NEW Quality Update with HIDDEN Features?! – Quest 2 v37

The Quest 2 v37 update is the first one of 2022. It’s mostly quality-of-life changes, but some of them are really nice, and a few hidden features were found in the code too. Here’s everything in it, written as of January 2022.

Link sharing from your phone

This one may sound boring, but it’s a real quality-of-life change if you ever browse in VR (and if you don’t, you should try it). You can now send a website link from your phone to your headset with your phone’s share option.

Say you want to try a WebXR game. You don’t know the link, so you google it on your phone, then:

1. Tap Share in your phone’s browser.
2. Choose the Oculus mobile app.
3. Pick whether to open it in VR now or save it for later.

Saved links show up in the headset on the Explore page. Your headset has to be turned on and connected over Bluetooth for the link to arrive. When we made this video it only worked on Android phones, with iOS coming later.

If you’ve never tried WebXR games, they’re great: there’s nothing to install, all you need is a link. My earlier video has a few free WebXR game recommendations.

Apple Magic Keyboard support

Tracked keyboard support was already there, but only for one Logitech keyboard that can be hard to buy. With v37, Meta added Apple’s Magic Keyboard.

What’s the difference from pairing any keyboard over Bluetooth, which also works well? A supported keyboard is tracked in VR. If you move it around on your table, you can still see where it is when you want to use it again. That’s really convenient for working in VR, or just for typing passwords.

If you have one of the two lying around, go to Settings, then Experimental Settings, and pair the keyboard there. Part of this update is for developers too: they can now add support for tracked keyboards in their own apps.

Hand tracking shortcuts

With hand tracking, pinching your thumb and index finger used to bring up the Oculus menu. Now Meta has added a quick action menu with options like taking a screenshot and starting voice commands. A true quality-of-life change, and I like it because it looks so futuristic.

New display modes: desktop and tablet

You can now switch display modes for 2D panels:

• Tablet mode is what we’re used to: a single close-up window, so you can focus on one task.
• Desktop mode is larger, further away and repositionable, which makes multitasking easier.

To switch, grab the display bar (the little grey line under a window) and drag it up into desktop mode or back down into tablet mode. All the 2D apps, like the Store, the Library and the browser, now open the same way. As someone who really appreciates user experience design, I think that consistency is super nice.

A new Explore page

The Explore page is the blue compass icon at the bottom of the menu, and it should also open right away when you start your Quest 2. It now shows more personalised recommendations and even what your friends are up to, so you can stalk them a little bit. Your saved links are easier to find there too.

Hidden features found in the Quest 2 v37 update

Some hidden features were found in the update’s code, though they weren’t switched on in v37:

• Moving around the home environment with the right thumbstick.
• Casting Oculus TV so you can watch VR videos together.
• Starting a party to play games with others.
• Defining walls, with actual virtual walls and even ceilings.

Most likely they’ll come in a later update.

What I think of v37

Version 37 is mostly about streamlining and making the interface more consistent. These changes may look small, but I think they make a huge difference to the quality of the experience. I’m excited to see what else comes this year, because this is only the first update, and I really hope they’ll be as big as last year’s.

If you don’t see the update yet, don’t worry. Meta always rolls these out gradually, so the features should reach you over time. I’m impatient too, so I’m with you.