A recent software update renders Quest headsets, including the 2, 3 and 3S, unusable. In some cases the problem is permanent, causing Meta to offer a free replacement.
Here’s what happens and what you can do if you encounter the problem on your Quest.
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On the official Quest support page, Meta posted a message stating that it has discovered an issue causing some headsets to become unresponsive and unable to boot up after applying an update. Meta says a fix is being worked on and most devices should function normally, but some are still dark.
The first problem seems to have started several weeks ago. On December 6, Meta posted on its official X account: “We are aware that some new Meta Quest 3S devices are having issues with the initial software update.” However, after rolling out Meta Quest v72 a few days later, reports surfaced from Quest 2 and Quest 3 users that their headsets were also having issues.
A common thread seems to be that headsets that haven’t been used in a while and are running on an older firmware experience the most problems when updating to the latest version. I have a Quest 3 that I haven’t used in about a month, so I gently started it up while writing this article. It started fine. My headset is running version 71.0.0 and says no update available, indicating Meta may have withdrawn the update until the issue is resolved.
If you have a 3S that is experiencing this problem, you can first try holding the power button for 45 seconds to completely restart it. If that doesn’t help, Meta has a special link where you can enter your device’s serial number. Meta says that if it detects your device is stuck, it will send a replacement headset at no charge, plus a Horizon Store credit.
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Meta instructs Quest 2 or Quest 3 headset users to contact support. As of this morning, several users of those headsets are reporting that Meta is also offering them a free replacement even if their headset is past its warranty period. Although Meta has discontinued the Quest 2 and it is no longer available for purchase, users with that device are reportedly getting an equivalent replacement.
