Owners of Meta’s Quest 2 or Pro headsets can turn on a setting that allows their headset to work while lying down, thanks to the v63 software update that’s starting to roll out.
Meta tested lying down mode in a public preview early last year but removed the feature before the v53 update shipped for everyone. In January, Meta exec Mark Rabkin told a user, “It shall make a comeback,” and here it is, at least as an experimental option, which Meta could change or remove in the future.
Many users were upset when it was removed after the test, especially those with health conditions that make it painful or impossible to wear a headset while upright for long periods of time. For other users, it might have less impact — most headsets recommend standing up or sitting upright in order to prevent nausea and other unpleasant symptoms.
There’s no word on whether the Quest 3 headsets will also include the accessibility feature, though users have figured out creative ways to make those headsets work while lying down. Apple’s Vision Pro headsets also work when users are in a supine position (as well as in the dark, though it’s not perfect).
In order to activate the Quest headset’s lying down mode, users should go to the Experimental Settings tab under the Settings menu on their headset and select “Use Apps While Lying Down.”
Also included in the software update is Quest Cash, a payment system for the Meta Quest store that will launch later this month. Users can purchase Quest Cash for themselves or as gifts, and it’s pitched as a way parents can allow kids to purchase apps for themselves, but in a way that’s easily monitored and comes with a built-in budget cap.
