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The Meta Quest 2 is one of the most popular products in the market right now. They are not, however, immune to technical difficulties. If you have a problem with yours not turning on, you could be asking yourself: What Do You Do If Your Meta Quest 2 Won’t Turn On?”
When your Meta Quest 2 won’t come on, the first thing you should do is a hard reset by holding down the power button for 30 seconds or more. If it doesn’t work, try plugging in the charging cord (make sure the LED light goes on), charging it until it’s fully charged, and then reboot the device.
In this blog post, I will walk you through the steps to follow when fixing a Meta Quest 2 that won’t turn on.
Steps to Follow when Your Meta Quest 2 Won’t Turn On
1. Charge the Battery
The Meta Quest 2 will not turn on if the battery is completely dead. You can check the battery level by looking at the LED indicator on the back of the headset. If it’s red, that means it needs to be charged.
Plug in the USB-C cable that came with your Quest into an available power source to charge it. The charging process could take up to three hours.
Once the Meta Quest is plugged in, the LED indicator will turn white to let you know it’s charging. The LED will turn off once it reaches 100%, and your headset will be fully charged and ready to use.
If your Meta Quest won’t charge or turns off unexpectedly while in use, it may be due to a faulty battery.
In this case, you’ll need to replace the batteries. You can purchase replacement batteries from the Oculus website or a third-party retailer.
READ MORE! Can I Use The Meta Quest 2 While Charging? (Solved!)
2. Perform a Hard Reset
If your Meta Quest doesn’t turn on after being charged, you can try performing a hard reset. Press and hold the power button for at least 20 seconds to do this. After a few moments, the Meta Quest will turn on.
If the hard reset doesn’t work, try unplugging the USB-C cable from your headset and then plugging it back in once it’s plugged in; press and hold the power button for 20 seconds.
3. Leave the Meta Quest 2 for a While
The Meta Quest 2 does not always switch on because it is amidst a software update. The best course of action is to just wait and let the device work in this instance.
Connect the headset to the charger, position it on a flat surface, and let it alone for 30 minutes.
READ MORE! How Long Does It Take To Charge The Oculus Quest 2?
4. Restart the Oculus App
If your Meta Quest won’t turn on, it could be due to a problem with the Oculus app. To fix this, you’ll need to restart the app.
Open the Oculus app on your phone and then tap the three lines in the top-right corner. Next, tap Settings and then scroll down and tap Restart Oculus App.
Once the app has restarted, try turning on your Quest.
5. Controller Menu Buttons
The Meta Quest 2 comes with two controllers, each with a menu button and a trigger.
The menu button is located on the left-hand side of the controller and is used to open up the menu. The trigger is located on the right-hand side of the controller and is used to select items from the menu.
If your Meta Quest won’t turn on, it could be because one of these buttons is stuck. To fix this, try pressing and holding both the menu button and the trigger simultaneously for five seconds.
This will reset the controller and hopefully fix the problem.
6. Check the Proximity Sensor
In Meta Quest 2, a proximity sensor is placed just above the bridge of the nose that detects whether the headset is on your head or not by measuring the distance between your face and the headset.
The screen shows dark when it fails to identify whether the headset is put on. Cover the sensor with your thumb and see whether the black screen disappears or the headset resumes regular operation.
If it functions properly, it suggests a gap or damage in the foam insert that allows light to flow through. Remove any custom modifications such as silicon covers or custom foam pads that may interfere with the sensor’s operation.
However, clean the proximity sensor with a dry microfiber cloth to remove any accumulated dirt and compare the results if the black screen continues. You may also use dark tape to cover the sensor area, allowing you to use it for a longer period.
7. Check for Software Updates
If your Meta Quest 2 won’t turn on, it could be due to a software issue. To fix this, you’ll need to check for updates. Open the Oculus app on your phone and then tap the three lines in the top-right corner.
Next, tap Settings and then scroll down and tap Software Updates.
If there’s an update available, it will begin downloading automatically. Once the download is complete, follow the on-screen instructions to install the update.
8. Factory Reset Your Meta Quest 2 (Last Resort)
If none of the above solutions work, you can try factory resetting your Meta Quest 2. This will erase all of your data, so be sure to back up any important files before proceeding.
To factory reset your Quest, open the Oculus app on your phone and tap the three lines in the top-right corner. Next, tap Settings and then scroll down and tap Factory Reset.
Once the reset is complete, try turning on your Meta Quest 2.
READ MORE! How Do You Factory Reset Your Meta Quest 2? (Solved!)
9. Contact Oculus Support
If all these options fail and your Meta Quest still won’t turn on, you may need to contact Oculus support for further assistance. Go to the Oculus website and then click on the Contact Us link at the bottom of the page.
From here, you can chat with or call a support representative who can help you troubleshoot your issue.
Conclusion
When your Meta Quest 2 won’t turn on, there are various things you can do, from restarting the Oculus app to resetting the controller or checking for software updates.
I hope this article has helped you learn the various solution to getting your Meta Quest 2 to work.
Espen
Espen is the Director of PursuitMeta and has written extensively about Virtual Reality and VR Headsets for years. He is a consumer product expert and has personally tested VR Headsets for the last decade.
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