Meta announced at Connect in September it was working with Microsoft to bring Windows 11 PCs the ability to automatically pair with Quest wirelessly. Now, the companies say we can expect preview access in December.

The feature will allow Quest 3 and Quest 3S to connect to Windows 11 PCs for a multi-monitor work environment—pretty familiar territory to anyone who owns a Vision Pro and some flavor of Mac, as Apple’s XR headset has been able to similarly connect via Mac Virtual Display since launch in February 2024.

Microsoft says it’s launching the feature in public preview at some point in December, which they hope will appeal to users looking to increase productivity.

“Windows in mixed reality brings the full capabilities of Windows 11 to mixed reality headsets, starting with Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S. Access to your local Windows PC or Windows 365 Cloud PC from a Quest headset is seamless and it takes only seconds to connect to a private, high-quality, multiple-monitor workstation,” said Melissa Grant, Microsoft 365’s Senior Director of Product Marketing in a blog post.

At the feature’s unveiling at Connect in September, Meta teased the ability to seamlessly connect to the PC by simply looking at the keyboard, allowing you to instantly access the computer and drag windows across the multiple virtual monitors—a notable departure from the Remote Desktop experience available when using Meta’s own Air Link.

SEE ALSO
One of the Best Mods for 'Half-Life: Alyx' is Becoming a Full Game Next Year

And while Quest has largely filled the role as VR’s premier standalone game console, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg thinks greater Windows integration is a step in the right direction for Quest.

“This is the path to building a general computing platform,” Zuckerberg said. “It’s not just games, although [Quest] is really good at that. You’re also going to be to use it for apps, watching videos, and all of the different things you would do with a general purpose computer. Quest is the full package.”

We’ll be keeping an eye out for release dates, and will update this piece when we learn more.

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.

  • Oh, I hope I hope I hope this will be usable for productivity. I've long dreamed of having VR for music production… Having six or more screens in front of you would help production workflow soooo much.

    • johnyjazz

      Then why not get a Vison Pro?

      • Because Apple sucks, their products are overpriced, and I hate their closed ecosystem?

  • dextrovix

    This is positive, I've tried the Vision Pro and having something akin to that on Quest via a PC is something I will try out for productivity.

    I just hope Microsoft work don't work on it for a while, then drop the support a few years down the line when it becomes more useful (I'm just going by their past questionable decisions…).

  • foamreality

    We need a linux version, windows sucks. Valve needs to get moving on steamOS/steamlink with quest

  • Glamorkinshire

    Apple Vision Pro: 3200 x 3660 (est, Pancake Lens)
    Quest 3: 2064 x 2280 (Pancake Lens)
    Quest 3S: 1832 x 1920 (Fresnel Lens)

    We shall see, but not optimistic for anything other than proof of concept.

    • Arno van Wingerde

      I agree, but this would presumably, hopefully Carry into the Future with if things Go well, would result in a HorizonOS/Windows ecosysteem to compete with Aplle and Samsung/Google. Meta is ahaed in the VR world, in Teens of marketshare and games, but the AVP is a superior device in Most Hardware aspects and has the iOS ecosystem.

  • sfmike

    Now Meta needs to provide us with a Quest Pro, a real one this time, with a high resolution OLED panel and pancake lens. But I guess that would be too easy.

  • Is he joking about flexing that looking at vide

  • Correct me if I'm wrong… but don't we already have this functionality via the Virtual Desktop app and also Steam Link? What is the big deal? Is it just that it's a native setting in the HorizonOS? Or that is an official Microsoft app?

    I've been remotely using my desktop in my headset since 2016 with Virtual Desktop, I don't understand why this is a big deal.

    • g-man

      Existing tools don't give you multiple monitors unless you physically have that many monitors. That and ease of connecting seem to be the main differences.

  • ZarathustraDK

    Ehh… Immersed, Virtual Desktop, hell even Horizon for Work does this, and some of them goes further with desktop-sharing, MR, meeting rooms and shared workspaces.

    This seems like MS trying to play catch-up by leveraging its install-base to make customers eschew features for plug'n'play ease of use, making it the default corp option and amputating a lot of the reasons for going VR in the first place.

  • PiroKun

    This doesnt need to install meta pc app?