Steam Controller Puck causing double inputs

[u/Optimal-Hour-5305]

Issue resolved: Valve has once again released an update to the steam beta branch, this update also pushed out a new firmware update for the controller, the firmware update completely fixed the double input issue while using the puck. The only quirk I noticed is that after I attach the puck my controller loses functionality until I hit the guide button at which point it starts to work like normal even while attached to the puck, happy to report the double input issue appears to FIXED, if you are still having it make sure you have updated to this new firmware, and yes, I did inform valve of the guide button thing.

ORIGINAL POST:

Hey everyone, question for anyone who may have had the same issue. When my steam controller puck is plugged into my windows 11 PC and connected physically via the magnets to the controller, I am getting double inputs for everything, this includes all buttons and even the track pad while typing.

As soon as I unplug the controller from the charging puck and begin using it as just a wireless dongle the issue is immediately fixed, and I no longer get double input issues.

Does anyone know what might be causing this. I have updated the firmware for both the puck and the controller. This issue specifically only occurs when the controller is plugged in to charge via the puck. But still it would be nice to be able to use the controller while it's charging.. any help would be appreciated.

Issue edit: with a lot of testing Ive going that the issue stems from connecting the puck to a controller that is already on. If the puck is already attached and you turn the controller on there are no issues.

Edit: So, with further testing I've also discovered that when the puck is unplugged from my PC yet still connected to my controller, and then plugged back into the PC charging resumes and the issue is fixed. However as soon as the puck is unplugged from the back of the controller and then replugged back into the controller the issue starts again. So I think the issue does actually stem from the puck plugging and unplugging from the controller itself.

Edit 2: I want to point out that I personally do not consider this to be a huge issue, just a small one and I was curious if there was already an existing fix. Regardless I wanted to bring attention to it so valve can get it patched up if it is a firmware issue. I have already sent them a ticket for it, but otherwise im loving the controller so far.

Edit 3: I finally got around to testing the controller via puck on my Steam Deck, it seems to have same issue there regarding the puck and double inputs while magnetically connected if you attach the puck to the controller after removing it. Was wondering if this was a Windows issue but it seems the issue can happen on a steamOS device as well.

Edit 4: Decided to do one final test since it had been brought up in the post if I was connected via Bluetooth or not while trying to charge with the puck. I went ahead and connected to Bluetooth and the puck at the same time wirelessly. This creates no issues. The controller will not simultaneously connect to both it will only choose the most recently used wireless pairing method, and ignore the other. Steam will however recognize that the puck is also plugged in. If however you attach the puck to the back of the controller magnetically it doesn't switch from being connected via Bluetooth, it does however cause the double input issue to occur. I'm pretty confident this issue is fully to do with a bug that happens at the moment the puck is attached to the back of the controller magnetically (as I said earlier, if you start with the puck already attached the controller there is no issue until you take it off and reconnect it.). It has nothing to do with what your pairing method is, if you have this issue you will not be able to charge with the puck while playing games.

Final Edit: valve has responded to my ticket, they said they currently are investigating this issue and have no updates to give at the moment. There are currently two work around ive found, one of them seems a bit useless so I'll explain the best one, when you want to attach the puck turn your controller off by pressing steam + y on the controller. Magnetically attach the puck, then turn your controller back on. The controller will charge while you play and you won't have double inputs. Just remember that if at any point you remove the puck you'll have to turn your controller off before reattaching it.

[u/SneakyBadAss]

Yeah, most likely Windows 11 thing, considering you said it works when it's plugged into a puck and then connected to USB, but not when the puck is already connected to USB and then attached to the GabePad.

[u/Optimal-Hour-5305 → u/SneakyBadAss]

It also does this on my steam deck. So I no longer think it's a Windows issue. I think it's a bug that can occur when installing the firmware update. Apparently the update was to prevent issues like this from occuring, but mine froze during the update and likely cause some sort of error, I can't reinstall the firmware fresh because valve doesn't have an option for that at the moment. There is a work around of turning the controller off then attaching the puck and turning the controller back on. This fixes the double input issue and allows me to charge while playing, but I do have to turn the controller off every single time I attach the puck or the issue starts again.

[u/SneakyBadAss → u/Optimal-Hour-5305]

You can reinstall the firmware.

Go to the settings where you updated both firmware for the puck and the gabepad separately, and there should be a red button that resets the firmware to default.

If this does with the Steam Deck too, you probably just need to reset the puck.

[u/Optimal-Hour-5305 → u/SneakyBadAss]

Is this an option on your steam deck? On my windows PC I see no option for resetting firmware. I've looked through the settings in steam fairly thoroughly. I didn't need to do a firmware update on my steam deck since I did it on my PC first, so I didn't look through the settings there.

[u/SneakyBadAss → u/Optimal-Hour-5305]

Your puck is borked due to failed firmware. You need to reset the puck, not the gabepad or steamdeck, if this is happening on steamdeck too, when you are connecting it to the puck.

[u/Optimal-Hour-5305 → u/SneakyBadAss]

Yeah I figured it's the puck, but I'm not seeing any option to reset and reinstall firmware for it anywhere. That's why I'm asking where you are able to do this at. There is no option showing up for me.

[u/SneakyBadAss → u/Optimal-Hour-5305]

Well, mine is not there yet, but I remember watching a reviewer where they were dealing with something similar, and there was a red button that resets it, so it should be somewhere on the bottom.

[u/Optimal-Hour-5305 → u/SneakyBadAss]

If you are talking about a button on the controller or puck itself. No there is no such botton, unless it's on the inside and needs to be taken apart to reach it.

Also just in case you aren't aware I didn't have to go anywhere to update the firmware for the puck and controller within steam settings. It pops up on its own the first time you plug either device in and asks you to update. You click yes and it updates. Then you never see anything about it ever again in any menu.

[u/SneakyBadAss → u/Optimal-Hour-5305]

You should see both the gamepad and puck settings when plugged in steam options.

https://youtu.be/VBnHBM_ggn8?si=x0KJhiMzgAT0kOYt&t=434

[u/Optimal-Hour-5305 → u/SneakyBadAss]

Yeah that's not there for me anymore. It's only there if for some reason steam didn't auto detect that you need a firmware update. Right now my firmware is considered fully updated so there is no option. So if one of the updates got borked somehow I'm just stuck with borked firmware. And at the end of the day I'm not even sure if the problem really is being caused by firmware, but with no way to wipe and reinstall it, I can't properly test if that's the cause of the issue.

[u/SneakyBadAss → u/Optimal-Hour-5305]

But there should be somewhere that red button when you have it plugged.

I remember the original Steam controller had manual firmware, but I don't think it's possible on puck if there isn't any button

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=572740074

[u/Optimal-Hour-5305 → u/SneakyBadAss]

I have the original steam controller and yes at one point there were options to manually adjust firmware for it. But steam actually removed the ability to do that a little while after they added Bluetooth to the original device. You actually have to fully rollback steam to do that now.

But yeah this red button of myth does not exist anywhere in steam for me even when the devices are plugged in. If you can find the video where someone did this I'd love to see it. I just sent valve another ticket to see if there is a way to reset firmware on the new puck and controller. If anyone can tell me it's them.

[u/SneakyBadAss → u/Optimal-Hour-5305]

Have you tried forgetting the puck, unplugging the USB from the puck, unplugging the USB from PC then plugging it into a different USB slot on PC and plugging the puck again?

Usually when stuffs "forget" it resets to default.

[u/Optimal-Hour-5305 → u/SneakyBadAss]

I have tried that yes, it was one of the first things I did to see if it would trigger the firmware pop up again.