Does sunlight damage the Oculus Quest 2?

The Oculus Quest 2 is a great device but the lenses can be easily damaged.

Remember the 1984 film Gremlins? If the creatures got wet, they would multiply. If they were exposed to sunlight, they would dissolve. Well, the Oculus Quest 2 isn’t really as harmful as a gremlin, but it can be harmed pretty easily — as I just found out.

First of all, it’s important to note that the Oculus Quest 2 isn’t meant to be used in sunlight. It’s actually almost impossible since any hint of sunlight ruins the tracking of the hand controllers. I have been using the Quest 2 a lot outdoors, but usually after sunset. Games like Beat Saber, SuperHot, and Creed: Rise to Glory VR are so much fun outdoors, where your virtual space is endless.

So, where did I go wrong? I can’t be completely sure, but during the day, I charged my Quest 2 in the car. That’s when the lenses were exposed. I didn’t notice until I tried playing later in the evening and noticed two blue spots in the lenses that wouldn’t disappear.

These spots were likely caused by exposing Oculus lenses to sunlight.

The spots weren’t very noticeable when a software title started but were downright annoying when the complete screen was black or dark. I tried not to let it bother me, but it did. So, I contacted Oculus Support, and they were helpful in troubleshooting the cause. They even offered to trade in my device at no cost.

Keep in mind that the Oculus warranty doesn’t normally support sun damage, but they made an exception for me this one time. I had to send it in last Wednesday, and I already miss my favorite device dearly (it may even top my Best Products of 2020 list). Since all the gyms are closed down (for the most part) in Southern California, I’ve been using the Quest 2 for my cardio workouts, and it has been a great substitute.

Besides not exposing my Quest 2 to sunlight, I could have done something else — use lens protectors! You can buy several for really cheap on Amazon, or even use the paper protectors Oculus provides in the box.

Using protectors can help light damage on your Oculus lenses.

In fact, I’m willing to recommend that you use the lens protectors any time you are not using your Quest 2. Doing this can also prevent damage from liquid spills and other types of damage. Your VR world needs to be perfect, and even the tiniest amount of damage can go a great way in ruining your virtual experience.

About Daryl

Daryl Deino has been a technology enthusiast since 1995 and has written for several newspapers and technology sites. Please reach him at [email protected]

This entry was posted in Tech News and tagged Oculus Quest 2, VR. Bookmark the permalink.

4. Upgrade Your Headstrap—You’ll Thank Us Later

If you’re happy with your Quest 2 and plan to use it frequently, we highly recommend the official Elite Strap or Elite Battery Strap accessories to improve comfort.

The soft strap that’s included with Quest 2 is one of the worst on any Oculus headset to date. It does a poor job of distributing the headset’s weight. The Elite Strap accessories are rigid and offer a counterweight to better balance the headset. With better balance, you don’t need to tighten the strap nearly as much to keep the headset in place, sparing you from discomfort and the unsightly ‘VR face’ after taking off the headset.

Get the low-down in our full review of the Quest 2 Elite Strap accessories.

5. Avoid Direct Sunlight in Your Lenses or Risk Ruining Your Quest 2

This one has been catching unlucky VR headset users off guard since the early days. Quest 2 is no different.

If you let direct sunlight stream into the lenses for a long period the lenses can focus the light and burn a hole in the headset’s display, permanently damaging it  (much like you can use a magnifying glass to focus sunlight enough to burn a hole in a piece of paper).

Make sure you don’t leave your Quest 2 sitting out with its lenses facing windows.

If many people use the headset, you might want to consider making it a ‘rule’ that it gets put away in a closet, drawer, or under a dishcloth to prevent anyone from accidentally leaving it the wrong spot for sunlight damage.

6. Check out Experimental Apps Through App Lab

While Oculus only allows select apps into the main Oculus Quest store, you can easily install early and experimental apps, as long as you know where to look. Oculus App Lab allows developers to officially distribute their apps on Quest outside of the main store. Installing them is as easy as having the link to the app, then clicking the button to install the app to your headset. But where do you find them?

App Lab DB

App Lab DB is a straightforward list of known App Lab apps. You can sort apps by Popularity, Recency, Ratting, and Price. Clicking an app will take you directly to the App Lab Page

SideQuest

SideQuest is a popular alternative to the official Oculus Quest store. While many of the apps on SideQuest require a more complicated ‘sideloading’ method, SideQuest also lists the easier-to-install App Lab apps in a special section. Here’s how to find and install them:

1. Browse the App Lab section of SideQuest
2. When you find the app you want, click the ‘Oculus App’ button at the top right of the page, you’ll be directed to the app’s official Oculus page
3. Click the blue button to buy or install the app, then it will appear in your Oculus library like any other app

Continued on Page 3 »

Can sunlight hurt Oculus Quest 2?

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Can you play Oculus Quest 2 outside in the shade?