SteamVR Headset Not Detected [Fix]

Is SteamVR not detecting your headset on your PC? Several users have complained that they are unable to connect their SteamVR headset as it is not detected on their computers. When you face this issue, the following prompt will appear:

Headset Not Detected
Make sure your headset is connected properly, then reset it below.

This issue can be frustrating as it keeps you away from enjoying your VR games and other content on your system. If you are one of the affected users, try the fixes we have mentioned in this post.

Why is my SteamVR headset not detected?

Here are the potential causes why your SteamVR headset is not detected on your system:

• The problem is most likely caused by a loose connection. So, make sure your headset is properly connected to your PC to avoid this issue.
• Lack of administrator privileges to run the Steam app can also cause the issue at hand. Hence, if this applies, run the Steam client as an administrator to fix the issue.
• It can also be caused by outdated and corrupted monitors and USB drivers. So, try updating your device drivers and then connect your headset to your PC.
• In case you have enabled the USB power management feature in SteamVR, it can cause the headset detection issue. Hence, turn off USB power management to fix the problem.

You can try a suitable fix based on the scenario that best suits you.

SteamVR Headset Not Detected

Here are the fixes you can try if your Steam VR is not detecting the headset on your Windows PC:

1. Reboot your headset and PC.
2. Run Steam as an administrator.
3. Check if the headset is properly connected.
4. Update your device drivers.
5. Turn off USB power management.
6. Opt into SteamVR Beta.
7. Reinstall SteamVR.

1] Reboot your headset and PC

The first thing you should do to fix the issue is to restart your headset and PC. In multiple cases, a simple restart works wonders. So, before trying advanced troubleshooting methods, try restarting SteamVR and see if the issue is fixed. If that doesn’t work, reboot your headset as well as your computer, then check if the problem is fixed. To restart your headset, follow the steps below:

1. Firstly, open your SteamVR and press the right-click on the headset icon.
2. Now, choose the Devices > Reboot Headset option.

If restarting the devices doesn’t work, try the next potential fix to resolve the problem.

2] Run Steam as an administrator

The next thing you can do to resolve the issue is to relaunch the Steam client as an administrator. In multiple instances, a lack of essential permissions to run Steam can prevent SteamVR from working properly. And this can also result in the “SteamVR headset not detected” issue. So, if this applies, try running the Steam app with administrator rights.

You can simply navigate to the Steam shortcut on your desktop and then right-click it. After that, click on the Run as administrator option from the appeared context menu. Next, launch SteamVR and see if the headset is detected. If yes, you can make Steam run as an administrator whenever you open it. For that, you can try the steps below:

1. Firstly, open File Explorer and go to the location where the main application (exe) file of Steam is located.
2. Now, right-click on the Steam application and click on the Properties option from the context menu.
3. Then, navigate to the Compatibility tab in the Properties window.
4. After that, turn on the checkbox called Run this program as an administrator checkbox and press the OK button.
5. Once done, the Steam app will always run with admin privileges.

If this scenario is not applicable to you, try the next potential fix to resolve it.

Read: Fix Steam App Configuration Missing or Not available error.

3] Check if the headset is properly connected

If your headset is not properly connected to your computer, you will face the problem at hand. Hence, double-check your connections and make sure the headset is properly connected.

You can try connecting your device to some other USB port and see if it resolves the issue. Try using the UBS 2.0 port to make the connection, as the problem might be caused by some USB 3.0 and 3.1 chipsets. Additionally, try connecting your SteamVR headset directly to your computer.

Another thing you can try is power cycle your Link Box. To do that, here are the steps to use:

1. First, remove your headset’s cords, then unplug the Link Box.
2. Now, open SteamVR and navigate to the Settings > Developer option.
3. Next, select the Remove All SteamVR USB Devices option and it will delete your SteamVR device memory.
4. Once the process is done, try reconnecting your headset and see if the problem is fixed.

If the problem persists, you can move on to the next potential fix to resolve the issue.

Read: Fix Shared IPC Compositor Connect Failed 306 on SteamVR.

4] Update your device drivers

This issue could be caused by outdated device drivers on your PC, especially monitor and USB drivers. Hence, if this applies, you can fix the issue by updating all your device drivers. Here are the methods to update your drivers:

1. Update your drivers by checking for Driver Updates under the Settings > Windows Update > Optional Updates section.
2. Download the drivers from the official website of the device manufacturer and install them on your PC.
3. You can use free driver update software to update device drivers automatically.
4. Try using the Device Manager app to conventionally update drivers.

If you are facing the issue even with up-to-date device drivers, move on to the next potential solution to fix the problem.

See: Shared IPC Compositor Invalid Connect Response (307) SteamVR error.

5] Turn off USB power management

The problem might be caused if you have enabled the SteamVR Power Management feature. This feature is useful and basically turns off your USB devices when not in use, but it may affect headset detection and cause the issue at hand. Now, to disable the SteamVR Power Management feature, follow the steps:

1. First, start SteamVR and open its Settings panel.
2. Now, go to the Developer tab and press the Disable Power Management button present under the Reset section.
3. Next, check if the headset is detected not.

Try the next potential fix if the issue is not resolved yet.

Read: How to fix SteamVR Error Code 436.

6] Opt into SteamVR Beta

You can consider using the beta version of SteamVR if the issue still persists. SteamVR Beta has many new features and includes bug fixes that might fix the issue at hand. You can try the steps below to opt into SteamVR beta:

1. Firstly, start Steam, hover the mouse over LIBRARY, and select the Tools option.
2. Now, right-click on SteamVR and then select the Properties option from the right-click context menu.
3. After that, go to the BETAS tab.
4. Next, press the beta – SteamVR Beta Update option from the drop-down menu present under the BETAS section.
5. Finally, exit the Settings window and open SteamVR to see if the issue is now fixed.

In case the problem still persists, we have one more fix for you. So, try the next potential fix to resolve the issue.

See: An error occurred while installing or updating the Steam game.

7] Reinstall SteamVR

If none of the above solutions worked for you, try uninstalling and then reinstalling the SteamVR app. The problem might be caused by an issue with the app itself. Hence, uninstall SteamVR via the Steam client. In the Steam app, go to LIBRARY and right-click on SteamVR. Then, press the Uninstall option from the context menu. Once the uninstallation is complete, reinstall SteamVR and then connect your headset. Hopefully, this will work for you if nothing else did.

Hopefully, this helps you fix the problem.

Why is my VR headset not connecting?

Your VR headset might not be connected to the USB port properly. Hence, check your cable connections and make sure the headset is properly connected. You can also try another USB port to connect the device, as there might be an issue with the current USB port.

How do I add VR headset to Steam?

To add the SteamVR headset to Steam, first launch the Steam client and install the SteamVR app. After that, plug in your VR-compatible headset to the PC and then wait until your SteamVR headset is detected and appeared. You can then try searching for your game on SteamVR and play it.

How do I fix Steam VR not working?

If your SteamVR is not working fine, try running the Steam app as an administrator. Other than that, try changing the PC power plan, updating your graphics driver, and disabling the SteamVR add-ons. If the issue still persists, try opting into SteamVR beta or disabling the in-game overlay feature in Steam.

Now read: SteamVR keeps telling to update the Graphics driver.