Why is Quest 3 AirLink Not Working? (7 Easy Fixes!)

We understand how frustrating it must be when Quest 3 AirLink not working because you’re stuck with the only other option–a wired connection.

Using a USB-C cable limits your movement, keeps you tethered to your PC, and takes away the freedom of a truly wireless VR experience.

So, this guide will help you get your Quest 3 AirLink back on track!

Quest 3 AirLink Not Working – 7 Quick & Easy Ways to Fix!

Note: Have you tried rebooting both, your Quest 3 and PC?

1. Set Up Quest 3 AirLink Correctly

If you can’t connect to your PC wirelessly and enable AirLink from your Quest 3, the first step is to ensure that you’re doing things right.

So, we’ve prepared 3 quick steps that cover everything!

Step #1 Meet the Requirements

To successfully enable Quest 3 AirLink you need to cover the following requirements:

• You have a Wi-Fi network (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz).
• You are using a Windows 10 or 11 computer.
• Your headset is running the latest OS version.

Step #2 Install Meta Quest Link

You will have to download the Meta Quest Link application on your PC. If you don’t have it, open the webpage and click the blue button that says “Download app”.

When OculusSetup.exe has finished downloading, open the file and follow the steps to install the software on your computer.

When you’re ready, sign in to your Meta account.

Step #3 Set Up Quest 3 AirLink

If you have the Link app installed and cover the requirements, here’s how to set up AirLink:

1. Press the Oculus button on your Quest 3 controller.
2. From the Universal Menu, select the clock on the left.
3. Then, choose Settings from the Quick Settings menu.
4. Select Link and tick the toggle next to “Use Air Link”.
5. Select your computer’s name from the list of devices.
6. You will see a pairing code displayed on your headset.
7. Verify the code on the Quest 3 matches the PC’s code.
8. Click “Confirm” from your Meta Quest Link application.
9. Finally, select “Launch” to start using Quest 3 AirLink.

Important: If the pairing codes don’t match, ensure that you’re selecting the correct PC and check if your Quest 3 is disconnecting from the Wi-Fi.

2. Verify your Wi-Fi and Broadband

The next and perhaps the most important requirement for AirLink to enable and work on your Quest 3 is for your Wi-Fi to be online.

Assuming your PC is connected via Ethernet cable to the router, your broadband also plays a vital role so, it’s time for a quick check.

How to Test your Wi-Fi?

To test, simply connect your smartphone to the same Wi-Fi as your Quest 3 and try to surf the web and stream some video content.

Alternatively, you can test the connection from the smartphone by going to a free internet test tool, clicking the “GO!” button, and checking the test.

How to Test Broadband?

1. On your Windows PC, click the Start Menu.
2. Type “CMD” and open it as an administrator.
3. Type “ping 8.8.8.8 -t” to ping Google’s DNS.
4. Check for “Timed Out” or “General Failure”.

So, pinging Google’s DNS continuously through the Command Prompt (CMD) is a reliable way to check if your broadband is dropping out.

You send packets and receive responses, hence if you see errors such as “General Failure” or “Timed Out” it means your broadband is dropping.

Tip: If your broadband is dropping, power cycle your router and if it continues, contact your ISP.

3. Use the Same Network for AirLink

So, the most important factor for establishing a wireless connection between your Quest 3 and computer is that both devices need to use the same network.

It doesn’t matter whether the PC is connected via Wi-Fi or Ethernet; it matters if your Quest 3 is connecting with the same router.

How to Change Wi-Fi on Meta Quest 3?

If your Quest 3 is not connected to the same network as your computer, here’s how to switch:

1. Use the right controller to go to the Universal Menu.
2. Open the Quick Settings and select a Wi-Fi network.
3. Select the Wi-Fi of your router and enter a password.

Quick Tip: Since you’ll be playing in the same room as your router, we recommend connecting to the 5 GHz Wi-Fi network for greater speeds, unlike the slower 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.

4. Update the Meta Quest 3 Firmware

If you haven’t used your Meta Quest 3 for a few weeks/months, and now AirLink won’t work, the problem could be related to the firmware version. 

If you are rocking outdated firmware on your Meta Quest 3 headset, there may be compatibility problems with the Meta Link application.

There are two ways to update your Meta Quest 3:

• Regular Update: Go to the Universal Menu → Quick Settings → Settings → General → Software Update.
• Sideload Update: If Quest 3 is taking forever to update, use the Meta Quest Software Update Tool to force the firmware update.

It does not matter how you update your VR headset, the only important thing is to make sure that you’re on the latest firmware version.

Then, you should retry enabling the Quest 3 AirLink.

5. Reinstall the Meta Quest Link App

If your Meta Quest 3 Air Link stopped working all of a sudden, you may need to reinstall the Meta Link application on your computer.

According to many reports, problems may occur from the app data, which is stored within your user files, so a reinstallation on its own is not enough.

We’ve prepared detailed steps on exactly what you need to do:

1. Click the Start Menu, and go to the Control Panel.
2. Then, click Uninstall a program under Programs.
3. Locate and select the Meta Quest Link application.
4. Click on “Uninstall” on the top to remove the app.
5. Follow the instructions to uninstall the application.

Important: Clear the Quest AppData Folders!

When the Meta Quest Link app is uninstalled, you also need to delete the cache folders that are in your user directory.

Here’s how:

• Click the Start Menu, and type “%AppData%” (without the brackets).
• Find the “Quest” folder and straightforwardly delete it (SHIFT+DEL).

Notice: The folder may be named “Meta”, “Meta Quest”, “Meta Link” “Quest Link”, “Oculus” or something similar, depending on when you’re reading this guide.

6. Set the Link App as a Firewall Exception

Well, if the “Start” button in the Link app is grayed out and says “Not connected“, it’s likely that the Windows Firewall is blocking the application from accessing the network.

This prevents the headset from finding your PC, even though everything else may be set up properly and working.

Here’s how to exclude the Meta Quest Link app from Windows Firewall:

1. Open the Control Panel and set the View to “small icons”.
2. Click on Windows Defender Firewall from the app menu.
3. Click “Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall”.
4. Proceed to “Change Settings”, then “Allow another app…”.
5. Next, click Browse to locate and select the “Meta Quest Link” app.
6. When ready, click “Add” and “OK” to close the window.

Important: Temporarily Disable Antivirus!

If you have an antivirus program enabled, we recommend temporarily disabling it and restarting the Meta Quest Link app to check if you can connect.

To temporarily stop the antivirus program, right-click on its icon from the Taskbar Tray and look for an option to disable or stop the service.

Now, check if you can connect your Quest 3 to the PC via AirLink.

7. Reset Meta Quest 3 to Factory Default

If nothing helped and Quest 3 AirLink not working after everything you’ve tried, a software problem is likely preventing the wireless connection.

So, a quick way to resolve the problem is to reset your Quest 3 to defaults, which will erase ALL content and settings from the headset.

Note: We recommend backing up your data before proceeding!

To reset your Meta Quest 3 follow these steps:

1. Power off your Quest 3 by holding the Power button.
2. Press and hold the Power + Volume Down buttons.
3. Release them when the USB Update Mode appears.
4. Using the Volume buttons, highlight “Factory reset”.
5. Using the Power button, select it and confirm “Yes”.

That’s it. When your Quest 3 is reset, and you’re done with the initialization, ensure that “Use Air Link” is toggled on from the “Link” menu and try connecting it.

Pro Tip: Well, if it’s still not working, try using a different PC to tighten the circle of possibilities!