Are you having trouble with Oculus Air Link not working on Windows11? In this troubleshooting guide, we have 7 different fixes to help you with your problems.
Over the internet, there are a variety of forums discussing “Why is Oculus Air Link not working on Windows 11?”.
Several users reported that they faced issues with installation and connectivity. Others who were lucky enough to complete the installation process seemed to have a variety of performance issues.
These issues include lags, jitters, disconnections, and some issues even make you feel nauseated.
In this article, we’ll go over:
- What is Oculus Air Link?
- How does Oculus Air Link work?
- How to set up Oculus Air Link on PC
- 7 solutions for ‘Oculus Air Link not working on Windows 11’ errors
Related: Oculus Air Link vs Virtual Desktop: Which VR App is Better?
What is Oculus Air Link?
Oculus Air Link is a wireless alternative to Oculus Link that requires no Link cable or tethered connection to your PC. It lets you mirror your nearby PC inside of your VR headset. People do this to watch movies, browse the internet, or play games inside of virtual reality.
By default, the Oculus Quest comes with its own Android-based store to install games directly on your headset. That Android store has come a long way in terms of quality, but PC-based game stores like Steam VR contain even more games and content.
Once connected via Air Link, you can play any PC VR game from the Oculus or Steam VR store on your Quest 2. This gives you access to all of the best PC VR games as long as you have a gaming PC that can play them.
How does the Oculus Air Link Work?
Oculus Air Link creates a direct connection to your gaming computer over your Wi-Fi connection to your PC. Meta first launched it for the Windows 10 version, and there were no issues. However, users who upgraded to Windows 11 have reported several issues.
Proper installation and setting up of a program ensures the application functions correctly. Here are some steps to properly set up the Oculus Air Link from scratch, and you must perform this setup in both the PC and the VR headset.
How to Set Up Oculus Air Link on PC
The instructions below are shortened for this guide. If you are having any trouble at all, click here for our complete tutorial on how to setup Oculus Air Link.
On PC
Before we get started, make sure you have a stable internet connection. Now let’s hop on to the procedure to set up Oculus Air Link.
1. Go to oculus.com/setup and download the official version of the setup file.
2. Once you Run and Install the application, it expands to 5 GB.
On the Oculus Quest
1. Press the 
on your right controller. This takes you to your Main Menu.
2. Click on the Clock and open the Quick Settings on the left side of the Main Menu.
3. Click on the 
in the top right corner.
4. Click on the 
Experimental icon.
5. Toggle On the Air Link to switch it on.
6. After toggling it on, get back to the Quick Settings menu and click on the Air Link button on the left.
7. Select your PC from the list.
8. Now, the console shows a pairing code on the headset. Enter it in your PC application to pair your headset and PC.
9. Click Confirm from the PC application and Launch the application.
This procedure is only necessary when pairing for the first time and you may use Quick Settings to launch the air link when needed.
Once the setup is done properly, the application should launch and function smoothly.
If you are still facing some issues after the proper setup, you must look at the compiled set of common issues and their corresponding fixes to save you from frustration.
Also read: How to Setup Oculus Link: Quest 2 to PC Tutorial [2022]
7 Solutions for Oculus Air Link Not Working on Windows 11 Errors
Here are seven common reasons and their corresponding fixes for the Oculus Air Link not working on Windows 11 errors.
- Check your system requirements
- Check your network connectivity
- Check the software version
- Check your bitrate
- Update your drivers
- Reset your Console
- Have the Oculus service console in the background
1. Check your System Requirements
The specifications for optimal functioning of Oculus Air Link are given below:
- Processor: should be Intel i5-4590 processor / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X or higher versions
- Operating System: The current OS recommended is Windows 10
- RAM: 8GB or more
- Graphics card: supports higher-end Graphic cards like NVIDIA Titan and GeForce / AMD 200 and 300 series.
To check your PC specifications. Click on the Start button > Click on Settings icon > Click on System > Click on About. This gives you the specifications of your PC. Check this before installing the application.
Anything outside the range of specifications might make you encounter connectivity or performance issues.
2. Check your Network Connectivity
Since Air Link eliminated the need for cables, there is a huge transaction of data between your PC and Oculus Quest over your wi-fi connection.
Here are some things to keep in mind when setting up the network:
- Use a wi-fi connectivity bandwidth of 5GHz or higher.
- The router should support Wi-Fi version AC/AX (also referred to as Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6).
- The PC should be connected with the router via a standard Ethernet Cable.
- Make sure the router is in the same room or within a distance of 20m from the console.
3. Check the Software Version
Up-to-date software is necessary for the efficient functioning and performance of an application. You must always check the version of any software before you download or install it.
You may check the latest Oculus software version by visiting the official website release notes.
You may also check the version from your headset. Open Settings and click About, and you will see your software version there.
You must update to the current version for the Air Link application to function properly.
4. Check your Bitrate
If you can launch the application but it keeps shuddering or lagging, you might want to check your bitrate. A proper bitrate helps for a smooth transfer of data between devices.
To check or change your bitrate, open the Application on your PC. Go to Devices and click on the VR headset and set the Graphic Preferences to 90-120Hz.
5. Update your Drivers
Outdated drivers are a menace to every application and it may take effort to find the faulty drivers.
To update the drivers, navigate to Settings and click on Windows Update. Select Advanced Options > Click on Optional Updates > Select the Driver Updates option and click on the Driver to download and install.
You may also update the drivers using the Device Manager.
Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager > Expand any Driver and right-click on the driver you want to update > Click Update > This opens up a dialog box “How do you want to search for Drivers.” > Click on Search automatically for drivers.
If you’re having a hard time finding faulty or outdated drivers, you may also use other third party software like AVG Driver Updater and DriverFix to find all the missing drivers and update them.
6. Reset your Console
A simple restart can work wonders. Try resetting your Oculus Quest with the steps below.
- Switch Off your Oculus Quest headset.
- Press and hold the volume down and power buttons together.
- Use the volume button to navigate to Factory Reset and click the power button to select the option.
- Select Yes using volume buttons and click on the power button to select them.
This factory resets your console.
Now, you may use the steps mentioned above to connect your PC and Oculus console together.
7. Have the Oculus service console in the background
Some users confirm that running the Oculus Service Console in the background helps solve the jitters.
Follow these steps to run the diagnostic console window:
- Open the Local Drive C on your computer.
- Navigate to Programs and open the Oculus folder.
- Again, open the Oculus Support folder.
- Open Oculus Diagnostics folder.
- Run the Oculus Debug Tool.exe
- This opens up a dialog box. Click on Service and toggle Service Window Visibility.
- Now, open the Oculus application and operate it normally.
Keep in mind not to close that or minimize the console and let it run in the foreground. Now, open your Oculus app and use it normally.
Suggested read: The Best VR Headset in 2022: The Ultimate Guide
Get Started with Oculus Air Link on Windows 11!
These are some proven workarounds to get your Oculus Air Link working with Windows 11. However, the exact reason causing the issue is still unknown because the official platforms haven’t given any update on this yet.
Meta also announced that Windows 11 is not yet compatible with Oculus, so for optimal performance, Windows 10 is most compatible.
Finally, if none of the fixes work, then we suggest that you revert to Windows 10 as it seems to fix all the bugs and issues.
We will update this post if Meta or other official platforms roll out any updates on the compatibility between Oculus Air Link and Windows 11.
If you face any similar issues or know any way to fix the issues mentioned, please leave a comment below and lend a hand to the VR community.
