How to Setup Shadow PC With Oculus Quest: Cloud Gaming PC!

how to setup shadow pc with the oculus quest
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Shadow is a remote gaming PC service that gives you a virtual PC that can run all of the latest games. In this guide, we’ll show you how to setup Shadow PC with the Oculus Quest so that you can have a fully-usable gaming PC for virtual reality games.

This guide has been updated for 2022 following the official release of the Shadow VR app in early access! It is now easier to connect to your Shadow cloud PC from the Meta Quest.

With Shadow PC, you pay a monthly fee for the service. This way, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a pre-made full gaming PC. Or money building your own VR-ready PC. It’s a revolutionary new service that has gathered a lot of attention.

With an Oculus Quest and the Virtual Desktop application, you can play all PCVR games on your Quest 2 or 1.

Comment down below if you have any trouble getting set up!

What is Shadow PC?

setup shadow pc

Shadow PC is a remote gaming PC service that gives you virtual access to a full computer setup in the cloud. The specs of the PC are equivalent to a high-end gaming PC. In recent months, Shadow has been a popular option for people to get a gaming PC without buying all of the components.

Specifically with the Oculus Quest, users can use Virtual Desktop to stream PC VR games remotely to their Quest headset. With our Virtual Desktop setup guide, you can play games with minimal latency and it will feel just like you have a PC in your home.

Features

Shadow PC comes with a ton of really nice features that are catered for virtual reality game players:

  • High Streaming Quality – You can stream 4K quality video at 60 frames per second (FPS) or if you sacrifice a bit of graphics quality, you can play up to 144 FPS in full HD mode.
  • Low Latency – Shadow has optimized their servers in order to stream games to your headset without any noticeable latency.
  • Bring Your Gear – You can play Shadow with all popular game controlers, mice, keyboards, or the Oculus Quest 2 or 1 VR headset.

Otherwise, Shadow functions exactly like a high powered gaming PC. You can install any games and apps on the computer and play PCVR games easily.

Specs

Previously, there were three different configurations of Shadow to rent: Boost, Ultra, and Infinite. In May 2021, Shadow was purchased by HubiC, the company that also runs OVH Cloud. At that time, Shadow was simplified to only offer one single plan.

  • GPU = GTX 1080 equivalent or better
  • CPU = 3.4 GHz – 4 Cores
  • RAM = 12 GB
  • Storage = 256 GB

Price

The price of Shadow PC is $29.99 per month. Extra storage can also be rented for $2.99 for 256 GB.

Requirements

Here are the requirements for using the Shadow VR cloud PC:

  • A stable internet connection with a speed of at least 30 Mbit/s. Over 50 Mbit/s is recommended.
  • A Meta Quest 2 or 1
  • An active Shadow account
  • SteamVR installed on your Shadow account
  • The Shadow VR application from SideQuest

Below, we’ll show you how to install and use the Shadow VR app from SideQuest.

You can sign up for Shadow on their official website. You have to go on a waitlist for your cloud PC and Shadow will contact you when it is ready to set up. The wait times differ by country and state, so click on this link to find out exactly when you will be able to setup Shadow PC.

When you get the email to setup Shadow PC, use the instructions below to setup Shadow PC with the Oculus Quest.

Shadow PC Referral Code

If you enter in the promo code RYACDVES during checkout on the website, you will receive $5 off your first month of Shadow Boost.

To use the Shadow PC referral code:

  1. Click here to go to the Shadow website.
  2. Click on Subscribe
  3. Click on Subscribe Now
  4. Select your State/Country from the dropdown menu and make sure that Shadow PC is available in your area. Then choose your Monthly or Yearly subscription and click Subscribe Now.
  5. Enter in the code RYACDVES into the Referral Code box and click on Apply.

Continue on and complete the process to setup Shadow PC! When your subscription goes live, you will receive an email and then you can follow our steps below.

Shadow PC App on SideQuest VR

SideQuest is a third-party app store for the Oculus Quest. It contains hundreds of games separate from the official Oculus Store, which has stricter measurements in place for approving games. The new ShadowVR app on SideQuest allows you to access your Shadow PC remotely without the need for a gaming PC.

Previously, Virtual Desktop was the only way to setup Shadow PC with your Quest. This new app is a much better way to get your cloud gaming computer up and running. Our setup guide below has been updated to use this new ShadowVR app method. If you’d still prefere to use Virtual Desktop with Shadow PC, then we have those instructions underneath still.

How to Setup Shadow PC With the Oculus Quest

setup shadow pc

In this guide, we’ll show you how to setup Shadow PC with the Oculus Quest so that you can wirelessly play PC virtual reality games from the cloud. We’ll help you install Shadow PC directly on your Oculus Quest headset in order to get up and staretd.

Total Time: 20 minutes

Setup Shadow PC

setup shadow pc welcome email

When you are off the waitlist you’ll receive the email from Shadow to setup your cloud PC. Follow the instructions to get things configured by clicking on the Windows or Mac link in the email and follow instructions to install Shadow on your regular computer.

When you launch Shadow on your computer, you’ll have to login with your credentials.

Configure Shadow PC’s Settings

How to Setup Shadow PC With Oculus Quest: Cloud Gaming PC!

Before you start your Shadow PC, turn off Automatic bandwidth configuration and set your allocated bandwith according to your internet download speed test:

< 20 mbps = allocated bandwidth of 10 mbps
Between 20 and 30 mbps = 15 mbps
Between 30 and 40 mbps = 20 mbps
Between 40 and 50 mbps = 30 mbps
Over 50 mbps = 40 mbps

Then, you can click the red Start button to load up your Shadow PC. If this is your first time, you’ll have to run through a basic Windows setup before you can see your Desktop.

Download, Install, and Setup SideQuest

sidequest vr new interface

First you need to download and install SideQuest onto your Quest headset if you haven’t yet. We have a full step by step guide on how to setup SideQuest VR here. If you click, the link will open up in a new tab so that you can follow those steps and then come back here.

Install the ShadowVR app from SideQuest

shadowvr app on sidequest

The ShadowVR app allows you to connect to your cloud PC without any other hardware or software. Connect your Quest to your computer. Click here to view ShadowVR on SideQuest. Click on the Install to Headset button to install the app on your Quest.

Make Sure Shadow PC is Up-to-Date, Launch Steam With Windows, and Disable Password

Before you launch things in your Quest VR headset, log in to Shadow PC from any 3D device (phone or desktop) and make sure everything is up to date. As well, you’ll also want to set Steam to launch with Windows to make things easier in your Quest.

To launch Steam with Windows, launch Steam and from the Steam menu, go to Settings and then into the Interface tab. Enable Run Steam when my computer starts and Run Steam in Big Picture Mode.

To disable your Windows password, click on the Start menu in Shadow PC and type netplwiz and select the netplwiz program from the list. In the Users tab, uncheck the option Users must enter a username and password to use this computer. You’ll have to enter in your current password twice to change these settings, but you won’t be prompted the next time you launch into your Shadow PC.

Download Steam, Stream VR, and Oculus Home PC Apps

how to install steamvr

In Shadow PC, download and install Steam, Steam VR, and Oculus Home. During the install of Oculus Home, you can click on skip headset setup. Make sure you reboot your Shadow PC after you are done the install. You can also download or log in to Steam and get any games you wish to place on your VR headset.

Set Your Dedicated Router to Access Point Mode (Recommended)

router ap mode

A dedicated router is highly recommended for Oculus Quest to Shadow PC streaming. Take your dedicated router, power it up, and connect to it wirelessly with your PC.

Go through the general setup progress to pick a name and password and get it setup on your network. Make sure that you turn on Access Point mode. This can be different for each router, but will most likely be a toggle button in the settings.

Connect Your Oculus Quest 2 (or 1) to Your Router

Lastly, connect your Oculus Quest to your new 5GHz access point Wifi connection.

Launch the ShadowVR SideQuest App

In your Oculus Quest, launch the ShadowVR app from your Unknown Sources apps page. Enter in your Shadow credentials and you will automatically launch into Windows and SteamVR without any extra steps to setup Shadow PC.

Configure SteamVR Settings

How to Setup Shadow PC With Oculus Quest: Cloud Gaming PC!

In SteamVR, navigate to Settings > Video and set the Application Resolution to 100%.

Launch Games and Play!

virtual desktop steamvr launch games setup shadow pc

You are now configured and ready to play PC VR games from your Shadow PC! With this setup, you should be optimized for low latency on your Shadow cloud PC.

You shouldn’t need to launch Shadow on a PC again, but its a good idea to check things out there first if you run into any issues. Its also best to update the cloud PC every once in a while so that it has the latest settings from the server and has all of the newest bug fixes.

Alternative Method: Virtual Desktop with Shadow PC

If the direct Shadow PC app for the Oculus Quest does not work, or you prefer Virtual Desktop, here are instructions to help you get up and started.

First, down and install the Virtual Desktop app on your Oculus Quest. Use the Oculus app on your phone or on your headset to download Virtual Desktop from the Oculus Store onto your Oculus Quest VR headset.

virtual desktop sidequest vr

Next, install the Virtual Desktop Mod from SideQuest. The SideQuest version of Virtual Desktop provides additional features that aren’t found on the one in the Oculus Store. Notably, you can’t wirelessly stream PC-VR games without the SIdeQuest version of the app.

Once you have the original version of VD installed from the Oculus Store, click here to visit the SideQuest version of Virtual Desktop. Click on Install Latest and let SideQuest install VD on your Quest.

virtual desktop on sidequest

Lastly, you need to download Streamer App on Shadow PC. On your Shadow PC, you have to download and install the Streamer app that works with Virtual Desktop. Go to the official Virtual Desktop website and click on Download Streamer App.

virtual desktop streamer app

Once it is installed, you should quickly configure the Streamer app on your Shadow PC. Launch the Streamer application in Shadow PC. In the settings, make these changes:

  • Change the codec to H.264
  • Uncheck the option to Automatically Adjust Bitrate

As well in your Oculus Quest headset, you should configure Virtual Desktop to optimize streaming and completely setup Shadow PC. Launch the Virtual Desktop settings and make the following changes:

  • Disable Sliced Encoding
  • Set Video Frame Rate to High
  • Set Video Bitrate Limit to Low

You should now be able to wirelessly place any VR game in your Oculus Quest headset. You’ve setup Shadow PC and it will handle all game processing remotely in the cloud. Your Quest VR headset will render the game in the virtual desktop app. It will feel like you are playing a VR game the same as on the Quest natively.

Shadow PC Tips and Help

Still having trouble to setup Shadow PC in tip top shape? Below are some helpful hints on how to setup Shadow PC the best.

Shut down Shadow PC when you are done

When you are done playing, shut down Shadow PC through the Windows start menu. This will give you computer a break and will launch it into memory from scratch the next time you want to play. This way, there won’t be processes left running in the background and taking up cache space the next time you play.

Connecting USB Devices

You can connect USB devices such as a keyboard, mouse, or game controller to your Shadow PC! Just plug the device into a USB slot on your real computer and then check Shadow’s controller tab to make sure it was detected. This will also work with microphones and webcams too.

Select the right bandwidth

If you are having trouble choosing the right bandwidth to use, run this Speedtest first. Then, set a bandwidth of 10-15 mb/s lower than your current download speed for the best experience. This way, you won’t be throttling or maxing out your connection.

You can also enable “Adapt max bit rate to network conditions” in your Shadow’s settings so that your Shadow can automatically adjust your bandwidth consumption for you!  

Keep your GPU up to date

Like a real computer, it is important to keep your Nvidia GPU drivers up to date. If you don’t want to do this manually, you can setup Shadow PC to update your drivers automatically.

Enable “Keep my Shadow’s graphics drivers updated” on the Quick Menu to keep your GPU driver up to date.

Are you having any trouble trying to setup Shadow PC? Comment below and we will help you out the best we can! Once you are up and running, you will see how convenient and awesome this service is for Oculus Quest 2 users who don’t want to pay for a full gaming PC setup.

Author

  • Ryan William

    With over 7 years of hands-on experience in the dynamic world of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR), Ryan is a recognized authority in the field. His collaborations with industry giants like Meta and HTC underscore his expertise in shaping the AR/VR landscape. Ryan has written over 2,000 blog posts, offering in-depth insights, reviews, and analyses of the latest mixed reality technology. From groundbreaking games to cutting-edge hardware, Ryan's extensive knowledge ensures readers are always at the forefront of AR/VR/MR, as well as Steam Deck, news.