Like with most Android-based devices (and tech in general) you are bound to get unexpected behavior with Oculus Quest 2 at some point in time.
If your Quest 2 is currently stuck in a boot loop and just keeps restarting, then you have arrived at the right place.
Based on my own experience and the knowledge shared by other users, here are the steps you can try to stop the restarting loop and make your Quest 2 boot up normally again:
- Let your headset work for some time
- Charge your headset
- Do a hard reboot
- Restart your router
- Try a different Wi-Fi network
- Cover and uncover proximity sensor
- Factory reset
- Contact Oculus support
Let does next look at each of the potential solutions in a bit more detail.
1) Let Your Headset Work Its Magic
Sometimes the best course of action is to do nothing at all.
If your Quest 2 has enough battery charge, just turn it on and let it keep working and restarting for up to 30 minutes.
You might be surprised to later find out that the headset was able to resolve the issue itself. If not, I recommend you to follow up with a hard reboot, described in step number three.
2) Charge Your Headset
Another thing you can try to resolve the boot loop issue with your Quest 2 is to simply plug in the charger.
If the battery on your headset is empty, then turn your Quest 2 off completely and let it charge for at least half an hour. If you know there is plenty of juice left in the headset, leave the charger plugged in, and again, let it keep restarting on its own.
If the headset is still stuck in a restart cycle, follow up with a hard reboot, described in the next step.
3) Do a Hard Reboot
Like with most devices, the good old “have you tried turning it off and back on again” is a miraculous remedy against different issues you might face.
To do a hard reboot on your Quest 2, turn on the headset and then hold down the power button for up to 60 seconds.
Another thing worth trying is to turn your headset off and then hold the power button down for a longer period of time.
4) Restart Your Router
Oftentimes the boot loop issues of the Quest 2 are caused by software updates that are unable to complete successfully for one reason or another (which also leads to the constant restarting).
One of the potential reasons why updating gets stuck is problems with internet connectivity. To overcome the issue, restart your router if possible. (unplugging and then replugging the power cord is the simplest way to do it).
Note! It is worth restarting your router even if other devices using the same Wi-Fi network have internet connectivity. You can be sure, that restarting your router won’t change any settings or network configuration.
5) Try a Different Wi-Fi Network
Depending on the type of boot loop your Quest 2 is stuck in, changing the Wi-Fi network might not be possible for you.
However, if you can change the Wi-Fi network on your headset then go ahead and try an alternative one. For example, a mobile hotspot will do just fine for testing purposes (and overcoming the boot loop issue).
It is also possible to change the Wi-Fi network settings, when you do a factory reset and complete the initial setup of the headset.
6) Cover / Uncover Proximity Sensor
While doing research for the topic, I found out that several people reported that their boot loops problems were caused by issues with the proximity sensor.
The proximity sensor is located slightly upwards in between the lenses and it helps to detect whether the headset is currently worn or not.
Here are a couple of things you can try out:
- If you have a custom facial interface installed, remove it.
- Try covering the proximity sensor with your finger (or tape) and try again.
If that does not change anything, proceed to the next step.
7) Factory Reset
Doing a factory is often the last resort, yet an extremely effective way of overcoming a whole range of issues with your Quest 2. If you have tried everything else and decide to go for the factory reset route, there are two ways you can do it – by using the Oculus phone app or from the headset.
Since you might be unable to connect your headset via the Oculus phone app because of the boot loop issue, you can complete the factory reset from the headset using these steps:
- Turn off your headset.
- Hold the power and volume (-) button on your headset down simultaneously and wait for boot menu to appear.
- Use the volume buttons to select Factory Reset option and press the power button.
- Use the volume buttons to select t Yes and press the power button to confirm.
Note! Are you having any worries or doubts about factory resetting your headset? Click on the link to read my previous article where I demonstrate the whole process step-by-step and list specific actions to take before and after.
8) Contact Oculus Support
As the last option to overcome the current issue, I recommend you to contact Oculus Support and create a support ticket. They know their product and all of its faults best after all.
Make sure that you include a detailed description of your problem (video might be helpful too) and all the steps you have taken to resolve the issue.
Being as detailed as possible from the get-go is crucial if you want answers and tips that might actually lead to the solution.
HARDWARE USED FOR TESTING AND WRITING THE ARTICLES:
* Meta Quest 2 (My “daily driver” headset, which I absolutely love & recommend)
* Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (AMD Ryzen 5 5600H, Nvidia Geforce RTX 3060, 16GB RAM)
* TP-Link Archer C6 (budget dedicated router for Air Link, see my full setup tutorial)
ESSENTIAL QUEST 2 COMFORT ACCESSORIES:
* VR Cover Foam Replacement (one of the easiest & cheapest ways to improve headset comfort)
* BoboVR M2 Head Strap (reduce pressure on your head and improve the overall fit of the headset)
