Since Quest 2’s release, people have resisted being forced to have a Facebook account to access the new headset or complained when a Facebook ban took away access to games they owned. Finally, you can delete your Facebook account from Quest 2, and even if you choose to keep it linked, your Meta account will be your real account going forward.
Switching to a Meta account is pretty straightforward, but there are a couple of potential issues you might run into that can lead to a factory reset. Here’s how to remove your Facebook account from Quest 2 and switch to a Meta account.
Start by upgrading your headphones
(Image credit: Android Central)
Before proceeding with the steps below, you will need to update Meta OS to support new accounts. The company warns that if you have an “outdated” Quest, “you may need to factory reset your headphones.”
To check if your Quest 2 needs an update, open Quick Settings on the left side of the Toolbar showing the time, power level, and Wi-Fi symbol. Select Settings at the top right of this menu, then System at the top left. In the left sidebar, scroll down until you find Software Update . You will see that you have the latest version or you will be prompted to download it.
Once you see a pop-up indicating that the latest update has been successfully downloaded, press and hold the Quest 2’s power button and Restart your device. You’ll see the new Quest 2 menu, and you may see a message warning you that you may need to factory reset your device (like we did). Ignore it for now and take off your headphones.
These next steps can be completed in your browser or in the Meta Quest app (formerly Oculus). We chose the browser for its ease of use, but the choice is yours and the steps don’t change.
- Sign in to your Facebook account.
- You will see a prompt for Software update required. We saw this prompt even after updating our headset, so we just ignored the warning and clicked Continue.
- Choose whether you want to Continue without Facebookor Set up with Facebook. The first allows you to use an email as your username and create a new password, and the second allows you to continue signing in to your Quest 2 headset with Facebook. We recommend choosing the former as it ensures that you can log in even if your Facebook account is deleted. You can link Facebook to your account later if you want to access social features like Messenger on the headset.
- If you choose to continue without Facebook, create a new key. You will receive a 6-digit code tothe email associated with your Facebook account. Enter the code and select Continue .
- “Finish” your account setup. Meta will pull your name and date of birth from your old Facebook information, so you don’t have to do anything.
- Add your public nameto your account. You can choose to have a different name from your real Facebook name, in other words.
(Image credit: Android Central)
- Choose your privacy settings. You can be open to everyoneonly visible to Friends and family so you can control who follows you, or have a Solo account where no one can see your activity, but you can still follow others or invite others.
- Review and confirm your account information, then open www.meta.com/device .
- Put the headphones back on. If you successfully upgraded your headset and associated with your old account, you should see an 8-digit codepop-up . Enter that code and you will have successfully logged into your Meta account!
- Whether or not you used your mobile app to set up, you will be signed out of your account. Reopen the app and sign in to your account with your new credentials.
Your new Meta account will be very basic once you successfully create it, and you may decide that you want to change your privacy settings. To make changes to your Meta account, put on your headset and select the Profile icon on the toolbar.
First, you can Edit Profile to change your public name , public bio, and username . You can change the first two options whenever you want, but choose your username carefully, because Meta only allows you to change it every six months.
Then select Edit Avatar to create an avatar that will appear in Horizon Home when people view your profile. It could also be what appears in Horizon Worlds, although we’re not sure about that. You can customize your face, body shape and clothes.
Lastly, you can customize your privacy settings more specifically than you could before, which is found in the ellipsis menu. You can change what your friends can see in terms of your activity and play history, or even remove specific games from your viewable library in case you don’t want people knowing you can actually join them for a Population: One game. but I just don’t want
Re-add your Facebook or Instagram account
We like that you no longer need Facebook to play Quest, but you may still want to be able to message your friends on Messenger or be able to find friends more easily. Once you create a new Meta account without Facebook, it’s easy to add the app after the fact.
Go to Quick Settings > Settings to find a new Meta Accounts Center option at the bottom right. Click on it and select Profiles > Add accounts to find the option to add a Facebook or Instagram account. Then you simply need to log in with your credentials and you will have access to these apps again.
A new era for Quest 2 games
Anecdotally, we know of many people who were interested in buying a Quest 2 and enjoying their huge library of great Quest 2 games, but were scared off by the Facebook requirement and how it made the Quest feel like a VR headset. Facebook. Even though it’s still owned by Meta, Quest 2 could find plenty of new fans now that its blatant association with Facebook is gone.
If you are interested in purchasing a new Quest 2 device, you will be prompted to create a Meta account directly without the need for a Facebook account. Unfortunately, Meta increased the price of Quest 2 around the same time it dropped its Facebook requirement. Our guide to the 128GB vs. 256GB Quest 2 will help you decide if it’s worth upgrading or if you can get by with less storage.