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To enter VR mode on Steam, set up and connect a compatible headset, open Steam on your PC, then click the VR control in the upper-right corner to launch SteamVR. For Valve Index, you can also press the controller’s System button. Wait until SteamVR shows the headset and other devices as ready, then complete Room Setup if prompted.

Before you launch SteamVR

SteamVR starts after your headset’s own setup is complete. The steps depend on the headset: a wired Valve Index connects directly to the PC, Windows Mixed Reality uses its Portal app, and Oculus Rift requires an option enabled in the Oculus desktop app. Wireless Steam Link is a separate route for supported standalone headsets.

Valve Index

  1. Install SteamVR and update your graphics drivers.
  2. Connect the headset’s DisplayPort to the graphics card, its USB cable to the computer, and its power cable.
  3. Make sure each connection is fully seated. A plug can look connected even when it is not.

Windows Mixed Reality

  1. Install and set up the headset and Windows Mixed Reality Portal.
  2. Install SteamVR on the PC. Launching SteamVR begins the setup tutorial.

Oculus Rift

  1. Open the Oculus desktop app and go to Settings > General.
  2. Turn on Unknown Sources and confirm the prompt.
  3. Run SteamVR from Steam.

Steam documents this setting in its SteamVR + Oculus Rift support information.

How do I launch SteamVR from Steam?

  1. Connect and power on the headset, then open Steam on the PC that has SteamVR installed.
  2. Click the VR control in the upper-right corner of the Steam client. With Valve Index, you can instead press the controller’s System button. Valve documents both options in its Valve Index Setup Guide.
  3. Wait for the SteamVR status window to show the connected devices as ready. For Index, Valve says the devices should turn green.
  4. If SteamVR prompts you to configure the play area, follow the on-screen Room Setup steps.

Set up your play area

Clear obstacles from the area before playing a room-scale game. The Valve Index guide recommends enough room to extend your arms and controllers; its room-scale example is at least 2 m × 1.5 m (6.5 ft × 5 ft). That is an Index guide recommendation for room-scale use, not a universal minimum or a requirement for seated and standing play. Index instructions say seated or standing-only use needs less space.

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Start a VR game

Once SteamVR is running and the headset is ready, launch a VR-compatible game from Steam. If you are unsure whether a title supports your headset, check the game’s VR Support information. For Windows Mixed Reality, Steam advises looking for the Windows Mixed Reality label there; some other titles may work without that specific label. Requirements vary by game, and Steam’s suggested PC performance information is not a guarantee that every title will run well.

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Steam Link is a separate way to stream Steam games to a supported standalone headset. The PC must be running Steam and SteamVR, and the PC and headset should be on the same network. Install Steam Link from the headset’s store or the phone store as applicable, then follow its connection prompts. Steam’s Steam Link support page lists Meta Quest 2, 3, and Pro; PICO 4 Ultra, PICO 4, and PICO Neo 3; and HTC Vive Focus Vision and HTC VIVE XR Elite. It also lists headset software, network, and GPU requirements, which may change, so check that page for the current requirements for your device.

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If SteamVR does not detect the headset

Start with the basic connections before trying error-specific fixes:

  • Check headset power, USB, DisplayPort, and any main or tether connection. Reseat plugs that may not be fully inserted.
  • Check for graphics driver updates, then restart SteamVR or restart the headset.
  • If the headset still is not detected, try another USB port or restart the PC. Steam’s error-specific guidance may also recommend power-cycling the applicable Link Box or enabling Direct Mode in SteamVR settings for certain hardware and errors. These are troubleshooting steps, not routine setup requirements.

For Valve Index only, Steam’s Index headset guidance explains its status light: dull green means sleeping but ready to wake, blinking red indicates a startup error, steady red means display initialization failed, blue means standby, and off means no power. Do not apply Index light meanings to other headset brands.

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