Back in September, during their Connect event, Meta announced they had partnered with Microsoft to make Windows 11 PCs capable of wirelessly pairing with Quest headsets. Both companies have now revealed that this exciting feature is expected to be available for preview by December.
Once this feature rolls out, users with Quest 3 and Quest 3S headsets will be able to connect to Windows 11 PCs to create a multi-monitor workspace. This might ring a bell for Vision Pro owners or those familiar with Apple’s Mac, given Apple introduced a similar connectivity option via Mac Virtual Display earlier this year in February.
The public preview, planned for December, aims to cater to those seeking a boost in productivity. Microsoft is optimistic about the positive response from users and believes many will find this new capability advantageous.
In a blog post, Melissa Grant, Microsoft 365’s Senior Director of Product Marketing, explained, “Bringing Windows into mixed reality allows the full potential of Windows 11 to be realized on mixed reality headsets, beginning with Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S. Whether you’re accessing your local Windows PC or utilizing a Windows 365 Cloud PC with a Quest headset, the connection is both quick and seamless, offering users a private, high-quality multiple-monitor setup in no time.”
When the feature was first introduced at Connect in September, Meta highlighted the ease with which users can connect their PC by simply looking at the keyboard, swiftly accessing the computer and arranging windows across multiple virtual monitors. This is quite an upgrade from the Remote Desktop experience available with Meta’s Air Link.
While the Quest headsets have primarily served as leading standalone VR gaming consoles, Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is enthusiastic about this deeper Windows integration. He believes it’s a crucial step toward establishing Quest as a general computing platform.
“This is the direction we’re heading—towards building a comprehensive computing platform,” Zuckerberg shared. “It isn’t just about games, though the Quest does those exceedingly well. It’s about using it for applications, video streaming, and essentially everything else you’d typically do on a general-purpose computer. Quest really is the complete package.”
We’ll be monitoring the situation for any updates on the feature’s release and will make sure to provide more information once we learn more.
