The Oculus Quest 2 is at the top of our list of the best VR headsets for its excellent design, ease of use and large library of games that you can get directly on the headset. However, you can take advantage of it even more if you connect your Oculus Quest 2 to a PC; that way, you can use it to play games on your PC and more.
There are two ways to connect your Oculus Quest 2 to a PC; we’ll show you how to do both.
How to connect Oculus Quest 2 to a PC: system requirements
Before starting any of the methods, you will need to download the Oculus application to your PC. Go oculus.com/setup and click on the link that says “Download the Quest 2 PC application”.
There are separate links below for Rift S and Oculus Link – please note that if you have any of those sets, Meta recommends that you use a Windows 10 PC, as the software is not yet compatible with Windows 11.
To use Oculus Link, it is recommended to have a PC with Intel i5-4590/AMD Ryzen 5 1500X or higher and at least 8 GB of RAM. Most Nvidia GPUs from the 970 series and above are supported, as are AMD GPUs from the 400 series and above. For a complete list, you can refer to the Oculus Link compatibility requirements.
How to connect your Oculus Quest 2 to a PC via Link
This is perhaps the easiest way to connect your Oculus Quest 2 to a PC, but it means that you will be tethered to your computer and will not be able to move as freely. For this, you will need a USB-C cable. If your PC has a USB-C port, you can use a USB-C to USB-C cable; otherwise, you will need a USB-C to USB-A cable. Meta sells a 16-foot Oculus Link cable for $79, but any USB-C cable should work; however, you will want one that is quite long. You can find many on Amazon for around $20.
1. Make sure your Oculus Quest 2 is turned on. In the Oculus app, select Devices and then Add Headphones.
(Image credit: Future)
2. Select Mission 2.
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
3. Select Link (Cable) as a connection method.
(Image credit: Future)
4. Connect one end of the cable to your Oculus 2 viewfinder and the other end of the cable to your PC.
(Image credit: Future)
5. In the Oculus app, press Continue. On the screen that appears below, you can choose to test your cable connection or press Continue.
Your Oculus Quest 2 is now connected to your PC.
How to connect your Oculus Quest 2 to a PC via Air Link
This process involves a few more steps, but it also allows you to use your Oculus Quest 2 offline to your PC.
1. Make sure both your Quest 2 and your PC are on the same Wi-Fi network; Meta reports that they must be connected to a 5GHz network.
2. In the Oculus app on your PC, select Devices, then Add Headphones.
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
3. Select Oculus Quest 2 and then select Air Link (wireless) as your connection method.
4. Put on your headphones. Open quick settings by hovering and selecting the clock on the left side of the navigation bar.
(Image credit: Future)
5. Press the gear icon in the upper right corner of the window which appears to open the full Settings menu.
(Image credit: Future)
6. Select the Experimental check box.
(Image credit: Future)
7. Search for Air Link and activate it.
(Image credit: Future)
8. Return to the main Settings window and select the Air Link checkbox. A window will appear showing all the PCs on your network with available Air Link. Select your PC.
(Image credit: Future)
10. A pairing code will appear on your Oculus Quest 2. Take off the headset and make sure that it matches the code that appears on your PC screen.
11. Put the headset back on and complete the pairing process.
You should now be logged in. From here, you can mirror your PC screen to Oculus Quest 2, which will allow you to play any VR-compatible game, such as Microsoft Flight Simulator, Half-Life: Alyx and Star Wars: Squadrons.
In this mode, you can also control your PC through the headphones and their controllers; you can launch applications, open windows, anything you can do with your PC keyboard and mouse, although typing is a little more complicated.
If you want others to see what you are playing, check out our guide on how to stream the Oculus Quest 2 to a TV. We also have guides on the The best Oculus Quest 2 accessories, as well as the best oculus quest 2 games.
