How to clean the Oculus Quest 2 lenses: tips and tricks for a clear VR experience
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The way you see the virtual world through your Quest 2 VR headset can be better or worse depending on its lenses, as they're sitting directly between your eyes, and its display.
Keeping those lenses pristine is important for you to have a consistently good VR experience, and is a regular process, as the lenses often tend to get smudgy and foggy.
We're here to help you clean your Quest 2 lenses the right way, so you can go right back to playing VR games, with perfect clarity!
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The lenses are basically your window into the virtual world. When you put on your Quest 2 headset, your eyes rest directly in front of them, and through them you see the screen that makes all the magic happen.
Over time, and sometimes quite often, the Quest 2 lenses can get foggy, especially if you're using your VR headset in warm weather, which results in your VR experience being blurry and much harder to see.
Additionally, depending on how you handle your Quest 2, the lenses can also get smudges quite easily. Once again, this results in lowering the fidelity of your VR experience.
Luckily, this is all normal, happens to every Quest 2 user, and is very easy to fix.
Although you may be tricked into thinking that the Quest 2's lenses are (or should be) made out of glass, they are actually plastic; polycarbonate to be specific.
This shouldn't be too much of a surprise, considering it's what pretty much all VR headsets use, however.
Plastic makes the headset lighter, which is desirable, not to mention the Quest 2 is a budget one after all. But there is a downside you need to be careful with – the Quest 2's plastic lenses can scratch quite easily if the headset isn't handled carefully.
If your Quest 2 lenses have gotten foggy or smudgy, simply take a dry microfiber cloth and gently wipe each lens in a circular motion, moving outwards.
Do not use any liquid or chemical cleansers, as those can quickly damage the lenses. A microfiber cloth should do the job perfectly well alone.
As mentioned earlier, the Quest 2's lenses are plastic, and thus can scratch quite easily, which can ruin your VR experience irreversibly, and lead to a costly repair, or having to buy an entirely new headset
So, handling your Quest 2 with care is important, and although it's unlikely that you'll get it scratched simply using it at home, it can happen as soon as you start traveling with it. It's not recommended to just throw it in a bag; instead you may want to consider getting one of the following options:
A Quest 2 carrying case like the one above will protect your Quest 2 all-around, during transportation. It's also a good way to store your Quest 2, keeping it pristine – no dust collection, no exposure to sunlight (which too can damage the lenses).
If a carrying case is too bulky and you'd rather go without – a much cheaper and more compact solution would be getting a Quest 2 lens cover, like the one we've shown above. Lens covers like it go over the lenses, and can protect them against sunlight and scratches.
It's not recommended to use pre-moistened wipes, or any wipes that may have cleaning chemicals in them. As mentioned earlier, it's best to use a dry microfiber cloth alone, to avoid damaging your Quest 2 lenses.
In hot weather, you'll find that your Quest 2 lenses tend to get foggy quite often, perhaps during every playthrough, so clean as often as you feel necessary.
At the very least, you may want to start a habit of wiping them down with a microfiber cloth each time before you put on your headset. Even in colder weather, the lenses could often become smudgy, so in order to have the best, clear VR gaming experience, a wipedown once before each session should do the trick.
Water is not recommended for cleaning the Quest 2's lenses, and could end up damaging your headset. If you accidentally wiped down the lenses with a wet cleaning cloth, give them a wipe with a dry cloth as soon as possible, and make sure the liquid doesn't spread far.
Paper towels might be able to absorb the water quick enough, so you can try wiping over and around your lenses with it.
The short answer is no. Meta itself makes it perfectly clear that the Quest 2's lenses can be damaged by cleaning chemicals, and using any liquid to clean them is not advised.
Simply use a dry microfiber cloth to clean your lenses in a circular motion, starting from the center and moving outwards.
Keeping those lenses pristine is important for you to have a consistently good VR experience, and is a regular process, as the lenses often tend to get smudgy and foggy.
Also check out:
Jump to:
- Why it's important to keep the Quest 2 lenses clean
- What are the Quest 2 lenses made out of?
- How to properly clean the Quest 2 lenses
- Quest 2 accessories to keep the lenses clean and scratch-free
- Can I use cleaning wipes for eyeglasses on my Oculus Quest 2 lenses?
- How often should I clean my Oculus Quest 2 lenses?
- What should I do if I accidentally get water on my lenses?
- Can I use alcohol or other solvents to clean the lenses?
Why it's important to keep the Quest 2 lenses clean
The lenses are basically your window into the virtual world. When you put on your Quest 2 headset, your eyes rest directly in front of them, and through them you see the screen that makes all the magic happen.
Additionally, depending on how you handle your Quest 2, the lenses can also get smudges quite easily. Once again, this results in lowering the fidelity of your VR experience.
Luckily, this is all normal, happens to every Quest 2 user, and is very easy to fix.
What are the Quest 2 lenses made out of?
Although you may be tricked into thinking that the Quest 2's lenses are (or should be) made out of glass, they are actually plastic; polycarbonate to be specific.
This shouldn't be too much of a surprise, considering it's what pretty much all VR headsets use, however.
Plastic makes the headset lighter, which is desirable, not to mention the Quest 2 is a budget one after all. But there is a downside you need to be careful with – the Quest 2's plastic lenses can scratch quite easily if the headset isn't handled carefully.
How to properly clean the Quest 2 lenses
Any microfiber cloth that's good for lenses will do the trick
If your Quest 2 lenses have gotten foggy or smudgy, simply take a dry microfiber cloth and gently wipe each lens in a circular motion, moving outwards.
Consider these Quest 2 accessories to keep the lenses clean and scratch-free
A carrying case for your Quest 2 is a must if you travel often
As mentioned earlier, the Quest 2's lenses are plastic, and thus can scratch quite easily, which can ruin your VR experience irreversibly, and lead to a costly repair, or having to buy an entirely new headset
So, handling your Quest 2 with care is important, and although it's unlikely that you'll get it scratched simply using it at home, it can happen as soon as you start traveling with it. It's not recommended to just throw it in a bag; instead you may want to consider getting one of the following options:
- A Quest 2 carrying case
- Quest 2 lens protectors / covers
A Quest 2 carrying case like the one above will protect your Quest 2 all-around, during transportation. It's also a good way to store your Quest 2, keeping it pristine – no dust collection, no exposure to sunlight (which too can damage the lenses).
Can I use cleaning wipes for eyeglasses on my Oculus Quest 2 lenses?
It's not recommended to use pre-moistened wipes, or any wipes that may have cleaning chemicals in them. As mentioned earlier, it's best to use a dry microfiber cloth alone, to avoid damaging your Quest 2 lenses.
How often should I clean my Oculus Quest 2 lenses?
In hot weather, you'll find that your Quest 2 lenses tend to get foggy quite often, perhaps during every playthrough, so clean as often as you feel necessary.
At the very least, you may want to start a habit of wiping them down with a microfiber cloth each time before you put on your headset. Even in colder weather, the lenses could often become smudgy, so in order to have the best, clear VR gaming experience, a wipedown once before each session should do the trick.
What should I do if I accidentally get water on my lenses?
Water is not recommended for cleaning the Quest 2's lenses, and could end up damaging your headset. If you accidentally wiped down the lenses with a wet cleaning cloth, give them a wipe with a dry cloth as soon as possible, and make sure the liquid doesn't spread far.
Paper towels might be able to absorb the water quick enough, so you can try wiping over and around your lenses with it.
Can I use alcohol or other solvents to clean the lenses?
The short answer is no. Meta itself makes it perfectly clear that the Quest 2's lenses can be damaged by cleaning chemicals, and using any liquid to clean them is not advised.
Simply use a dry microfiber cloth to clean your lenses in a circular motion, starting from the center and moving outwards.
Things that are NOT allowed: