How can servo jitter be reduced in Arduino projects?

Question

I’m controlling a servo motor using an Arduino, but it occasionally jitters even when it’s supposed to hold a fixed position. The power supply seems stable, and the signal wire is properly connected. What are the common causes of servo jitter in Arduino projects, and what are the best methods to minimize or eliminate it?

Are there any hardware or software techniques—like adding capacitors, using separate power sources, or applying code-based filtering—that can help achieve smoother servo movement?

Neeraj Dev · Answer

Servo jitter in Arduino projects is usually caused by power instability, electrical noise, long signal wires, or software timing conflicts.

To reduce it, use a separate and stable power supply for the servo (not the Arduino 5V pin), and connect all grounds together. Add a 100 µF–470 µF electrolytic capacitor near the servo’s power pins and a small 0.1 µF ceramic capacitor for noise filtering.

A 220–470 Ω resistor in series with the signal line can also help. On the software side, avoid writing the same servo position repeatedly, filter noisy input signals, and use small delays or smoothing functions to prevent rapid position changes. These steps usually eliminate most servo jitter problems.