It’s game night.
And you’re excited to try out a particular PC-only VR app.
However, no matter what you do…
Your Oculus Quest 2 just won’t pair with your computer.
Bummer, right?
Well, hear me out because I got some good news.
This connection issue is actually easy to fix.
Keep reading to find out:
- The most common reasons why an Oculus Quest 2 won’t pair with a PC.
- How to determine if your PC has the right specs to connect to an Oculus Quest 2.
- 11 proven ways to resolve connection issues between an Oculus Quest 2 and a PC.
- And a lot more…
Why is my Oculus Quest 2 not connecting to my PC?
Your Oculus Quest 2 isn’t connecting to your PC due to incorrect settings. You need to enable Quest Link on your headset to pair it to a computer. Moreover, this issue may also happen if your Link cable or USB port is defective. And you also won’t be able to pair if your PC drivers are outdated.
Oculus Quest 2 not connecting to PC: 11 fixes
#1: Verify if your PC meets the system requirements for Quest 2
None of the fixes in this guide will work if your computer doesn’t have the right hardware.
You may be able to control your smart home from your PC even if it has low-end specs. But your computer must have high-end hardware to link it to a Quest 2.
So before anything else, check if your PC has the necessary specs for your VR headset.
For your reference, here are the system requirements for Oculus Quest 2:
| Component | Required specifications |
| Memory | At least 8GB |
| Processor | Intel i5-4590 / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X or better |
| OS | Windows 11 |
| USB Port | 1 |
| Video Card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 / AMD Radeon 400 Series or better |
How to find out your PC specs
There are several ways to do that on a Windows device. But here’s an easy 1:
Step #1: Click the Start button on the taskbar. It’s the 1 that has the Windows logo.
Step #2: Select Settings.
Step #3: On the left side of the window, look for System and click it.
Step #4: Scroll to the bottom and select About. From there, you’ll see your device’s processor and installed RAM or memory.
Now, for some reason, Microsoft opted not to include the graphics card info there. So proceed to the next steps.
Step #5: Right-click the Start button.
Step #6: Select Device Manager.
Step #7: Look for Display Adapters. And click the arrow button on its left. You’ll then see a list of all the graphics cards on your PC.
How to know if your specs meet the Quest 2 requirements
It’s 1 thing to find out what processor or graphics cards are installed on your PC.
But it’s another to determine whether they’re actually good enough for the Oculus Quest 2.
After all, these letters and numbers can be confusing, right?
So here’s a rule of thumb:
In many instances, the greater the number, the better the specs.
For example, an Intel Core i7 is better than a Core i5. 7 > 5. So if your processor is an i7 or an i9, then it’s good enough for your Oculus Quest 2.
Having said that, it’s still much better if you visit the hardware manufacturer’s website to confirm.
And if your PC doesn’t meet the system requirements, don’t worry. You have other options.
You can just use your Quest 2 on its own. Or you can cast your headset’s screen to a phone or a TV. You can do that since Oculus works with Chromecast.
#2: Enable Quest Link and Air Link on your headset’s main menu
You can connect an Oculus Quest 2 to a PC in 2 ways:
- Through a USB cable.
- Via a wireless connection.
But for either method to work, you’d need to enable the Quest Link option. You can find it on the Universal Menu of your VR headset.
In addition, if you’re trying to pair wirelessly…
You’d also need to switch on Air Link. It’s also on Quest 2’s main menu.
If neither is turned on, your PC won’t be able to detect your headset.
Step-by-step guide on enabling Quest Link and Air Link
Step #1: Open the Quest app on your PC.
If you haven’t downloaded it yet, go to this page. Look for the Download Software button and click it.
Then, after installing the app, sign in with your Meta account.
Step #2: Turn on your Quest 2 and wear it.
Step #3: Press the Oculus button on your right controller. It’s the 1 with the O-shaped logo.
This should bring up the Universal Menu.
Step #4: Click the clock on the left side of the menu screen. Then select Quick Settings.
Step #5: Choose System.
Step #6: On the left panel of the screen, scroll down and select Quest Link. And toggle it on.
Note: If you’re only going to connect via a USB cable, you may stop right here. But for a wireless connection, proceed with Steps 7 to 9.
Step #7: Click the Launch Quest Link button.
Step #8: Switch on the Use Air Link option.
Step #9: Under Available PCs, look for your device and highlight it. Then click the Pair button.
#3: Check if there are issues with your Link USB cable
As I’ve mentioned, 1 way to pair your Quest 2 with a PC is through a wired connection.
And if this is what you’re trying to do…
Check if you’ve plugged the USB cable firmly on both your PC and headset. A loose connection is a common reason why the pairing sometimes doesn’t work.
So ensure that you plug the cable all the way through.
Now, if that doesn’t resolve the issue…
Look for another USB port. Most PCs these days have at least 2 of them. So try to connect the cable to a different 1.
You may also verify if your PC’s USB port is actually working by plugging in another device. It could be a phone or anything that’s compatible.
And if it isn’t a port issue, the problem’s possibly with the cable itself.
So check for any dirt buildup. And clean it.
But if the cable still isn’t working, it’s likely defective. So you may have to replace it.
You can visit Meta’s online shop to order a Link cable for $79.99.
“It’s quite expensive. Can I buy a 3rd-party cable instead?”
Yes, you can.
Here’s a list of some of the best-reviewed Quest 2-compatible USB cables:
#4: Ensure that your PC and Quest 2 are connected to the same network
Are you trying to link your headset to your computer wirelessly?
If so, you’ll also have to ensure that they’re on the same network. You won’t be able to pair them if they’re using a separate internet connection.
For instance, your PC may be connected to your home WiFi. But your Quest 2 is using a mobile hotspot.
Under that setup, they won’t be able to detect each other.
So check your Quest 2’s WiFi connection. And ensure that it matches your PC’s. Here’s how:
Step #1: On your PC, click Start and select Settings.
Step #2: Choose Network & Internet. From there, you’ll see the network your PC is connected to.
Step #3: Grab your headset. Power it on and wear it.
Step #4: Press the Oculus button on your right controller.
Step #5: Click the clock to open Quick Settings.
Step #6: Select WiFi.
If your headset is connected to the same network as your PC, then you’re good to go.
If not, select the network that matches your computer. And type in the password to connect.
#5: Update your PC’s drivers
Every hardware, such as a processor or a graphics card, needs software for it to function. This is what you call a driver.
And with your PC, you need these drivers to be up to date.
Otherwise, your computer may start to malfunction. For instance, it may fail to recognize another device, like the Oculus Quest 2.
The good thing with PCs, though?
You don’t have to update each driver manually.
All you need to do is install updates for your Windows OS. Here’s how:
Step #1: Click the Start button.
Step #2: Select the gear icon to launch Settings.
Step #3: Choose Update & Security.
Step #4: Select Windows Update.
From there, you can see if there are available updates. And if there are, just click the download button.
#6: Install firmware updates on your Oculus Quest 2
While we’re on the subject of updating…
You should also do the same for your headset. Sometimes, the failure to connect to a PC is due to a software bug on Oculus.
And installing updates is the way to fix it. Here are the steps to do that:
Step #1: With your headset already on, press the Oculus button on the right controller.
Step #2: Hover over and click the clock on the Universal Menu to open Quick Settings.
Step #3: Click Settings. It’s on the top right corner of the panel.
Step #4: Select System and choose Software Update.
Step #5: If you see a Download button, click it to begin the installation process.
Pro tip: Some updates may take over an hour to finish. So it’s best to plug your Quest 2 into an outlet while it’s ongoing.
#7: Power cycle your Oculus Quest 2 and PC
Now, even if you’ve set up everything perfectly…
Your Quest 2 may still fail to connect to your PC. And this is because both devices also suffer from glitches every once in a while.
It’s perfectly normal. And the solution is to perform a power cycle or a restart.
With your Windows device, just press Ctrl + Alt + Delete on the keyboard. Then click Restart.
As for your Quest 2, here’s how to reboot it:
Step #1: Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons.
Step #2: Wait until you see the Power Menu on the screen.
Step #3: Release the buttons. And select Restart from the menu.
Would you like to learn another way to restart your Quest 2?
If so, check out this video:
#8: Reinstall the Quest Link driver on your computer
The Quest PC app is crucial in connecting your headset to your Windows device.
This is because this application also comes with the necessary driver for the setup to work.
Now, at times, the app or the driver may fail to install properly on a PC. It’s another cause why the pairing isn’t working.
And 1 fix you can do is to reinstall the Quest Link driver. This is how:
Step #1: Press the Windows key + E on your keyboard. This should take you to the This PC window.
Step #2: On the left of your screen, look for Desktop. And right-click it.
Step #3: Click Properties.
Step #4: On the Desktop Properties window, select Location.
Step #5: Type or copy and paste the following path:
c:\ProgramFiles\Oculus\Support\oculus-drivers\oculus-driver.exe
Step #7: Click OK. This should trigger the reinstallation process automatically.
#9: Delete and reinstall the Quest PC app
If reinstalling the Link driver didn’t work…
Then your next best option is to uninstall and redownload the Quest PC app. Here’s how:
Step #1: Click the Start menu.
Step #2: Select Settings.
Step #3: Click Apps followed by Apps & features.
Step #4: Look for the Quest PC app.
Step #5: Select More and click Uninstall. Then wait for the process to finish.
Step #6: Go to this page. Under Air Link and Link Cable, click the Download Software button.
Step #7: Click the downloaded .exe file to begin the reinstallation process.
#10: Perform a factory reset on your Oculus Quest 2
Are you still having trouble linking your VR headset to your PC?
Well, there’s 1 more troubleshooting fix you can try.
You can do a complete factory reset.
But just a heads up. When you go through this option, all of your VR games will be deleted.
Your Meta account will also be unlinked to the headset. And there’s no way to undo this process.
So consider all of those things before proceeding.
Now, there are 2 ways to factory reset a Quest 2:
- Via the headset.
- Through the mobile app.
I’ll leave it up to you to choose which 1 to do. But I’ll provide the steps for both.
How to factory reset a Quest 2 via the headset
Step #1: Switch off the device. Just tap the Power button on the right side.
Step #2: Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons.
Step #3: Navigate to Factory Reset using either of the Volume buttons. Then press the Power button.
Step #4: Select Yes. And click the Power button 1 more time.
How to factory reset a Quest 2 through the mobile app
Step #1: Launch the Quest app on your smartphone.
Step #2: Tap Devices.
Step #3: Select your headset.
Step #4: Choose Advanced Settings.
Step #5: Select Factory Reset and click Reset to proceed.
#11: Contact Meta for technical support
If none of the fixes work, there’s likely a hardware issue with the headset.
This will require the assistance of a professional.
So I’d advise you to contact Meta for support.
You may speak to an agent via their hotline number at 1-800-306-9329 or 1-949-754-8000.
Their contact center is open from 5:00 AM to 5:00 PM PST from Mondays to Fridays.