Learn how to set up and configure your Unity 3D development environment to build VR apps for Meta Quest headsets. This tutorial provides setup instructions for the following components:

XR provider: Enables Unity to interface with Meta Quest devices and manages device tracking, input, and rendering.

Meta XR Core SDK: Provides tools and components to optimize and enhance VR development for Meta devices.

Project Setup Tool: Manages settings and dependencies for your Unity project.

If you're new to Unity development on Quest, check out the Hello World guide to create your first VR app.

Prerequisites

Before starting this tutorial, ensure you have the following:

Hardware requirements

Development machine running one of the following:

Windows 10+ (64-bit)

macOS Sierra 10.10+ (x86 or ARM)

Software requirements

Unity Editor 2022.3.15f1 or later (6.1 or later recommended)

Account requirements

Unity ID: Create or log in to your Unity account⁠

Add the Android Build Support module

Meta Quest devices run on Android OS and require the Unity Android Build Support module to build and deploy applications. Follow the installation steps below to add the module and required components:

Open Unity Hub.

Click Installs in the left navigation bar, which displays your Unity Editor versions.

If the pane is empty, click Install Editor and choose a compatible version. Meta Quest devices require 2022.3.15f1 or later (6.1 or later recommended). Click Install to start the installation process.

When complete, click Installs from the left navigation bar to confirm.

Next, select Manage > Add modules from the menu next to the Unity installation.

Select the following components and then click Install:

Android Build Support

OpenJDK

Android SDK & NDK Tools

Create a Unity project

Follow the steps below to create a new 3D Unity project in Unity Hub:

Select Projects in the left navigation bar, then click New project.

Select Unity Editor version 6.1 or later.

Select the Universal 3D template, an empty Unity 3D project built on the Universal Render Pipeline (URP).

Enter your project name, a save location, and a Unity organization.

Click Create project.

Set the build platform

In the Unity editor menu, select File > Build Profiles.

Under Platforms, select Meta Quest and click Enable Platform. If you already installed the profile, click the Switch Platform button.

If prompted to install com.unity.xr.openxr, click Install.

Unity versions prior to 6.1

If the Meta Quest platform is absent from your version of Unity, select the Android build platform.

For more information about Unity build settings, see Build Settings Overview.

Install an XR provider plugin

The XR provider plugin lets Unity support XR devices, including headsets. Choose the provider that supports your project’s requirements.

The following provider plugins support Meta Quest devices:

Unity OpenXR Plugin⁠ (recommended)

Recommended Version: 1.15.1

Requires Unity 6 or later, Meta XR SDKs v74 or later.

Oculus XR Plugin⁠ (legacy)

Recommended Version: 4.5.1

Requires Unity 2022 or later, Meta XR SDKs v73 or earlier.

Note: New platform features will not be added to the Oculus XR Plugin, and features released in Meta XR SDK versions v74+ might not be compatible with the Oculus XR Plugin. The Unity OpenXR Plugin is the recommended provider plugin going forward. If you are developing with SDKs on v74+, use Unity 6+ with the Unity OpenXR Plugin instead.

For more information about XR vendor plugins, see XR Plugin Management for Meta Quest.

Option A: Install the Unity OpenXR Plugin

All new projects should install the Unity OpenXR Plugin to get the benefit of all of the latest features and optimizations.

To install the OpenXR provider plugin:

Open any 3D project in the Unity Editor 2022.3.15f1 or later (6.1 or later recommended)

From the top menu of the Unity Editor, navigate to Edit > Project Settings to open the Project Settings window.

Select XR Plug-in Management in the Project Settings window.

If XR Plugin Management is not installed, select Install XR Plugin Management.

In the Windows, Mac, Linux settings tab, select OpenXR.

In the Android, Meta Quest settings tab, select OpenXR.

Close the Project Settings window.

From the top menu of the Unity Editor, navigate to Window > Package Management > Package Manager to open the Unity Package Manager window.

On the left-hand navigation menu, make sure In Project is highlighted. Underneath Search in Project, expand the Packages - Unity dropdown.

In the list of packages in the left menu, verify that there is a check mark beside the Unity OpenXR Plugin, indicating that the package is installed.

Note: Installing an XR plugin does not download and import the Meta XR SDKs in to your project. Make sure you add the Meta XR SDKs you need from the Unity Asset Store⁠.

For more information on how to setup the OpenXR Plugin, see the Unity OpenXR Plugin Settings documentation.

Option B: Install the Oculus XR Plugin

For projects built on Unity versions < 6 that use Meta XR SDKs < v74, install the Oculus XR Plugin.

To install the Oculus XR provider plugin:

Open any 3D project in the Unity Editor (version 2022 or 2023).

From the top menu of the Unity Editor, navigate to Edit > Project Settings to open the Project Settings window.

Select XR Plug-in Management in the Project Settings window.

If XR Plugin Management is not installed, select Install XR Plugin Management.

In the Windows, Mac, Linux settings tab, select Oculus.

In the Android settings tab, select Oculus.

Close the Project Settings window.

From the top menu of the Unity Editor, navigate to Window > Package Manager to open the Unity Package Manager window.

Note: For Windows, Window > Package Management > Package Manager

At the top left of the window, expand the Packages - Unity dropdown.

In the list of packages in the left menu, verify that there is a check mark beside the Oculus plugin, indicating that the package is installed.

Note: Installing an XR plugin does not download and import the Meta XR SDKs in to your project. Make sure you add the Meta XR SDKs you need from the Unity Asset Store⁠.

Import the Meta XR Core SDK

Meta develops and maintains several Unity SDKs for VR and extended reality (XR) app development. If you are just getting started, add the Meta XR Core SDK⁠ from the Unity Asset Store. This SDK includes the most essential components and assets for development.

Follow these steps to add the Meta XR Core SDK to your project:

Go to the Meta Quest Unity Asset Store⁠, and sign in using your Unity credentials.

Select or navigate to Meta XR Core SDK⁠.

Click Add to My Assets to add the package to your Unity account’s assets.

Click Open in Unity to open the Package Manager window in the Unity Editor.

Enter your Unity credentials if prompted.

In the Package Manager window, in the upper-right side of the window, click Install to install the SDK.

If prompted, click Enable for the Meta XR Feature Set to ensure the utilities function as expected.

If Unity prompts you to restart the Unity Editor, select Restart Editor.

For more details about Meta XR packages, see Meta XR Packages reference page.

Confirm Open XR features are enabled

You can enable and disable specific Open XR features at build time for testing your app.

For this project, make sure you enable the following features to access them on your Meta Quest headset:

Meta XR Feature

Meta XR Foveation

Meta XR Subsampled Layout

To locate and enable these features:

Navigate to Project Settings > XR Plug-In Management > OpenXR and select the Android tab.

Select Meta XR in the OpenXR Feature Groups section to display the list of Meta XR features.

Manage project dependencies using the Project Setup Tool

The Project Setup Tool is a Unity Editor extension that quickly configures and resolves dependency issues in Unity projects for Meta VR development. Follow the steps below to fix dependency issues in your project:

Select Meta > Tools > Project Setup Tool in the Unity Editor. Alternatively, click Meta XR Tools at the top of the Unity Editor, and select Project Setup Tool from the pop-up menu.

To resolve all outstanding issues for the Android platform, click Fix All.

To apply all recommended settings for the Android platform, click Apply All.

For more details about the Project Setup Tool, see the Project Setup Tool reference page.

For more information about configuring Unity projects manually, see Project Configuration Overview.