How to connect an Oculus Quest to a PC to play virtual reality games

• You can connect an Oculus Quest to a PC with a USB cable, but it also works as a standalone device.
• To use your Quest in Oculus Link mode, make sure you have a lengthy, high-quality USB cable, an available USB 3 port on your PC and that your computer meets the minimum system requirements.  
• Here’s what you need to know to connect an Oculus Quest to your PC using Oculus Link. 
• Visit Business Insider’s Tech Reference library for more stories.

The Oculus Quest (and the newer Quest 2) is a standalone virtual reality headset that doesn’t require cables or connections to operate, which means you don’t need a nearby PC and the headset is completely portable. But the Quest also has the ability to connect to a PC and run VR games from Steam, like the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift headsets. It does this using a feature called Oculus Link. 

Make sure your PC meets the minimum system requirements for Oculus Link

Before you begin, make sure your PC meets the minimum requirements for running a PC VR headset with Oculus Link. If you have previously used a PC VR headset with the computer, you’re probably fine. Otherwise, make sure your computer has these specifications:

• Processor: At least an Intel i5-4590 or Ryzen 5 1500X 
• Video card: Many video cards are supported, so you have a lot of options. You need at least an Nvidia GeForce RTX 20XX, GeForce GTX 1650 Super or higher, Nvidia Titan Z or Titan X. If you have an AMD graphics card, it should be an AMD 400/500/5000 Series or a Vega Series. 
• Memory: 8 GB or more
• Operating system: Windows 10
• USB: An available USB 3 port

You can find most of this information from the System Information dialog box. To see it, type “System” in the Start button search box and click “System information” when you see it in the search results. 

How to connect Oculus Quest to a PC

1. Make sure you have a high-quality USB cable that’s at least 10 feet long (and the longer the better, so ideally look for a 15-foot cable). The USB charging cable that comes with your Quest will work. 

2. If you haven’t already, install the Oculus Quest desktop software on your PC. If you’re a Quest user, you probably already installed it. Start the Oculus Quest app.

3. If you don't already have Steam installed, install that as well and log into your account. Then install SteamVR. This isn't mandatory to connect the Quest to your PC, but the main appeal of making an Oculus Link connection is having access to the large library of PC VR games and apps in Steam.

4. Plug your USB cable into the USB port on the side of the Quest and then plug the other end into an available USB port on your computer. 

5. Turn on your Quest and put on the headset. 

6. After a few moments, you should see a popup in the headset asking for permission to allow access to data. Use the controller to click "Deny."

7. You'll now see a popup asking to enable Oculus Link. Use the controller to select "Enable."

You'll now be connected to the PC and can run PC VR games and applications in the Quest.

Related coverage from Tech Reference:

• How to turn off an Oculus Rift or put it in sleep mode
  

• How to properly clean your Oculus Rift headset and accessories

• How to factory reset your Oculus Go using your headset or the app

• How to update your Oculus Quest headset in 2 different ways

• How to properly clean your Oculus Quest headset and controllers