Why Does My Oculus Quest Keep Crashing?

I love the Oculus Quest and Quest 2, but some people are facing the black screen of death as their headset crashes. How do I stop Oculus from crashing? There are many reasons why your headset might be crashing, so I’ll help you figure out what’s happening and how to fix it.

Why Does My Oculus Quest Keep Crashing?

The Oculus Quest most often crashes due to charging issues, inability to connect with nearby devices, or issues with the proximity sensor. You can fix most of these issues by fully charging or restarting the headset. If that doesn’t work, then a factory reset will often clear out the issue.

Why does my Oculus Quest keep freezing? 

I’m going to walk you through the most common reasons why your Quest keeps shutting down and how you can fix it.

Read on and we’ll start troubleshooting your headset.

The Black Screen of Death

Known as the black screen of death, this is what you’ll commonly see if your Oculus Quest isn’t working properly. 

Sometimes the headset loads, but you’ll just see a black screen in front of you. 

Other times the headset won’t turn on at all.

This can also happen once you turn on the headset, or it can interrupt games and other apps. 

While it might appear somewhat differently each time, this all results in you being unable to load further apps or do anything with the headset.

I suggest following each troubleshooting step until you discover exactly what the real problem is.

Charge the Headset

The very first thing I would suggest is charging the headset. 

This is especially true if the headset won’t even turn on, but it’s also a good idea if the headset is turning on but crashing.

If the battery is very low or if the headset is being inadequately charged, then this can lead to it shutting down unexpectedly.

Plug your Quest into a compatible charger and allow it to fully charge. 

If the battery isn’t charging, then there may be something wrong with the charger.

Poor battery power also makes it hard for Quest to connect with nearby devices, which can lead to crashing and other issues.

Just let it sit until the battery is fully charged. 

If this doesn’t fix the problem, then continue on to the next step.

Open the Oculus Menu

Many people don’t know that you can sometimes open the Oculus menu even if apps are crashing or the screen is black. 

Being able to do this may help you bypass the black screen of death.

This likely won’t work if the headset isn’t turning on, but I would suggest trying it if the screen turns on but is black.

Start by pressing the menu button on the left controller. 

You can then try pressing the Oculus button on your right controller. 

The best scenario is that this opens the menu. You should then attempt to load an app.

Why does my Oculus Quest 2 keep shutting down? 

In this case, the headset might just be getting stuck on the loading screen. 

This quick-fix might completely correct the problem, but sometimes it’s only a temporary fix.

Check the Oculus App

Open your phone and check the Oculus app. 

Launch the app and enter your login credentials. 

This will often automatically enter your login credentials, but sometimes you have to do it manually.

You’ll next want to ensure that the app can locate your headset. 

If not, then now is the time to attempt connecting the two. 

You should then try to launch a game via the Oculus app.

You should then put on the headset and see if the game is working correctly.

If you have problems pairing the two, then make sure the Bluetooth feature is active on your phone. 

You’ll also want to ensure that your headset is charged and on.

Is the Oculus Quest getting discontinued? Many people who have trouble pairing their devices ask this question. 

The truth is that the original Quest has been discontinued, but Quest 2 is still being sold. 

Regardless of being discontinued, you should still be able to pair the devices.

Update Software

Sometimes this problem occurs due to the Quest needing a software update. 

Maybe the older software version has a bug, or maybe it’s been deprecated and you need an update. 

Regardless of the reason, checking for a software update can be very helpful.

There are several ways of updating your Oculus Quest.

The most direct way is through the Quest itself.

Open the Oculus menu with your touch controller and then go to “Quick Settings.” You should then go to “Settings” from there. 

Choose “Software Update” and then allow the Quest to search for and download updates.

The problem here is that this only works if the Oculus Quest is responsive. 

If the screen is black, then you won’t be able to do this. 

Your Quest should automatically update if it’s being charged, so that’s another option.

If that’s not working, then you can download updates through your phone.

Open the Oculus app on your phone and then locate your headset. 

Go into the “Settings” menu and then download the updates. 

This should transfer right to the headset.

Also, be sure to let the Quest fully update. 

If you attempt to use the headset while it’s updating, then it may not work correctly. 

Allow it to fully update and see if the problem persists.

Proximity Sensor

The proximity sensor is what checks to see if you’re wearing the headset.

It’s also responsible for many motion-based movements. 

If the sensor is having problems, then it may keep the screen black or cause apps to crash.

You can find this sensor between the lenses on your Quest. Use your thumb to cover the sensor. 

This should cause the black screen to clear up. 

If not, then use a microfiber cloth and clean the sensor. 

You’ll be surprised to know that this can become a problem with older headsets, so be sure to clean this every now and then.

Hard Reboot

A hard reboot can help clear out issues like this.

While this can be good in this case, it can cause problems if done too frequently.

Hold the power button for about 10 seconds. 

This will cause the Oculus Quest to completely turn off. 

Give it a full minute and then press the power button again to turn it on.

This usually clears up random problems like the screen not working or apps crashing. 

If not, then try to next troubleshooting step.

Factory Reset

This is the final option because it will wipe all your preferences, software, downloads, and everything else.

At the same time, it might be the only option that works. 

A factory reset restores the headset to its original software.

Hold both the power and volume down button for 10 seconds.

This will cause a new menu to appear on the Oculus Quest. 

Use the volume buttons to move around in this menu. 

Choose the “Factory Reset” option.

Press the power button to confirm your selection.

This can take 10 to 20 minutes depending on how much software is currently loaded on your Quest.

You will have to redownload all your apps after this, but the good news is that it should all be available through your profile. 

You shouldn’t have to buy these apps again.