How to Fix Oculus Controllers That Are Not Responding

Tips, tricks, and tools to solve your controller issues

Co-authored by Darlene Antonelli, MA Reviewed by Luigi Oppido

Last Updated: September 11, 2024 Fact Checked

Is your Oculus controller not responding to your input, not turning on, not pairing, not showing up, or otherwise not working? This wikiHow article lists some troubleshooting steps to solve this issue yourself before purchasing a replacement.

Fixing an Oculus Controller That Doesn't Work

Make sure the batteries are charged, new, and inserted correctly.
Restart your headset and controllers, pair them again, clean the tracking cameras, and check for updates.
Check if the room you're in has anything that might interfere with camera tracking.

1

Restart the controller and headset.

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The Power button is on the right side of your headset; press it to see power options. Select Restart and everything will turn off and back on.

2

Power cycle your controllers.

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A glitch in your current session can prevent your controllers from working. Power cycling is more thorough than simply restarting your headset and controllers. In this case, power off your headset and controllers, and you'll wait a longer amount of time after removing the batteries to allow the firmware to reset.^{[1]
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- Wait for about 15 minutes, then replace the batteries and turn everything back on.

3

Check the batteries.

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Dead or batteries with a low charge can cause your controller not to work. Replace the batteries with new ones, or charge rechargeable batteries until they are fully charged.
- Ensure that the batteries are inserted the right way. There's a diagram on the panel inside or outside that shows you where the negative and positive parts of the batteries are supposed to go.
- You also want to use the correct voltage. AA batteries range from 1.2V to 1.5V, so use a 1.5V AA battery with the Oculus controller. Lower voltage batteries have a higher tendency for the controllers not to track correctly.

4

Clean the tracking cameras.

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Dirty tracking cameras can cause tracking issues. If your controller or the character you're playing drifts slowly to one side while you aren't doing anything, the problem can be dirty tracking cameras. Use a microfiber cloth (a soft cloth that doesn't leave lint or create any scratches) to gently clean the cameras.
- This wikiHow article covers some troubleshooting steps for fixing drift on an Oculus Quest 2 controller.

5

Check your surroundings.

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Environmental objects can interfere with your controller and headset so it doesn't track properly. Look for anything reflective that might be causing the tracking cameras on your headset not to work, like mirrors and shiny decorations.
- You also want to ensure that the room is lit up enough that your tracking cameras can track your hands and controllers.^{[2]
  X
  Research source} But you don't want to confuse the trackers with flickering holiday lights either! Use a steady light source to light up the room in which you're using the Oculus.

6

Re-pair your controllers to your headset.

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A problem with your current pairing can prevent your controller from working correctly. First, unpair the current connection between your headset and controllers. To unpair, follow these steps:
- Open the Meta Quest mobile app on your phone or tablet.
- Go to Menu > Devices and select your headset.
- Tap a controller to unpair and select Unpair. Repeat for the other controller.
- To re-pair, open the Quest mobile app on your smartphone or tablet.
- Go to Menu > Devices and select your headset.
- Tap Controllers > Pair New Controller, and select if you're pairing the left or right controller.
- If you're pairing the left controller, hold B and System down together.
- Pairing the right controller means holding down the Y and System buttons together.
- Hold the buttons until the LED light blinks. The light will stop blinking once pairing is complete.^{[3]
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7

Update your controllers and headset.

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Outdated software can cause your controller to stop working. You can update it from the headset (if you have at least one working controller, this will work for you) or use the mobile app.
- Using the headset: Press the Oculus button, then go to Settings > About > Install Updates.
- Using the mobile app: Go to Settings > Your Headset > More Settings > Advanced Settings > Updates > Update.

8

Increase or decrease the tracking frequency.

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Certain tracking frequencies can lead to jumpy controls. By default, the system uses the highest tracking setting, 60hz, but houselights in some regions (like Europe) flicker at 50HZ, so using 60hz isn't the ideal option. To change the tracking frequency, open the Meta mobile app.
- Tap Devices and tap your headset.
- Tap Advanced Settings > Tracking Frequency and tap the frequency you want.
- You want to see if choosing a specific frequency works better than the "Auto" function, which most likely uses the highest frequency setting.^{[4]
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9

Reset to factory settings.

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A custom setting can prevent your controllers from working or pairing. Factory resetting your Oculus controller means you will lose any personal settings or configurations you made. Only do this as a last resort.
- To reset your Oculus to factory settings, turn it off, then press the "Power" and "Volume Down" buttons at the same time. Press the "Volume Down" button to navigate to Factory Reset and press the "Power" button to select it. Press the "Power" button again to confirm the action, then wait for your Oculus to reset to factory settings.

10

Contact support.

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Go here and submit a support ticket. You might have a faulty controller that needs a repair or replacement. Meta can help you determine if there's a problem with your hardware and walk you through your options.

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Did you know you can play some of your favorite Steam games with your Oculus? This wikiHow article outlines how to connect Oculus Quest 2 to Steam.

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