks and wonder if I need to do this? They have a physical button on them for calibration.

Zach -

I replaced my analog sticks with the Hall effect sticks and the calibration won't work with the buttons on the Hall effect circuit boards or from the konsole. When I try the calibration through the konsole I get a "Permission Denied". Why is this and what do I need to do to calibrate them?

Randy Salsman -

The script has been locked for some reason there are instructions within this comments thread to enable it again. Can confirm it works as I’ve done it myself.

Justin Rowe -

Making an account just to say that this guide is now incorrect, or Valve has done something and changed how to do this. I've tried everything on this page including a factory reset, and the guide from user Ben Sumner/WACOMalt and nothing has worked.

Cody Dockum -