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Open Sound Control (OSC) is a way for applications to send and receive control values; it is not Steam Frame’s eye-tracking API. Valve documents Steam Frame eye tracking through OpenXR and OpenVR, while a Steam Link setting can share gaze with other applications through OpenXR and, when OSC is enabled, OSC. Whether that data reaches a particular game depends on the game and the software route it supports.
What does OSC do in VR games?
OSC is a message protocol applications can use to exchange parameter values and input. In a VR title, an application might use OSC to change avatar settings, read avatar parameters, or map an external controller or peripheral to controls. OSC carries messages; it does not itself track your eyes or guarantee that a game will use tracking data.
VRChat’s May 25, 2022 release announcement described its OSC API as supporting avatar parameter changes and readback, as well as input from sources such as external eye and face tracking. It also described mapping controllers and peripherals to controls. Those are VRChat-specific examples, not evidence that every VR game accepts OSC or eye-tracking input. VRChat’s OSC release announcement
How does Steam Frame eye tracking work with OSC?
There are distinct layers: Steam Frame produces eye-tracking data, the runtime exposes it through an API, and applications may exchange or consume data through supported interfaces. Valve documents the eye-tracking interfaces as OpenXR and OpenVR—not as a universal Steam Frame OSC address or message format.
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Valve’s documented eye-tracking interfaces
- OpenXR: Valve names the
XR_EXT_eye_gaze_interactionextension. - OpenVR: Valve names
IVRInput::GetEyeTrackingDataRelativeToNowandIVRInput::GetEyeTrackingDataForNextFrame. The application must create an action of typeeyetracking.
These interfaces are for software that reads eye tracking through the relevant runtime API. See Valve’s Steam Frame overview and Steam Frame input documentation.
What Steam Link’s sharing setting changes
A SteamVR release note dated August 9, 2024 says eye gaze can be passed through OpenXR when sharing is enabled in Steam Link settings. It also says users who had enabled the older OSC-sharing option need to enable “Share eye tracking data to other apps on this PC”; that setting enables sharing through OpenXR and through OSC when OSC is enabled. The note documents behavior in that release, so the exact setting label or location may differ in a later version. SteamVR 2.8.2 release note
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In practical terms, enabling sharing makes data available along a route; it does not make every game understand or act on it. A target application must support the interface or receive the data through another compatible application.
Which route might carry Steam Frame eye data to an application?
| Route | How data reaches software | Requirements and limits |
|---|---|---|
| OpenXR | The application reads eye gaze through Valve’s documented OpenXR extension. | Requires an application and runtime path that support XR_EXT_eye_gaze_interaction; Steam Link sharing may also need to be enabled. |
| OpenVR | The application reads eye-tracking data through the named OpenVR input functions. | Requires an OpenVR application to create an action of type eyetracking. |
| OSC sharing | Steam Link can share gaze through OSC when the relevant sharing setting is enabled and OSC is enabled. | The receiving application must support the relevant OSC input. Valve’s cited pages do not establish a general Steam Frame OSC address/value schema. |
| Third-party UDP bridge | A separate application reads device data and forwards packets to a PC-side application or module. | Depends on the particular bridge and its maintenance; it is not the same as Valve’s public API or official support. |
How do I get Steam Frame eye tracking into VRChat?
First identify the software route your VRChat configuration uses. VRChat’s 2022 announcement establishes that its OSC API can accept external tracking-related input, but it does not provide Steam Frame-specific setup instructions. Steam Frame’s API documentation and the SteamVR sharing note describe the source and sharing pathways, not a guaranteed plug-and-play VRChat configuration.
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- PC VR Gaming Headset: Immerse yourself in low-latency VIVEPORT and SteamVR gameplay. DisplayPort mode delivers lossless, high-fidelity visuals straight from your PC.(1) Connect your PC directly to your Wi-Fi router using an Ethernet cable for PC VR streaming.
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- Personalize Your Fit: Auto-IPD adjustment aligns the XR headset's lenses with the centers of your pupils, giving your eyes the clearest, most comfortable viewing experience.(4)
- Check the SteamVR/Steam Link sharing route. In Steam Link settings, look for the eye-tracking sharing option. The August 2024 SteamVR note identifies it as “Share eye tracking data to other apps on this PC” and says OSC sharing also requires OSC to be enabled. Current labels may differ.
- Choose a supported receiver path. A VRChat setup could use software that reads eye tracking through a documented runtime API, or an OSC-capable application that forwards compatible input to VRChat. Confirm the specific software supports Steam Frame and the interface you intend to use.
- Configure VRChat’s OSC side. Use the OSC mechanism and parameter mappings supported by the current VRChat setup. Do not assume a generic Steam Frame OSC schema: the cited Valve documentation does not specify one.
- Test the complete chain. Confirm that the source application receives gaze data and that VRChat’s intended avatar parameters or controls respond. If either stage fails, check sharing, OSC enablement, runtime/API support, and the receiving software’s configuration separately.
Optional community bridge
BowmanFox’s FrameEye Bridge README describes an unofficial route in which a headset-side app reads data from the device’s eye-tracking service and sends UDP packets to a PC-side module for VRCFaceTracking. It is a community implementation example, not a Valve-documented OSC schema or a requirement for all users. Because it is a moving third-party project, check its current documentation and maintenance status before relying on it. FrameEye Bridge README
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Steam Frame eye-tracking details are not established here?
The cited Valve pages identify APIs, but do not specify sampling rate, accuracy, calibration procedure, or a general OSC address/value schema for Steam Frame eye data. The cited sources also do not establish that all VR games consume OSC or eye tracking. Treat compatibility as application- and configuration-specific rather than assuming the data automatically appears in every title.
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