Oculus Quest 2 Virtual Desktop audio

Anyone who has used Oculus Link for a longer period knows that you are eventually going to bump into some unexpected problems that need troubleshooting.

Whether it is USB 3 connection issues, the microphone not working, Oculus Link lagging, or the headset throwing in some black screens.

If you are currently dealing with sound problems on your Oculus Quest 2 using Oculus Link then you have arrived at the right place.

In this article, I am going to guide you through various troubleshooting steps and solutions that will hopefully get your Quest 2 audio back in no time! Lets get started!

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1] Check For Disabled Devices

One of the most common causes for Oculus Quest 2 headset audio issues is that Windows seems to unexpectedly disable the Oculus Virtual Audio Device.

1. Go to your Windows Sound settings by clicking Start on taskbar and searching for Sound settings
2. In the sound settings, look for Manage sound devices under the Output section and click on it.

1. Scroll down the list to the Disabled section and see if you can find your Quest 2 entry here
2. If yes, then click on the list item and Enable

If your Oculus audio device was previously disabled, theres a high probability that your sound issues are now resolved. If thats not the case for you, continue with the next steps in the article.

2] Check Windows Audio Output Device

Navigate back to Windows Sound Settings. In the Audio output section, make sure that you have selected Headphones [Oculus Virtual Audio Device]

If Oculus was not selected as the audio device, change and apply the modifications and test if your audio problems are now gone.

3] Check Audio Device in Oculus Software

1. Open Oculus Software
2. Click on Devices
3. Click on Quest 2 and Touch to open device settings
4. Make sure that Quest 2 Headphones is selected as the output audio device and also turn up the volume if needed.

If you made any changes, test whether the sound issues are resolved. If not, move on the next items in the article.

4] Use Windows Troubleshoot Sound Problems

Although the Windows built-in troubleshooters have a bad reputation for never being able to actually solve any problems, my personal experience is different.

Since you have nothing to lose either, then go ahead and right click on the speaker icon in the bottom-right of your screen. Click on Troubleshoot sound problems

When prompted which audio device to troubleshoot, select Oculus Virtual Audio Device and see if Windows can come up with any solutions to your problem.

5] Reinstall Oculus Drivers

Whenever there are problems with your Oculus Link in general, reinstalling Oculus drivers has helped many people solve their problem.

1. Disconnect your Quest 2 headset and restart your PC
2. Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Program Files\Oculus\Support\oculus-drivers\
   1. Modify the path if you have chosen an alternative installation directory
3. Click and run oculus-driver.exe and let the process complete
4. Reconnect your headset and start Oculus software

See if after updating/reinstalling drivers whether anything has changed regarding the audio issues you were experiencing.

6] Launch Oculus Setup Repair Functionality

Download the latest Oculus Software and run the setup. When prompted, select Repair from the action list.

In case Oculus detects any problems / misconfigurations with your installation, it will try to repair them automatically. I personally havent had much luck with this method when solving various Oculus Link related problems, but its quick and doesnt hurt to try

7] Disable Audio Enhancements

Although various audio enhancements are built in to improve the overall experience, sometimes they act in undesired ways and may cause problems.

To disable all audio enhancements for your Oculus Quest 2:

1. Go to Windows Sound Settings
2. Click on Sound Control Panel from the Related Settings submenu
3. Right-click on Oculus Virtual Audio Device and select Properties
4. Move to the Enhancements tab and tick the Disable all enhancements option
5. Apply the configuration changes

Test again to see if it made any difference regarding the sound problems you were having.

BONUS TIPS

• Disable / Enable Oculus Virtual Audio Device Go to Windows Sound Settings and click on Sound Control Panel. In the Playback devices tab right-click on Oculus Virtual Audio Device and disable it and then re-enable. Do a restart aftewards.
• Try Different USB Ports In general, if there are problems with the USB connection, you will not have isolated audio problems alone but rather issues with the Link connection in general. Still, it is worth testing alternative USB ports on your PC to see if it makes any difference in terms of the problems you are having.
• Do Full Restart Cycles When Troubleshooting When testing the solutions listed in this article [and any other tips you might find], it is always a good idea to do proper full restart cycles from time to time. You dont have to do this after every single change, put please do throw in occasional restarts. Some modifications actually require a restart to take effect and it is always a good idea to start from a blank sheet.
• Update EVERYTHING Make sure that your Oculus Quest is running on the latest firmware version. Update your Oculus Software as well as Steam. Go ahead and also apply any pending Windows updates you have been delaying. You can never know how outdated software and the associated drivers interact with each other.
• Disable Hear Computer Audio in VR and Hear VR Audio in Desktop in Oculus Software Open your Oculus Software and click on Devices and Quest 2 and Touch to open your Quest 2 settings. Disable both the Hear Computer Audio in VR and Hear VR Audio in Desktop options. Do a full restart cycle afterward.

I do hope that the troubleshooting steps listed in this article helped you closer to solving the audio issues you were having.

If not, it is always a good idea to also contact Oculus Support and create a support ticket. Be precise when describing your problem and list all of the different steps you have already taken when trying to solve the problem.