The PlayStation 5 controller has a variety of functions, ranging from its face buttons (Square, X, Circle, and Triangle), to the shoulder buttons, to the Analog sticks, and to the d-pad. However, there are also newer functions, including the touchpad and share button.
The shoulder buttons have letters and numbers corresponding to them, which dictate the position of the buttons – for instance, the right shoulder buttons are known as R1 and R2. One thing you may ask, however, is where can you find R3 on your PS5 controller?
Where is R3 on PS5 Controller?
R3 functionality is tied to the right Analog stick on the PS5 controller, which is located on the bottom-right corner of the controller. To use it, you just need to push the control stick in as if it were a button.
In addition to the R3 function, you can also use the L3 function, which is tied to the left stick. This functionality is often used for movement-related options, such as sprinting and crouching. This helps you more fluidly switch between moving quickly and slowly as needed.
What is R3 often used For?
Because the right Analog stick is often used to control the camera in 3D games, a lot of the functions tied to R3 are also related to camera control and perspective.
For example, some games use R3 to change your perspective from third-person to first-person and vice versa, while others use this function to lock onto targets and untarget them.
You can also use R3 to force the camera to snap back behind the character, making it easier and quicker to maneuver the camera without having to turn it all the way around.
When were R3 and L3 first implemented?
The DualShock for the PS1 was the third attempt by Sony at analog controls on the PS1, and was the first to implement R3 and L3.
However, since it was a relatively new function, not as many games used it, especially since there were controllers for the PS1 that did not have R3 and L3.
This function carried on to the PS2 and all PlayStation home consoles after it, and Sony’s competitors, Nintendo and Microsoft, would eventually implement their own clickable Analog sticks (with the Xbox 360 and Wii U in 2005 and 2012 respectively).
Can you disable R3?
Sometimes, a function tied to R3 can be somewhat annoying, or downright disruptive. This is not usually going to be the case, but regardless, a person may want to have this function disabled – or, at the very least, remapped to a different input on the controller.
When it comes to remapping R3, this can be done in two ways. The first is to utilize the controller remapping function found on the PS5 console. To access this, navigate to the Settings menu on your PS5, which is represented by a gear symbol. Once here, select Accessibility and then select Controls. Next, select Custom Button Assignment, and you will see a variety of options to customize your controller’s button layout. One of these options is Switch the Left and Right Analog Sticks, which is useful if you would rather use your right stick to move your character, and the left stick to control the camera (in most cases).
To make more detailed changes, select Customize Button Assignments instead. An image of your PS5 controller will be shown. Select the right stick, and choose which button you would like to swap the R3 functionality to. This is not the best method to use, as this causes basically all of your games to control differently, which may make things really confusing.
A better alternative would be to change the controller mapping in the game you’re having trouble with instead. The only downside is that not all games have the ability to remap your controls, and if they do, they may not be able to remap the controls to your specifications. Still, if it’s a possibility, it’s a better idea than changing your PS5 controls universally.
Disabling the R3 function is, unfortunately, not possible unless you remap the R3 function to a button that does nothing in the game you are playing. However, there may be the ability in your game to do so, but as of right now, there is no way to change it on the PS5 itself.
Why isn’t my R3 working properly?
If R3 is not working properly, there may be something going wrong with your controller. To test this, find a game that you know uses R3, and try pushing the right stick in to use the function. If it does not work, but other functions on the controller do, there are a few reasons why this may happen. Just make sure that the R3 function is not contextual.
The first reason is because you swapped the function of the R3 button using one of the steps in the above section, or found a way to disable the R3 button in your game. Basically, just reverse what you did to set this up. The second reason is because of an issue with your controller. The stick may be damaged in some way. If this is the case, you either have to repair the controller itself or have Sony repair it, with the latter being a better idea if you do not have the skill or experience.
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