With its refined design and enhanced performance, the Meta Quest 3 represents a significant stride in virtual reality technology — there’s a reason it quickly became our new best VR headset pick. It’s also quite popular, and according to recent reports, both the Quest 2 and Quest 3 were a big hit over the recent holiday season.
With that in mind, there are likely a wealth of new Meta Quest users looking to make the most of their new headset. For those who are new to the world of VR and recently purchased or were gifted a Meta Quest 3, we’re here to provide 16 tips owners should know.
With a sleek design, great performance, tons of quality games and exciting mixed-reality applications, the Meta Quest 3 is the best VR headset for most people.
1. Find friends through Facebook or Meta Horizons
Despite the great number of single-player experiences in Meta’s VR world, there are plenty of ways to interact with people locally, nationally and globally. Meanwhile, times have definitely changed since the Meta Quest 2 required a Facebook account when it was released in 2020. These days, folks can simply provide their own email to use both new and older headsets. However, using Facebook is an easy way to find friends who may have a headset right away.
Another cool way to grow one’s VR network is by hanging out in the various experiences available through Meta Horizons. Outside of that, the required Meta Quest app for iOS and Android does have a “Discover People” tab that allows users to find potential friends through connected Facebook or Instagram accounts alongside anyone you’ve recently met through a particular game.
2. Set up parental controls
The recommended age to use the Meta Quest VR headsets is 13 years old. Concerned parents can manage their child’s VR activities, including gameplay duration, interactions and purchases. Teens aged 13 and up can connect their accounts to their parents’ for supervision. Parents can block content by age rating, control spending and limit screen time through the Meta Quest app or browser. Communication is restricted for children ages 10 to 13, limiting social features and interactions in games and apps. Parents can monitor their teens’ VR friends list, but real names may not be visible.
3. Enable Passthrough
Passthrough is a VR feature that provides a real-time view of the user’s surroundings via the headset’s sensors. It was available in monochrome on the Meta Quest 2 but has been updated to full color for its successor. The feature is now popular enough for users to make Starbucks runs with their Meta Quest 3 on. There are also several apps that support mixed-reality experiences.
Passthrough activates during the Guardian setup process or while using select apps, blending physical and virtual environments. The Double Tap for Passthrough shortcut enables easy access to this feature. To enable it, access Quick Settings from the universal menu, select Settings, choose Guardian and toggle on Double Tap for Passthrough. This allows turning Passthrough on or off with a double tap on the headset.
4. Track VR fitness stats with the Move app
Moreso than ever, VR has become a useful tool for exercise with a variety of scientifically proven reports backing up claims. Between the many active Meta Quest 3 games and dedicated fitness apps, there are plenty of ways to break a sweat on your headset. One way to track exercise goals is through Meta Quest Move. It’s an app for tracking physical activity and calorie burn across VR games and apps. It sets daily and weekly goals for calories and active minutes, with a Move Calendar to monitor progress.
Users can set goals at various intensity levels and view live stats via an in-game overlay. The app syncs with the Meta Quest mobile app for progress tracking and can connect to Apple Health and Health Connect by Android, with an option to disconnect. Users can also pair Bluetooth heart rate monitors for real-time data, though Meta Quest is not a medical device. Additionally, the Fitness Friend feature allows sharing of Move stats with chosen contacts.
5. Capture in-game clips and photos
A good way to show off a win in Population One or workout sessions in Supernatural is by capturing in-game clips and photos. This is relatively an easy process, as Meta Quest allows you to record your VR experiences and save videos to the headset.
To start, press the button on your right Touch controller to open the universal menu, select Camera and then Record Video or Take Photo. You can choose to include microphone audio. A red dot indicates recording is in progress, and this indicator can be adjusted in Settings. To stop recording, open the universal menu again, select Camera and then Recording.
Because the Meta Quest 3 provides mixed-reality recording and casting, it’s possible to record videos and images of the physical environment as well. Everything recorded can be synced to the Meta Quest mobile app and shared on various social media platforms too.
6. Try out hand tracking
Hand tracking allows users to operate their Meta Quest using hand gestures instead of controllers. There are games and apps that support the feature including Cubism, Piano Vision and Vacation Simulator, among others. Though usefulness and functionality in-game may vary, it’s a great way to browse the web or play around in video apps without using a controller. An auto-switch feature is available for seamless transition between hand tracking and controllers. Supported gestures include Point and Pinch for selection, Pinch and Scroll for navigation and Palm Pinch to return to the Meta Home menu.
7. Use voice commands
US-based Meta Quest 3 owners can use voice commands to navigate settings, launch apps or reset their viewing position. To enable it on Quest 3, go to Settings > System > Voice Commands and turn on both switches. You can activate it with controllers by double-tapping the Meta button, waiting for an audio cue and then speaking your command. With hand tracking, raise your right hand, open the quick menu by pinching and holding fingers, select Assistant and release your pinch to activate Voice Commands.
8. Increase the refresh rate
Outside of making VR experiences more immersive and responsive, upping the Quest 3’s refresh rate from 90Hz to 120Hz also helps prevent issues like dizziness or nausea. To try out this smoother setting, go to Settings > System > Display and enable the 120Hz Refresh Rate switch. This setting makes Quest menus run at 120Hz by default, and compatible apps can also utilize this mode, though it may slightly affect battery life.
9. Extend your battery life via software or hardware
The average battery life of the Meta Quest 3 is somewhere around two hours. Though that may be a bit on the short end, there are ways to increase that through software or hardware. Quest 3 offers an Extended Battery Mode to maximize battery life. In the headset’s settings under System > Power, enable the Extended Battery Mode switch. This mode lowers brightness, resolution, and potentially frame rate to reduce power consumption while extending battery life. If users don’t want to decrease performance through software, other options include first- and third-party battery packs.
10. Get a sweat protector
Regular VR workouts using fitness apps like Supernatural or FitXR can lead to sweat accumulating on the face pad, which is not something you want. To combat this, a face pad cover is essential. There are plenty of affordable options on Amazon at prices ranging from around $10 to $40 (we personally swear by this 3-in-1 kit that also includes a head strap and protective shell). They do a great job of preventing sweat buildup, ensure easy cleaning and can be shared among household members.
11. Get rechargeable batteries for your controllers
Both current and previous Meta Quest models use regular AA batteries for their controllers. Some may have a problem with that — several competing VR headsets use rechargeable batteries — but it does help cut down on weight and adds to the headset’s long-term usability. For those who don’t want to hassle with AA batteries, using rechargeable batteries like these may be your best option.
12. Use Quest Link for PC-based VR
Meta Quest 3 owners with a long enough USB-C cable and a powerful enough gaming desktop or laptop can enjoy PC-based VR through Quest Link. This allows users to play an even wider range of VR games through SteamVR or the older Windows-based Oculus app. PC-exclusive games like Half-Life: Alyx or the first Asgard’s Wrath provide some of the best VR gaming experiences available on any platform. You also have the option of using Quest Link wirelessly via Wi-Fi, though your experience may not be as smooth depending on your connection speed. Some multiplatform games available may even perform or look better on SteamVR than if you played them standalone on your Quest 3 alone.
13. Try Xbox Game Pass for console games
For the past several years, Microsoft has been pushing Xbox to be more of an ecosystem than dedicated platform. Instead of needing a console or powerful hardware like a gaming PC, users can play some of the biggest games available by simply streaming them from the cloud. That functionality is now available on the Meta Quest 3 via the Xbox Cloud Streaming app, which puts a large virtual display in front of you for playing top games like Halo Infinite, Forza Motorsport, Starfield and much more. All users need is a subscription to Xbox Game Pass and a gaming controller.
14. Get an IR light for VR gaming in the dark
Since VR headsets depend on cameras and sensors, the best place to enjoy the platform is in a well-lit area. Playing in a dark place can affect tracking for controllers, which can impact immersion. If your VR space doesn’t have access to great lighting (or you want to be able to play in the dark in order to not disturb your housemates), you can still do so by picking up an IR light. There are a variety of affordable models out there, many of which are designed for use with the Quest series.
15. Try as many demos as possible
As popular as VR headsets are getting, virtual reality is still in an experimental stage — which means that apps and games can vary significantly in terms of quality. If you want to have peace of mind before making a purchase, we recommend exploring the many free demos and trials available in the Quest store. To find free games and apps, simply open the Store, go to the filter menu, select Pricing and check off Free.
16. Get prescription lenses (if you need them)
Though many VR headsets like the Meta Quest 3 are comfortable enough to wear with prescription glasses, those who want to game without them on can order prescription lenses for their Quest 3. If users know their prescription specs they can go through a variety of manufacturers, including Zenni Optical, NordQuest VR and Hons VR.
