In this quick resource, I will be explaining what the different light combinations on the Quest 2 controllers and headset mean and what you should do in specific problematic scenarios. So without further ado, let’s dive in!
Headset Light Explained
The Quest 2 headset LED indicator is located next to the power button. Here is what the different light indications mean:
| Color | State | Indication |
| White | Solid | The screen is turned on |
| White | Blinking | Rebooting or turning on |
| Purple | Blinking | Performing factory reset |
| Purple | Solid | Issues with updates or the operating system. |
Solid White Light with the Display Not Turning On (Black Screen)
If you are seeing a solid white light on your Quest 2 but the display is not turned on (black screen), try the following steps:
- Press and hold down the power and volume buttons for 20+ seconds. Select the “Boot Device” option from the boot menu.
- Remove the charging cable (if plugged in) and restart the headset.
For some reason, I have often (not always) faced the issue that when I power on the headset while it is charging, the display will show a black screen.
I can see it is turned on (dark gray vs totally black), but I can’t get the Quest 2 to boot up properly. In this case, removing the charging cable and rebooting the headset has helped to overcome the issue.
Quest 2 Lights While Plugged in (Charging)
| Color | State | Indication |
| Green | Solid | Battery is fully charged. Remove the charging cable. |
| Orange (Yellow) | Solid | Battery is charging. |
| Red | Solid | Battery level is very low (less than 10% charge). |
| Red | Blinking | Battery is completely depleted (less than 5% charge) |
| White | Solid | Headset (screen) turned on but not charging. |
| No light | None | Battery is not charging |
If you are seeing a solid or blinking red light on your Quest 2, it’s almost always a good idea to power the headset off and let it charge to an optimal level (at least until the LED shows a solid orange light).
If the battery is completely drained, in some cases it might take several hours until the red light switches to orange. Keep your patience and do not rush things.
If the light indicator on your Quest 2 remains solid or blinking red, here are some troubleshooting steps and fixes:
- Try an alternative USB cable
- Switch the charging adapter (5V/2A)
- Charge from your PC
- Let the battery cool down
- Clean the Quest 2 charging port
I have listed additional steps you can take when having trouble getting the headset to charge properly in my previous detailed troubleshooting article that will likely help you.
Controllers Lights Explained
| Color | State | Indication |
| White | Solid | Controllers are on |
| White | Blinking | Controllers are in pairing mode |
| White | Blinking (SOS) | Firmware update in progress |
When you press different buttons on your controllers while the headset itself is turned off, you should see the lights on the controller ring start flashing three times.
If you are not seeing controller lights flashing when pressing buttons, this means the controllers are not turned on properly. Click on the link to read the troubleshooting article I have previously written.
Blinking lights on the Quest 2 controllers most often mean that the controllers are in pairing mode. If you are unable to pair your controllers, click on the link for various different steps and fixes to the issue.
The thing to keep in mind is that the Quest 2 controllers also start blinking rapidly when the firmware update is in progress (flashing morse code for SOS). In that case, you will simply have to wait until the update is complete.
There are numerous cases where the firmware update for the headset and controllers combined has taken north of an hour. Don’t rush things and start trying different fixes – it’s better to just let it complete the update properly.
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)
