Meta Quest 2 controller: Everything you need to know about pairing with your headset, resetting

• The Meta Quest 2 controllers are powered by a pair of AA batteries and come automatically paired with their headset.
• If a controller isn't responding, make sure it has fresh batteries and restart the headset. If that doesn't work, use the mobile app to repair the controllers.
• Unfortunately, there's no way to manually reset or repair the controllers without the mobile app.

The Meta Quest 2 VR headset comes with a pair of controllers that you can use to interact with the virtual environment and play most games.

The Quest 2 controllers are a slightly refined update to the original Quest controllers, which feature separate grip and trigger buttons, three face buttons and a joystick. They're powered by a pair of AA batteries (with a dramatically longer battery life than the first-generation controllers).

Here's everything you need to know about Meta Quest 2 controllers.

Do you need to use the controllers?

While the controllers are the primary way to interact with games and apps inside VR, you can sometimes also go hands-free. The Quest has somewhat sophisticated and reliable hand tracking, which lets you use your hands to interact with the virtual universe with gestures like pinching and grabbing.

Controller-free hand tracking doesn't work in every game, though, so most of the time you'll probably rely on the controllers.  

Why is my controller not connecting to my Meta Quest 2?

Usually, your Meta Quest 2 controllers should simply just work. There might be times, though, when one or both controllers aren't connecting to your headset. The good news is that there are a handful of things that might have gone wrong, and it's easy to troubleshoot:

• Replace the batteries. The most frequent problem is simply that the batteries have died, so replace them with fresh AA batteries and try again.
• Restart the headset. If the controllers don't seem to work or are not being recognized, the headset might need to be rebooted. Press and hold the power button on the headset until it restarts.
• Repair the controllers. If the connection between the controllers and the headset gets corrupted, you might need to repeat the pairing process. To do so, follow the instructions below.

How do I manually pair my Meta Quest 2 controller to the headset?

If you buy a new Meta Quest 2 headset, the controllers that come in the box are automatically paired. But if you ever need to replace a controller, you may need to pair it to get your headset to recognize it. To do that, make sure the controller has batteries installed and your headset is charged and turned on. 

Start the Meta Quest app on your mobile device and sign into your account. Then tap the Menu icon in the tabs at the bottom of the app and choose Devices. Tap Headset Settings and, in the list of headset settings options, choose Controllers.

Finally, tap Pair New Controller and tap the name of the controller (left or right) that you want to pair. Follow the on-screen directions to complete the pairing process — you'll need to press the Oculus or menu button together with the Y button on the controller until the Oculus logo blinks and the controller vibrates. 

How do I reset my Oculus 2 controller?

If your controllers are not working — and you've tried replacing the batteries or restarting the headset — then you might need to reset your controller. In other words, you need to use the mobile app to unpair the controller and then repair it. 

1. Start the Meta Quest app on your mobile device and sign into your account.
2. Tap the Menu icon in the menu at the bottom of the app and choose Devices.
3. Tap Headset Settings and, in the list of headset settings options, choose Controllers.

4. In the list of controllers, tap the controller that isn't working, and then tap Unpair Controller.

5. After the controller has been removed from your system, tap Pair New Controller and tap the name of the controller (left or right) that you want to pair.

6. Follow the on-screen directions to complete the pairing process – you'll need to press the Oculus or menu button together with the Y buttons on the controller until the Oculus logo blinks and the controller vibrates. 

Can I pair my Oculus controller without the app?

Don't have access to your Meta Quest 2 in the mobile app on your iPhone or Android device? Unfortunately, it's not possible to pair your Oculus controllers to the headset without the mobile app. If that's your situation, contact Meta customer support. You might need to ship the headset and controllers to Meta for the repair.