The reason for the Oculus Quest 2 black screen with audio could be related to a physical or software issue with the Oculus Quest 2 equipment.
So, this guide will review all possible causes and solutions to resolve the Oculus 2 black screen of death and restore the broadcast!
To resolve an Oculus black screen of death with or without audio, disconnect the device’s USB cable. Next, lower the resolution setting in case it is highly demanding and factory reset the Quest VR headset.
Let’s dig deeper and identify the potential causes!
Why Does the Oculus Quest 2 Black Screen Occur?
The black screen of death on the Oculus Quest 2 could appear due to many functionality issues with the headset or the Oculus application.
The first step is determining what could result in the Oculus headset broadcast going pitch black.
Here are the potential causes for the sudden black screen on Oculus Quest 2:
- There’s an issue with the USB connection of your headset.
- There’s an issue with the headset’s connectivity to the app.
- The Oculus headset’s internal battery is starting to wear out.
Those are the possible causes for the unexplained black screen on your Oculus Quest 2 VR headset.
Proceed further into our guide to explore reliable troubleshooting solutions and tips!
Oculus Quest 2 Black Screen With Audio – 6 Easy Solutions!
Tip: Follow the steps in a consecutive order!
1. Force-reboot the Oculus Headset
The most popular resolution to the black screen error on your Oculus Quest 2 is to perform a hard reboot.
Pressing and holding the physical power button on the headset for long enough will cause the system to shut down automatically and re-launch all services and applications.
Here’s how to hard reboot the Oculus headset:
- Connect the Oculus Quest 2 with a charging cable/station.
- Next, locate the power button on the headset’s back panel.
- Press and hold the power button for at least 5-10 seconds.
- After that, wait until the Oculus Quest 2 headset powers off.
- Wait for 30 seconds while the Oculus Quest is powered off.
- Hold the power button on the headset to turn on the system.
- Finally, check whether the broadcast of the unit is still black.
After turning on the headset, check if there is still audio output or if the broadcast is black with no audio either.
If the Oculus Quest system is functioning, but only the broadcast of the current application or game is black, it means that there is no severe defect with your Quest equipment.
Note: A severe malfunction of the Oculus Quest will deactivate both the audio and video!
2. Re-Charge the Oculus Equipment
One of the possible reasons for the black screen of death on your Oculus Quest headset could be battery-related.
Not charging the VR headset to maximum battery capacity or using it for an extended period could cause various issues, such as overheating and causing a black screen.
There are two possible ways to recharge the Oculus equipment!
How to Charge Oculus Equipment with a Charging Cable?
- First, locate the USB port on the Oculus controller and headset.
- Connect the Oculus charging cable with an adapter and an outlet.
- Plug the Oculus charging cable into the headset’s charging port.
- Wait for at least 45 minutes until the headset charges optimally.
- Then, repeat the charging instructions for both Oculus controllers.
How to Charge Oculus Equipment with a Charging Station?
- Verify that the charging station is securely connected to an outlet.
- Position the Oculus headset on the most prominent charging slot.
- Place both of the Oculus controllers onto the side charging slots.
- Wait for 45 minutes until your Oculus equipment is fully charged.
- Remove the equipment from the station and turn on the headset.
After verifying that the Oculus equipment has gathered enough power, press and hold the power button on the headset to turn on the device, then, you can check if the output is still pitch-black!
Note: Test your Oculus Quest 2 headset only with 80%+ battery to prevent throttling!
3. Reconnect the Oculus USB Cable!
Another cause for the Oculus black screen of death is a fault with the USB connection.
Thus, a potential malfunction of the USB cable could cause the broadcast to go black, and in particular situations, the audio output may remain intact while the lenses are pitch black.
- So, to refresh the connection with the PC, unplug the USB cable from the Oculus headset and the computer device.
Then, verify that the cable is intact, without any visual faults, and connect the USB-C connector to the headset and the USB connector to a USB 3.0 (blue) computer port.
How to Fix Oculus Quest USB Issues?
There could be multiple existing faults with the USB connection of the Oculus headset, preventing the broadcast from working.
Here are some reliable solutions to USB issues:
- Update the drivers of Oculus on your computer system.
- Use an alternative USB port on your laptop or computer.
- Connect the Oculus to the computer with a different USB.
Alert: A damaged Oculus USB port will prevent the device from connecting entirely!
4. Inspect the Oculus Proximity Sensor
A potential obstruction on the headset’s proximity sensor will indeed temporarily deactivate the “Guardian” feature and cause a black screen through the viewing lenses.
Inspection is required to determine if the Quest’s black screen of death is related to a fault with the proximity sensor!
Here’s how to access and inspect the Oculus headset’s proximity sensor:
- Take off the frontal plate from the Oculus 2 headset.
- Next, find the proximity sensor between the lenses.
- After that, place the viewing lenses against your eyes.
- Place your thumb over the sensor for 5-10 seconds.
- Check if the visuals of your VR headset will re-appear
If the visual output doesn’t restore after covering the proximity sensor with one of your fingers, check if there’s debris or dust accumulation on the sensor’s bulb.
Use wet tissue to clean the sensor and re-install the frontal plate on the Oculus Quest 2 headset.
Alert: The proximity sensor must always be clean for the “Guardian” feature to function!
5. Check Your Oculus Quest App Profile!
Still wondering how to fix the Oculus Quest 2 black screen? Well, you must check the app profile!
If the Oculus mobile application doesn’t detect your headset, the broadcast may go utterly blank until the device is re-added to the platform.
Hence, the next step is to open the Meta Quest app on your Android or Apple iOS device and verify that the Quest VR headset has been added to your profile.
How to Check if Oculus Quest 2 is Paired?
- Open the Meta Quest app on your mobile device.
- Navigate to the “Devices” section and tap “Quest”.
- Check if the connectivity status is “Connected.”
How to Re-Add Oculus Quest 2 to the App?
- Launch the Meta Quest app on your mobile device.
- Access the “Devices” section and tap “Add Device.”
- Follow the on-screen pairing instructions to re-add.
The pairing of an extra Oculus headset may require a unique pairing code acquired from the unit’s settings.
Since you cannot acquire the pairing code from a VR headset with a pitch-black output, verify that you have removed the previous profile of the headset first.
How to Test Oculus Quest App Profile?
If the Quest headset appears within the application, try to launch a game through the “Gaming” section in the Oculus app.
For that purpose, your mobile device and the VR headset must have established a secure connection with a Wi-Fi network.
Note: If the Oculus doesn’t launch a game automatically, reinstall the Oculus mobile app!
6. Force an Oculus Factory Reset!
Fortunately, the Oculus Quest 2 equipment can be factory reset solely via the physical buttons without having a clear view of the output.
In other words, you can factory reset your VR headset without seeing anything or wearing your Oculus Quest.
Warning: The factory reset erases everything from your headset!
Follow these steps to perform a factory reset on the Oculus headset:
- Press and hold the headset’s power button to turn it off
- Locate the “Volume Down” button on the Quest headset.
- Press and hold “Power” and “Volume Down” together.
- Equip the headset and check if the boot screen occurs.
- Highlight “Factory Reset” and press “Power” to select it.
- Wait until the factory reset process has been completed.
Note: None of the settings or data lost due to the factory reset can be restored!
More Oculus Quest 2 Errors:
Q: What does a red light mean when charging my Oculus Quest 2?
A: A red light usually indicates low battery or a charging issue. Try using a different charger or cable.
Q: Why is my Quest 2 connected but has no internet?
A: This could be a router issue or a problem with your Wi-Fi settings. Restart your router and Quest 2, and try reconnecting to the network.
