Around the holiday season, some Meta Quest owners found themselves unexpectedly holding non-functional headsets instead of the immersive gaming devices they anticipated. These users discovered that their headsets were bricked due to a software glitch.
Meta has addressed the problem on their help site, acknowledging a software update issue that impacted Quest 2, 3, and 3S models. This issue rendered some headsets unresponsive, preventing them from starting up properly. Meta assures users that they are diligently working to fix this problem for everyone. For most people, it seems the issue has been resolved, and their devices are back to normal. However, if your headset remains unresponsive, Meta advises you to follow the next steps outlined on their help site.
Mark Rabkin, who heads the HorizonOS and Quest devices at Meta, took to X.com (formerly Twitter) to update the community. He mentioned that almost all users can now use their devices normally. Yet, if anyone is facing ongoing issues, he encourages them to get in touch with customer support for assistance. Additionally, for those with the Quest 3S, there’s a straightforward process to check eligibility for a replacement unit.
Last week, some Quest owners reported that a botched software update process left their headsets essentially bricked. Initially, Meta support informed them that purchasing a new device was the only option. However, it seems Meta has reconsidered, and some of these users have been offered a path to receive a complimentary replacement for their faulty headsets.
When I personally attempted to revive a Quest 2 headset that had been sitting idle since December 31, I encountered similar difficulties. Hours of working with Meta’s Software Update Tool and multiple factory resets yielded little success. Seeking a resolution, I visited Meta’s support page and followed the instructions for Quest 2 owners. On their “product-claim” page, users can enter their headset’s serial number to determine eligibility for a replacement. Unfortunately, my Quest 2 was marked as not eligible. I haven’t yet pursued further customer support, but while my headset isn’t totally unresponsive, it struggles to maintain the setup pairing screen for more than a fleeting moment.
We’ve reached out to Meta, eager to learn just how widespread this issue has been and to gather specifics on the number of replacements they plan to distribute. With the holidays bringing many dormant Quest 2 headsets back online, we’re closely watching for more information on how Meta intends to resolve this problem.
