Let us first look at the steps to fix Oculus Quest/Quest 2 Black Screen issues. After that we will look at the steps to fix Oculus Link Black Screen issues.
Oculus Quest and Quest 2 headsets are good for gaming but sometimes your headset might display a black screen.
Why Is There A Black Screen On My Oculus Quest/Quest 2 Headset?
These few things may result in a black screen whenever you boot up your Oculus Quest/Quest 2 headset:
- A low battery or extremely low levels of charge.
- Continuing software updates.
- Changing password resulting in logging issues hence black screen.
- Damaged hardware.
The black screen might happen frequently but we will give you some ways of fixing this problem:
1. Give The Headset Some Time After Putting On
Your headset might need some time before displaying. A black screen might be displayed after you put it on but there could be no problem at all, it could be updating some data and hence you need to give it a few minutes. During this time, you might need to connect the Quest/Quest 2 headset to the charger so that it does not power. The process should be at most 30 minutes long.
2. Reboot/Restart Your Headset
Restarting your headset could help solve the black screen problem. This is the most popular way of solving software problems related to many devices. You must have tried this on another device before. There is a soft reboot and a hard reboot.
Performing a soft reboot is the easiest step. You will need to switch off your headset like you normally do (press the power button until the headset goes off) and then wait for 1 minute before turning it on again. Check whether the black screen persists.
If the soft reboot does not work, you can perform a hard restart/reboot for your headset. To hard reboot your headset you will need to hold down the power button for more seconds. Alternatively, you can press the power button and volume down button simultaneously. A menu will be displayed on the screen afterward. From the menu move to Boot Device using the volume up and down buttons. Press the power button to prompt the boot process.
Your Quest/Quest 2 headset should start up as normal. If the black screen is still persistent, try these other steps.
3. Clean/Conceal The Proximity Sensor
The Quest/Quest 2 headset is built with a proximity sensor between the lenses whose function is to detect whether you have your headset on. Well to solve the black screen issue on your screen, you might need to cover this sensor using your thumb. Covering this sensor might help remove the black screen but you can further clean the sensor using a clean microfiber cloth if covering with your thumb does not work.
4. Connect The Headset To Charger
Your Oculus Quest/Quest 2 headset might show a black screen whenever it has low power. If this is the case, try connecting it to the charger to see whether the problem is solved. Use a compatible USB cable and charger for better results. Incompatible USB cables and chargers will not work.
5. Attempt Starting The Oculus Menu
Opening the Oculus menu might help solve the black screen issue. Using your left controller, tap the menu button and press the Oculus button on the right controller. This will give you access to the menu.
Doing this simple test may help you solve the black screen issue. Some Quest users have done this and it has worked for them.
6. Detach Silicon Covers And Custom Foam Paddings
The silicon covers and custom foam paddings sometimes affect the proximity sensors between the lenses of your headset causing black screen issues. Removing these silicon covers and custom foam paddings may help solve the problem. Try this and see whether it will work for you.
7. Attempt Using The Oculus App On Your Smartphone
Loading the Oculus app on your smartphone could help solve the black screen issue on your headset. Logging in to the app using your smartphone might remove the black screen automatically. Ensure that your headset is successfully connected to the app. It might not work automatically as anticipated but there is a way of getting through, launching any game using the app, and seeing whether the problem is resolved.
8. Perform A Factory Reset
This is one step that you should attempt as the last option. You will lose all of your data. You can back up all your data externally in a hard drive. Factory reset takes back your headset to default settings and its software is made new. Follow these steps to factory reset your headset:
Using Phone:
- Open the Oculus app on your smartphone.
- Click on Devices in the bottom menu.
- Click on the headset connected to your phone.
- Click on Advanced Settings.
- Choose Factory Reset and click Reset.
Using the headset:
- Power off the headset.
- Press the power and volume down buttons simultaneously on your headset. A boot screen will load on the headset display.
- Using the volume buttons, highlight Factory Reset then press the Power button.
- Highlight Yes using the volume buttons and then hold the power button.
How Do I Troubleshoot Oculus Link Black Screen Issue?
You might experience black screens while using your Oculus Link. Here are ways to fix the problem:
1. Check The Versions Of Windows, Oculus Software, And GPU
Old and outdated versions of windows oculus software and Graphics drivers might be the root cause of black screens on your headset. The only way to resolve this is to update all this software. For windows, the latest version might not be the best option as it is not used by many users. Use Windows 10.
2. Ensure Compatibility Between PC And Oculus Link
You might be struggling with the black screen issue but the root cause is the Oculus Link which is not compatible with your PC. Click here to check all the compatibility requirements.
3. Restart Headset, Unplug Then Plug The USB Cable
Unplug the USB cable from both the PC and headset. You will also restart the headset and the PC separately. On your PC restart the Oculus software. Finally, plug back the cable and try the full Oculus Link connection. Check whether the problem is resolved.
4. Use Another USB Port
For Oculus Link to function well, the USB connection should be perfect. There could be black screens due to faulty USB ports from your Oculus Link connection. Try other USB ports on your PC to see whether they will function well.
5. Deactivate USB 3.0 Port Power Saving Settings
Oculus Link uses a lot of power output on the USB port. Windows has a feature that tends to reduce the power output of USB port 3.0. Deactivating this feature may help solve the black screen issues since the issue may be a result of low output from USB on your PC. Here is how to deactivate the feature:
- Go to Device Manager.
- Move to Universal Serial Bus Controllers.
- Right-click and choose Properties.
- Move to Power Management.
- Deactivate Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
There are more ways of fixing this problem if the above ways do not work for you. Here is a youtube video that might help you fix this problem:
