How to update your Meta (Oculus) Quest 1, 2 or 3

New or casual users of a Meta Quest can easily forget to update the VR headset‘s underlying software, but that’d be a mistake. Meta is regularly adding and improving features or quashing bugs, to the extent that a fully updated Quest can be radically different from one with launch software. Here’s how to manually update a Quest 3 (or its predecessors) — or better still, have it update automatically.

How to update your Meta (Oculus) Quest VR headset

In some cases, your Quest should update on its own (see below). But if it doesn’t, or you’re just impatient, you can force an update whenever new software is available. Follow these steps:

1. Charge your Quest and put it on. If your Quest is low on power (below 50%), you may want to use it plugged in.
2. Once you’re in your home environment, press the Meta/Oculus (moebius/oval) button on the right-hand Touch controller.
3. Hover your finger/cursor over the clock on the menu that appears.
4. Select Quick Settings, then Settings.
5. Select System, then Software Update.
6. Your Quest will check for new software. If it’s available, you’ll see a button to begin the download.

How to automatically update your Meta (Oculus) Quest

Quest headsets are configured to update automatically by default, but you do have to meet certain criteria:

• Your headset is charged. This is the big one, since people who don’t wear their Quest frequently tend to let the battery drain low or even down to zero. You may want to invest in a charging dock from Meta, but you can also leave your Quest plugged into a USB cable.
• Your headset is turned on. If you power down a Quest instead of simply taking it off, it can’t fetch anything.
• Your headset is connected to Wi-Fi. This probably means you’ll only be updating at home, but you can switch to other Wi-Fi networks using Quick Settings or the Meta Quest mobile app.
• Your headset is sitting motionless on a flat surface for a long time. If you pick up a Quest, it assumes you’re about to use it, so it stops searching for updates. Likewise, don’t block your headset’s inside sensor, since it can interpret that as someone wearing it.