The Meta Quest 2 has a very good selection of titles on the official store, as well as its side App Lab service. But if you want to go deeper, accessing even more content then you’ll need to learn how to sideload. The best way of doing this is through SideQuest, a third-party solution that’s been the go-to since the early days of the Oculus (now Meta) Quest.
As you may be aware, like all digital storefronts, the Meta Quest Store is a highly-curated marketplace. That means developers have to go through a strict set of guidelines before being featured, meeting quality control and other stipulations. It isn’t a simple process, hence why App Lab was created to allow players access to a less curated selection of content.
Before that, however, VR developers and enthusiasts would sideload early beta projects or VR experiments. This has resulted in a thriving community, where fan-made ports of games like Doom 3 have found a home. Some of these have then gone on to be fully-fledged, Quest Store games.
How to sideload on Meta Quest, Quest 2 & Quest Pro
There are a lot of good reasons to get into sideloading, whether you want to install pre-release builds or load your own content. However, you do need to realise that you’re going outside of Meta’s protocols, putting content on your device that’s gone through little to no vetting process.
As long as you understand that then read on.
Sideloading used to be a finicky process but as time has gone on, that’s been streamlined, to an extent. It used to be all PC-based, so no computer no sideloading. Thankfully, SideQuest has made it so that even with just a mobile phone, you can get sideloading on Quest.
Initial Setup
First things first, you’ll need these items:
- A Quest headset (obviously)
- A USB lead – Either a USB-Type C to Type C cable (to connect between your headset and a phone or PC with a Type-C port). A Type-C to any other connection your Android might have. Or a USB-A to Type-C (to connect between your headset and PC).
- An Android phone/tablet (if you’re going the mobile route). An Apple iPhone (or similar) device WILL NOT WORK.
Developer Registration
The key to it all. You need to create a developer account with Meta to unlock Quest’s Developer Mode. Without it, you can’t sideload.
- Go to https://developer.oculus.com/manage/organizations/create/ and log in with your normal Meta Quest details (on PC, phone or tablet).
- Then enter the name of your organisation. It can be anything you like so long as it is not already in use.
- Then agree to the Oculus terms of service and the non-disclosure agreement.
- You might be asked to verify your account before completion, either with a credit card or two-step authentication.
Enabling Developer Mode on Quest
Next, you’ll need to go into the Quest app on your device to enable developer mode.
- First, make sure the app and Quest are connected – it should say at the top of the home screen.
- Press that same button to open up your Quest headset information window. Alternatively, on the Home screen press Menu followed by the Devices button.
- As long as the app and headset are synced you’ll be able to press the Headset Settings option under ‘Manage Your Device’.
- Then tap on ‘Developer Mode’.
- Flick the toggle to ‘on’.
- Finally, reboot your Quest to ensure that’s taken effect. Hold down the Quest’s power button and select ‘Restart’ or ‘Power Off’.
SideQuest Account
- You’ll also want to create a SideQuest account. It’ll make future installation steps easier, plus you’ll access more features like making wishlists, writing reviews and more.
SideQuest Installer selection
Originally, SideQuest only had one option, its app for PC, Mac and Linux. Nowadays, there are three avenues to sideloading, the new ‘Easy Installer’ option for computers, the original ‘Advanced Installer’ option and the Android method which doesn’t require either of these apps.
All three methods require you to have completed the above setup before moving on.
SideQuest ‘Easy Installer’
As the name suggests, the ‘Easy Installer’ offers a relatively straightforward method of getting SideQuest running on your Quest.
- Go to ‘Get SideQuest‘ on your computer and download the correct ‘Easy Installer’ for your system.
- Open the software and connect your headset via USB to your computer.
- Inside the headset, you’ll get windows appearing saying ‘Allow USB Debugging’ followed by ‘Allow Access to Data’. Select ‘Allow’ for both of these.
- On your computer screen, the ‘Easy Installer’ software should now say the headset is connected (with a green icon). There will now be a pink button saying ‘Install SideQuest in your Headset’.
- Press that to start the installation and once completed you’ll get a spray of congratulatory confetti.
- You can now unplug your Quest to begin the in-VR portion of the process.
Linking SideQuest to Quest
- With your Quest on go to the App Library and select the drop-down menu in the top right (where ‘All’, ‘Installed’, and ‘Updates’ are located). Scroll down to the bottom and select ‘Unknown Sources’.
- Click the SideQuest app tab.
- You’ll be given a linking code. Go to https://sidequestvr.com/link-sidequest on your PC, phone or tablet and enter the unique 6-digit code. This is also where previously creating a SideQuest account helps simplify the process.
- A dialogue box will appear asking if you want to link your headset. Press that and away you go.
Browsing and installing content
Now all the hard work is out of the way you can get on with all the fun stuff, browsing and playing all that SideQuest content.
- Open SideQuest – it is always in the ‘Unknown Sources’ section of the App Library.
- Browse the listing and select an app.
- Depending on the app (no matter whether it is paid or free) you’ll get one of two options; Install App (Sideload) or Install App (App Lab).
- The first will install from SideQuest while the other will take you to the App Lab listing.
- Note: The ‘Sideloaded’ app will appear in the ‘Unknown Sources’ section. the App Lab app will appear in the normal App Library section.
- Note: The first time you sideload an app you’ll get a prompt about installing unknown apps. Follow the directions giving SideQuest permission to install apps.
SideQuest ‘Advanced Installer’ for PC, Mac and Linux
- Go to ‘Get SideQuest‘ on your computer and download ‘Advanced Installer’ for either PC, Mac or Linux.
- Open and install the software which includes the necessary drivers.
- Connect your headset via USB to your computer.
- Inside the headset, you’ll get windows appearing saying ‘Allow USB Debugging’ followed by ‘Allow Access to Data’. Select ‘Allow’ for both of these.
- In the SideQuest software, you should now see a green icon indicating a connection.
- And that’s it, you can start browsing and installing apps.
Mobile SideQuest on Android
For those without a computer, there’s the Android option. Here’s how with just a Quest, USB cable and a phone you can start sideloading VR apps.
- Go through the developer registration and developer mode activation first.
- Then download the SideQuest app from the Google Store. It’ll say ‘SideQuest (Beta)’.
- Allow the usual permissions then connect your phone to your Quest with the USB cable.
- You’ll then get another permission popup on your device to accept.
- Then put on the Quest and you’ll see windows appear saying ‘Allow USB Debugging’ followed by ‘Allow Access to Data’. Select ‘Allow’ for both of these.
- Go back to the Android app and at the bottom, above the SideQuest logo, you’ll see a green indicator letting you know the connection was successful.
Browsing and instaling content
With all of that completed you can browse and download content directly from your Android app, just make sure the cable stays connected.
But what if you don’t want that cable in the way? Well, there is an option to connect wirelessly.
Wireless SideQuest on Android
- Go through the mobile (cabled) Android installation first.
- In the Android app, on the bottom left is a wireless icon, press it.
- Then press the ‘Enable WiFi’ button.
- Note: Both devices need to be on the same WiFi network and Quest needs to be ‘awake’.
- Put the Quest back on and allow the permissions again.
- Back in the Android app the Quest’s IP address should’ve appeared next to a ‘Connect’ button. Press that and you’re done.
- Note: If the IP address doesn’t appear then you can input it manually. You find it in the Quest’s Wifi settings, select the network you’re connected to and scroll down to find the details.
- Note: Restarting the Quest or fully switching it off will reset the connection, so you’ll need to go through the process again.
And there you have it, all the steps for setting up SideQuest to sideload on Quest 2. Hope that helps. Or do you need to learn how to cast Quest 2 to a TV?