How to Enable 120Hz Refresh Rate on Meta Quest 2 and 3 for all Games

The Meta Quest family of headsets, including the Meta Quest 2, Quest Pro, Quest 3, and the upcoming Meta Quest 3 Lite, offer one of the top ways to fully immerse yourself in the virtual world. With a variety of games, apps, and experiences to choose from, the Quest 2 and Quest 3, known for their higher refresh rate displays, make for an especially enjoyable and cutting-edge VR experience.

Initially, the majority of the Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3 games are set to run at 90Hz. While this is satisfactory, Meta has since introduced an update that allows for 120Hz on both the Meta Quest 2 and 3 VR headsets.

Therefore, if you are seeking information on how to activate the 120Hz refresh rate on your Meta Quest VR headset, you have arrived at the correct destination.

Steps to Enable 120Hz Refresh Rate on Oculus Quest 2 and 3

It is crucial to be aware of which headsets support the high refresh rate option before we delve into the steps for enabling the 120Hz refresh rate or changing the refresh rate on your Meta Quest 2 and 3 VR headsets.

• Meta Quest 1 – 60Hz, 72Hz
• Meta Quest 2 – 60Hz, 72Hz, 80Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz
• Meta Quest Pro – 72Hz, 80Hz, 90Hz
• Meta Quest 3 – 72Hz, 80Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz

As you can observe, the only headsets that offer support for the highest refresh rate of 120Hz are the Meta Quest 2 and the Meta Quest 3. With this information, let’s explore how you can activate this feature on these headsets.

How to Enable 120Hz Refresh Rate on Oculus Quest 2

If you are utilizing the Meta Quest 2 as a standalone VR headset and do not connect it to your Windows PC, these are the instructions you can follow to activate the 120Hz refresh rate.

1. Activate your Meta Quest 2 headset and put it on.
2. Next, with the Meta Quest 2 hand controllers, select Quick Settings from the bottom menu bar by clicking on it.
3. Choose Settings from the top right corner.
4. Choose the Experimental option.
5. You should be able to observe the initial experimental feature labeled as 120Hz Refresh Rate.
6. All you need to do is click on the toggle to turn it on.

How to Set Up 120Hz Refresh Rate on Oculus Quest 3

If you own the latest Meta Quest 3 VR headset and have completed the v62 software update, you have the ability to activate a 120Hz refresh rate. Below are the steps to do so.

1. Choose the Quick Settings option from the Menu bar.
2. Next, select Settings from the upper right corner.
3. Choose Display under System.
4. The 120Hz refresh rate option will be visible to you.
5. To turn on the toggle, click on it.

This is the method for activating the 120Hz refresh rate on your Meta Quest 3 VR headset.

Enabling 120Hz on Oculus Quest with Link Cable

To activate the higher refresh rate options, simply follow these steps when using the Meta Quest VR headset with your PC for PCVR through the Oculus app.

1. Launch the Oculus Desktop app on your PC.
2. Make sure that both your Meta Quest headset and your PC are properly paired with each other.
3. Next, choose the Devices option located on the left side of the app.
4. Select the option for an active headset.
5. To access the Graphics Performance option, simply scroll down and make your selection.
6. Choose the Refresh Rate option.
7. Choose the 120 Hz option from the listed refresh rate values.

In order to access the 120Hz option on the Oculus Desktop app, it is necessary to connect your Meta Quest 2 headset to your PC using the Oculus Link USB cable. Otherwise, the option will not be available or displayed.

The Effects of Enabling 120 Hz Refresh Rate

Although you will experience improved FPS for games that support 120Hz, there are some trade-offs that you should be aware of. For example, the battery will likely drain faster compared to when the Meta Quest is set at the default refresh rate. Additionally, since this feature is still experimental on the Meta Quest 2, there may be some performance issues while using certain apps or games. It is also important to note that the device’s temperature may increase as a result.

In conclusion, these are my final thoughts.

In summary, this guide provides instructions on how to enable the higher refresh rate option on both the Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3 VR headsets. These steps can also be used if you wish to decrease the refresh rate. For media-related applications, the refresh rate will automatically adjust to the lowest FPS supported by the VR headsets’ displays.

If you have any inquiries or concerns, please do not hesitate to leave them in the comments section below.