Link helps you decrease your iteration time by launching the app you develop in Unity or Unreal directly from the Editor to your device when you select Play(►). This eliminates the need to build the app on PC and deploy it to a Meta Quest headset every time you test your app during development.

This topic:

Outlines the Meta Horizon Link developer app.

References resources for Link setup and basic usage.

Discusses useful settings and troubleshooting practices while testing your apps over Link.

Link is compatible with Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 2, and Meta Quest Pro headsets.

Prerequisites

Meta Developer account

Requirements to use Link⁠.

Limitations

Apps released on the Meta Horizon Store don’t have access to development/experimental features, even if the features are enabled in Link settings.

Important: To make sure all features work as intended prior to releasing to the Store, you must check your app on device first.

The visual appearance and performance characteristics of an app running over Link may differ from running it on a Meta Quest headset.

Link causes your device to behave like a PC VR headset until the tool is explicitly turned off.

Set up Meta Horizon Link

To preview your scene using Link, follow these steps:

Download Link⁠ and install the app on your machine.

Put on your headset.

Open the Quick Settings window by selecting the clock on the left side of the menu bar.

Open Settings, select System > Quest Link, and toggle Quest Link on.

Select Launch Quest Link to start Link on your development machine and on your headset.

For more details on Link, see Use Link for App Development.

Configure feature settings for development

Activate OpenXR runtime

In the Meta Horizon Link app, navigate to Settings > General.

Next to OpenXR Runtime, select Set Meta Horizon Link as active. Once active, the option is grayed out.

Toggle developer runtime features

In the Meta Horizon Link app, navigate to Settings > Developer.

Ensure Developer Runtime Features option is toggled on.

Ensure feature support over Link

Suppose that you want to test an app that uses passthrough, eye tracking, and natural face expressions.

In the Meta Horizon Link app, navigate to Settings > Developer.

Ensure the following options are toggled on:

Passthrough over Meta Horizon Link

Eye tracking over Meta Horizon Link

Natural Facial Expressions over Meta Horizon Link

Note: The options for these features appear only after you toggle on Developer Runtime Features.

After you toggle each of the features on, read the dialog box. Select Turn On if you consent.

If your Unity or Unreal project is already open, restart the Editor after enabling the features over Link.

Test connection

Connect your headset using a USB-C cable, and perform the following in the Meta Horizon Link app:

Select Devices and ensure your headset is showing up.

Select the connected device and select Device Setup in the right menu.

Select Link Cable and then select Continue.

On the Connect Your Headset page, select Continue.

On the Check Your Cable Connection page, select Test Connection.

Ensure you get a Compatible connection message, after the test is complete.

For color passthrough, the USB connection should provide an effective bandwidth of at least 2 Gbps.

If this test returns an Incompatible connection message, or if the bandwidth is low, you might need to try a different USB-C cable. Use the Meta Horizon Link Cable⁠ to ensure compatibility.

Check bandwidth

You can always measure the connection speed by using the USB speed tester built into the Meta Horizon Link app:

In the Meta Horizon Link app, go to Devices.

Select the connected device.

Select USB Test and then Test Connection.

Check Link connection on headset

To ensure your headset connects to Link properly, follow these steps on your headset:

Go to Settings > System.

Next to Quest Link, toggle on access.

Basic Link usage for app development

As a developer, you can use Link in two modes:

Directly run the scene in the Unreal Editor by hitting VR Preview(►)

Run your project as a standalone PC app

Regardless of the mode, the app collects full tracking data from your headset.

Running your app on a PC over Link for most cases is similar to running on the headset. While running the app on a PC over Link for Play-in-Editor and standalone modes, you (as a user) see a 3D screen of the app inside your viewport of the headset. You also see the normal screen of the app on the PC screen.

Disable proximity sensor

Disabling the proximity sensor via Meta Quest Developer Hub (MQDH) is part of the standard development workflow.

Connect your headset to your development machine.

Open MQDH on your machine.

From the left navigation bar in MQDH, select Device Manager.

Select your headset from the Devices list.

Under Device Actions, locate Proximity Sensor.

Select the dropdown and disable the proximity sensor for two hours or longer.

Preview platforms

Unreal has the capacity to simulate platform specific rendering. You can find the feature under Settings > Preview Platform. Quest devices use the Vulkan rendering technology; however, Link supports both OpenGL and Vulkan for Link.

Known issue: PokeAHole material is not working with OpenGL preview. A workaround is to use a material with AlphaHoldout blend mode instead (this does not work over Opaque objects)