A method for controlling a planar drive system with a stator unit and a rotor includes moving the rotor to a rotational position on the stator unit. In the rotational position, each magnet unit of the rotor covers a coil group of the stator unit which is not covered by any other magnet unit of the rotor, in each orientation of the rotor relative to the stator unit. The method includes actuating the coil groups which are covered by the magnet units of the rotor in the rotational position, generating a stator magnetic field by each actuated coil group, and rotating the rotor about an axis oriented perpendicular to a surface of the stator unit by a predetermined angle, by way of the stator magnetic fields of the actuated coil groups covered by the magnet units of the rotor. A planar drive system is adapted to perform the method.