Quest 3 Tips & Tricks: Unleash the Full Potential of Your VR Headset
Quest 3 is the latest VR headset that is packed with a multitude of helpful but often hidden features. These features not only work on Quest 3 but also on Quest 2. If you want to make the most out of your VR experience, here’s a breakdown of tips and tricks that you definitely need to know.
1. Screenshot & Video Capture Shortcut
Capturing screenshots and videos of your virtual reality adventures is a must if you want to share them with your friends. With Quest 3, capturing screenshots and videos is easy with a simple shortcut that can be performed even while playing a game.
Screenshot Shortcut:
Hold the Meta button (menu button on the right controller) and then pull the trigger once.
Start Video Capture Shortcut:
Hold the Meta button and then pull and hold the trigger for a few seconds. You’ll see a message when the capture has started.
End Video Capture Shortcut:
If you’re already recording a video, you can use the same command as the Start Video Capture Shortcut to stop the recording. This works regardless of whether you started recording with the shortcut, by using your voice, or through the regular capture button.
Additionally, you can also use voice commands to capture screenshots and videos, which will be discussed later on.
2. Quest Voice Commands
Voice commands on Quest are a highly useful but often overlooked feature that allows you to perform various actions such as launching games, searching the store, navigating your headset, capturing screenshots and videos, and more. Keep in mind that voice commands are currently only available for US headsets.
How to Turn on Voice Commands on Quest 3:
- In your headset, open your app library and navigate to Settings.
- In the settings menu, go to System → Voice Commands.
- Turn on the Voice Commands switch.
- Turn on the Voice Commands shortcut switch.
How to Activate Voice Commands With Controllers:
- Double tap the Meta button (menu button on the right controller).
- Wait for an audio cue to know that the headset is listening.
- Speak your command.
How to Activate Voice Commands With Hand-tracking:
- Hold your right hand up and face it towards you.
- Pinch and hold your fingers to open the Quest quick-menu.
- Keeping your fingers held, move your hand to the right to select Assistant.
- Release your pinch to activate Voice Commands.
You can use voice commands anywhere in the headset, even in the middle of a game.
3. Switch Between Controller-tracking and Hand-tracking
Quest 3 allows you to seamlessly switch between controller-tracking and hand-tracking, which is especially useful when you want to switch from using the controllers to using your hands for a more immersive experience. To make this transition even smoother, there’s a shortcut that you can enable.
How to Enable ‘Double Tap Controllers for Hand-tracking’:
- In your headset, open your app library and navigate to Settings.
- In the settings menu, go to Movement Tracking.
- Turn on the ‘Double Tap Controllers for Hand-tracking’ switch.
How to Activate ‘Double Tap Controllers for Hand-tracking’:
Simply tap your controllers gently together twice, and the headset will immediately switch to hand-tracking. To switch back to using the controllers, just pick them up.
4. Force Screenshots & Videos to Sync with Your Phone
When you capture screenshots and videos on your Quest 3, they should automatically sync to your phone through the Meta Quest app. However, this automatic syncing doesn’t always work as intended. Luckily, you can manually force individual captures to sync with your phone.
How to Force Screenshot or Video Sync on Quest 3:
- In your headset, open the Camera from the menu bar.
- Find the screenshot or video you want to sync.
- Click the three dots menu on the file.
- Click Sync Now.
Within a few seconds for screenshots, and maybe a minute or two for large videos, you can open the Meta Quest app on your phone and navigate to the Gallery to find your synced media. If your media isn’t appearing, make sure to ‘pull down to refresh’ the gallery. From there, you can download the photo or video onto your phone and share it as desired. The syncing time may vary depending on your internet speed.
5. Double-tap for Passthrough
The passthrough feature allows you to quickly get a glimpse of the real world outside of your VR headset. Quest 3 offers a convenient double-tap shortcut that allows you to activate passthrough instantly, even while in the middle of a game.
To enable the Double-tap for Passthrough feature:
- In your headset, go to Settings → Physical Space → Passthrough.
- Turn on the ‘Double-tap for Passthrough’ switch.
Now, you can simply double-tap on the side of your headset (or even tap it with your controller) to activate the passthrough view.
6. Turn on 120Hz Refresh Rate
By default, Quest 3 runs at a 90Hz refresh rate, which determines how frequently the screen updates. For a smoother and more responsive experience, you can increase the refresh rate to 120Hz.
How to Turn on 120Hz Refresh Rate on Quest 3:
- In your headset, go to Settings → System → Display.
- Turn on the ‘120Hz Refresh Rate’ switch.
With the 120Hz refresh rate enabled, the Quest menus will run at 120Hz by default, and any applications that support 120Hz will be able to take advantage of this mode as well. Keep in mind that using the 120Hz refresh rate may have a slight impact on battery life.
7. Extended Battery Mode
Quest 3 comes with an Extended Battery Mode that allows you to maximize the battery life of your headset, which is especially useful for longer VR sessions.
How to Turn on Extended Battery Mode on Quest 3:
- In your headset, go to Settings → System → Power.
- Turn on the ‘Extended Battery Mode’ switch.
Enabling Extended Battery Mode will automatically reduce the brightness, resolution, and possibly the framerate of the headset to conserve battery power.
8. Set Your Own 360 Background in Home
Quest 3 offers a range of virtual environments for the Quest Home space, each with its own 360° photo as a backdrop. However, you also have the option to use your own 360° photo as a custom background.
How to Set a 360 Background in Quest Home:
- In your headset, go to Settings → Personalization → Virtual Environment.
- Scroll to the bottom of the list of Virtual Environments.
- Click the arrow next to ‘Custom Skybox View’.
- Select one of the default skyboxes or choose your own.
Please note that not all Quest 3 Home environments display the custom backdrop. Experiment with different environments to find the one that showcases your custom skybox the best.
9. Lock Individual Quest Apps for Privacy
If you share your Quest 3 with friends or family, it’s essential to protect your privacy by locking specific apps. This prevents others from accessing your personal messages, game progress, or browsing history.
How to Lock Quest 3 Apps:
- In your headset, go to Settings → Apps → App Locks.
- Select the app(s) you want to lock.
- Create a password pattern by connecting the dots with your finger or controllers in a memorable pattern.
Once you’ve locked an app, you’ll need to enter your password pattern every time you launch it. It’s important to note that apps must be minimized or fully closed in order to lock them after use. Simply sleeping the headset will not lock the currently active app.
10. Color Blind Mode and Text Size
Quest 3 includes accessibility options to accommodate users who are colorblind or have limited vision. These options provide a more comfortable and user-friendly experience.
How to Turn on Color Blind Mode:
- In your headset, go to Settings → Accessibility → Vision → Color Correction.
- Turn on the Color Correction switch.
- Select one of the four colorblind types.
How to Increase Font Size on Quest 3:
- In your headset, go to Settings → Accessibility → Vision.
- Under Text Size, choose from five different size options.
Keep in mind that changing the text size requires your headset to restart, and the size change only applies to system menus.
11. Type More Easily with Swipe Keyboard on Quest 3
Typing on Quest 3 can be time-consuming, especially with your index fingers or laser pointers. To increase your typing speed, Quest 3 offers a swipe keyboard feature, similar to what you find on many smartphones.
How to Enable Swipe Typing:
- In your headset, go to Settings → Experimental.
- Turn on the Swipe Typing switch.
If you cannot find the option in Settings → Experimental, it may have been moved to Settings → System → Keyboard.
Once enabled, you can use swipe typing with either your finger or controllers whenever the system keyboard pops up.
12. Share Your View with Friends to Your Phone or Browser
Casting allows you to share your VR experience with others, whether you want to show something to people outside of the headset or assist someone inside the headset. You can cast a live video view of what’s happening in your Quest 3 to your smartphone or any web browser.
How to Cast Quest 3 to Your Smartphone:
- Ensure that your smartphone and headset are connected to the same Wi-Fi hotspot.
- Make sure you have the Meta Quest app installed on your smartphone.
- In the Meta Quest app, go to the Home page (Feed) where you will see an image of your headset at the top of the page.
- Click the ‘Cast’ button next to the image of your headset.
This will start casting from your headset, and the user inside will see a small light on their screen to indicate that casting is active.
How to Cast Quest 3 to a Browser:
- On your PC or smart TV, visit oculus.com/cast.
- Ensure that you’re logged into the same account as your headset.
- In your headset, press the Meta button (menu button on the right controller).
- Select the Camera icon from the menu bar.
- Choose the Cast button at the top.
- Press the menu button to return to your game.
13. Launch Apps From Your Smartphone for a Seamless Start
Preparing for a VR session often involves some pre-game rituals like arranging your surroundings or fixing your appearance. Wouldn’t it be great if the app you want to play could start loading in the background before you even put on your headset? With Quest 3, it’s possible!
How to Launch Quest 3 Apps From Your Smartphone:
- Ensure that you have the Meta Quest app installed on your smartphone.
- In the Meta Quest app, click on the Menu in the bottom navigation bar.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on My Library.
- Select the app you want to launch.
- Click the Launch button on the app page.
Now, your desired app will start loading even before you put on your headset, allowing for a smoother and more seamless VR experience.
These Quest 3 tips and tricks will help you unlock the full potential of your VR headset. Whether you’re capturing memorable moments, optimizing your settings, or customizing your VR experience, these features and shortcuts will enhance your enjoyment and immersion in the virtual world. So go ahead and explore the possibilities of Quest 3!
If you have any more amazing Quest 3 tips and tricks that we missed, feel free to drop them in the comments below!