Are you the sort of person that lugs around your Gear VR and Google Cardboard on your mission to evangelize the ever-living-hell out of virtual reality? Well, the Cardboard Enabler for Gear VR wants to free up some space in your book bag by letting you use Google Cardboard apps on your Gear VR.

Google Cardboard apps unfortunately can’t use the Gear VR’s special inertial measurement unit (IMU), but it does hook into your onboard touchpad for ease of use, letting you tap around with the touchpad just like you would with the capacitive button on most Cardboard viewers. The app also provides a handy step-by-step guide so you can enable Gear VR developer mode, letting you turn on global low-persistence for a much higher quality, motion-blur free experience with Cardboard apps—something we didn’t even know you could do.

1 of 4

If you already own a Gear VR but still love showing off Google-exclusive apps like Google Street View that lets you import your favorite locations into photospheres so you can view them offline, Cardboard Enabler for Gear VR is a no-brainer, running at less than a dollar on the Google Play Store.

Download ‘Cardboard Enabler for Gear VR’ on Google Play

Granted, this doesn’t mean that all of your favorite Cardboard games will be Gear VR-ified, because the touchpad only identifies touches and not swipes, and the head tracking is slaved to your phone rather than the Gear VR’s IMU, but the quick guide on enabling low global persistence and the Gear VR’s comfortable ergonomics might have you spending more time in Cardboard apps then ever before. Not having to precariously pop in your phone between the Gear VR’s micro USB in an effort to bypass the automatically launching Gear VR app is also a big plus.qr code for Gear vr s6

SEE ALSO
Meta Acquired 9 Leading VR Studios Starting in 2019: Here’s What's Happened Since

If you grab the app, don’t forget to scan this QR code so can compensate for the Gear VR’s unique lens distortion. You’ll be prompted for it when you open Cardboard for the first time, and you can of course always switch it back. The QR code is valid for for both the consumer model and second Innovator Editions (any viewer designed for S6) Gear VR.

Newsletter graphic

This article may contain affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product we may receive a small commission which helps support the publication. More information.


Scott Hayden
Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 4,000 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • Graham J ⭐️

    Cool, thanks. Looking forward to trying this. The single app I want to use is the Google Earth demo in the Cardboard app. I can’t believe they haven’t released this for Gear VR, it’s amazing.

    • Blablablabla4

      What’s wrong with the street view that gear vr offers?

      • Graham J ⭐️

        Nothing, it’s great. But it isn’t Google Earth.

  • 老中國通

    How this is, exactly, different from Package Disabler, other than it costs money? O_o

    • Hi 老中國通. The free version of Package Disabler is no longer available, so you’re probably one of the lucky ones that snapped it up before it was taken off the Play Store. The Pro version is of course available, but it too is a paid app (at double the price of Cardboard Enabler). There are other package disabler-type apps available, but nothing as easy and straight forward. In the vein of consumer VR, we were looking for the most simple and straight-forward app that did the job. Thanks for the comment!

      • Jorgen41

        Just checked and a free package disabler is available in the store. Its the one i use btw

        • amanieux

          what is the name of the free package disabler because in the us app store there is only package disabler pro by policedeveloper

          thanks

  • JePe

    fucks up all you 3D VR movies… Cardboard stuff seems to work, but… limited to navigation, so makes it useless… what tha fuck did you do to all the media files with this app man, look like you replace metadata or somekind, because if I want to look 3D VR movies, the open in the ‘cinema’ and are ‘flat’…
    And… the ‘admin’ rights, the app seems to need, needs everything on the phone, so… I didn’t accept that.
    So .. I deleted the app, and now all my 3D VR is fucked up…. do not install this app, this not worth it… and, if somebody can tell me how to reset it all, so my VR Gear works like normal….

    • Youtopia VR

      Developer Here. I have no idea what you did or what is wrong with your phone but I just cannot see how the Cardboard Enabler could possibly have done this. What it does is deactivate and reactivate the Gear VR Service on your phone. If you have re-enabled Gear VR apps and can launch them at all then you have already undone everything that the Cardboard Enabler does.

      • JePe

        didn’t work ayh… told you already. Something changed in Oculus Video, since normal video’s have bigger tumbnails now, and everything is recognized as ‘flat’ 2D video’s, even the 3D once put in folder 3D (as recommended in many resources), even shows 3D as marker, but plays them back in the ‘theater’,… so.. something changed, and… perhaps coincidence, but it happened after I installed your app , and uninstalled it afterwoulds….

        • Adam Baldwin

          Sounds like you didn’t re-enable the Gear VR service.

  • ZenInsight

    Not to be a newbie here, but could someone tell me how I can play my normal games inside the Gear VR? Even if they are just on a “big screen” like how Netflix plays..

    That would be awesome!

    Edit: I have a shooting game called Sine Mora that looks amazing, and I want to play it inside the Gear VR, even if it is not 3d, but just a big screen.

    • Playmaker

      Get Trinus. Through Googleplay. Lite version is free, but only get 10 minute sessions.

    • As far as I know, nothing like this exists. Seems like it would be easy enough to develop and something many people would use

    • As far as I know, nothing like this exists. Seems like it would be easy enough to develop and something many people would use.

    • habix

      Get sideload, the get stream theater. You can stream with nvidia card to stream theater. Another option (not free) is TrinusVR

  • Does anyone knows where can I find a .apk file of this app

    • Trip66

      Buy it and support the developer

  • Roberto Ruiz

    I am more less confuse. I have Package Disabler Pro. Does this app do more things? Or is just the same?

    • Dacoda Dean Little

      I think so, same thing

    • Tiaan Kruger

      so from what I understand, it does enable you to use the gear vr controls(to an extent). Where package disabler pro just disables the gear vr software.
      So seems like you get a tiny bit more out of it

  • Phattanapon

    Looks like the app is taken down from the store? I couldn’t find it now

    • Youtopia VR

      Google took it down for having the word Cardboard in the title. I changed the name to “CB Enabler for Gear VR” and it’s back up now.

  • Mendes

    So, with this app I’m able to use the touchpad as a magnetic button?

  • knowledge

    I keep getting the error : com.samsung.android.hmt.vrsvc service not installed.
    When I try to Enable Gear Vr the program crashes.
    Anyone knows how to install com.samsung.android.hmt.vrsvc service ?

  • Abeer Jha

    any app which may enable to use gear vr apps in google cardboard headset

  • Sam

    Something I don’t get about “How to improve motion blur” – I can turn on Gear VR developer mode, but once I choose to enable cardboard, the Gear VR app disappears – am I still in developer mode? I’m not sure I’m seeing any kind of blur/less-blur improvements.

  • Angelique Henderson-Park

    i cant seem to get it to get past the “Activating License” on my Note 5. Any suggestions?

  • Jonathan Yepiz

    I tried looking everywhere i have a galaxy s7 edge and i am using the cb enabler app but eveytime i put the phone in it presses the home button and it takes the app i was trying to use out is there some fix or so.ethi g that can be done

  • chayny koin

    I want download app play cardbord app on gear vr for free

  • KunKunSoft
  • Jerrard Je

    The annoying part is need to detach the phone every time u finished viewing an app….even u are in the Google Cardboard app, pressing back/home button will lead u to phone screen, not VR home screen. There u will need to re-select and enter the phone again for further viewing

  • DrMichael

    Your app did disable the auto launch for the VR, which package disabler will no longer do. However, I cannot get the VR gear app to recognize that I am a developer, although I followed your instructions and was successfully recognized by sideload. I think VR gear must have changed something. Any help would be appreciated. It makes no sense that they want to disable all other content. And it’s frustrating and maddening. I’m using an S7 Edge, if that matters.

  • YoloS YS

    Hello ! And to get back on samsung gear vr app how can I do ? Because it doesn’t work

  • Fabiano Heyse

    Is there a way to do the opposite? I mean, using Cardboard with the Samsung VR app?

  • Aja Sears Szakalun

    Im completely confused. I downloaded the cb enabler scaned the code it had it on the vr gear already. Then went to one of my paid for cb coasters n nothing. So i tried the no plug option n it was like watching tv with goggles on n did nothing. Im completely lost. Is thier something i did wrong or im not doing. The phone is a gs7. If thier is any suggestions would appreciate it i got about 15 games/coasters i would love to try specially after i heard that the cb coasters are more life like then the demos they have on oculus. Or should i get a book bag n just buy that cardboard for my phone…hope not i hate having to carry a purse…lol..also all this stuff is taking alot of memory can i put it on my sd card?

  • Aja Sears Szakalun

    I think i found a solution thiers another app for the cb to vr in ur playstore its called play cardboard. No roots no drama. When u want to play a cb game u go in click it 2 the cb glasses goto game plug in and play. When ur done u just go bck to ur vr gear. Im putting up the pic of the app its not the cardboard looking one but they blue https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/63fe3e99551cad2618855753b7fbcf8e57a61e6139165804f6a0463f620fd93e.png icon to its right side. Good luck guys. Thier is a video to watch as it installs to show how it works. Watch it i did.

  • Jimmy Vu

    I think the best tool is “Play Cardboard apps on Gear VR” with blue icon on Google Play,
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kunkunsoft.cardboardappforgearvr

    Hope this can help!

  • Glenn

    Do not work annymore. Licence failure

  • Arch Stanton

    The dumbest thing to say is not available in your country.

    Listen here Google.
    I will root, grab, download outside the Play Store just because you say no and dumb garbage like this.

    You just sent me on a quest boy………

    All you had to do is make it available and life goes on but noooooooo
    Just like your restrictions on Google Glass.
    Where is that these days? Haven’t heard about it how long now?
    Went as far as your Bloom Boxes on top of your socialist, alternative energy rooftop

  • Pyry Alenius

    Having a problem when trying to First Time Setup. I used the app about month ago and when I tried it today it gave me a some sort of error. Then I uninstalled it and reinstalled it and now I’m having problems Enabling Admin on this app. It just keeps telling me to wait and doesn’t give me any other option. Tried restarting my phone (Samsung Galaxy S7) and tried it again and same thing. I just want to know if there’s others who suffer from this problem.