Meta released a web tool letting you manually update your Quest headset to the latest system software version.
By default Quest system software, or Horizon OS as it's now technically called, automatically "rolls out" to headsets gradually over days or even weeks.
The new Meta Quest Software Update Tool is a webpage that uses the WebUSB API to sideload the latest update to your USB-connected Quest headset instead.
WebUSB works on Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS, and even Android via Chromium browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, and Samsung Internet. That means you can use the Meta Quest Software Update Tool on almost any host device except an iPhone or iPad, and if you're using a Mac you'll need to use a browser other than Safari.
To access the tool you'll need to be signed in to Meta.com with the country set to the US. That's not to say you need a US account, to be clear, you just need to set the site region to 'United States'.
The tool will guide you through putting your headset into Sideload Update mode. With your headset off, you hold down the power and volume down buttons together until the Meta logo appears, then release them. Using the volume buttons, you select Sideload Update. Finally, you connect the headset to a PC or Android phone and the tool will install the latest software update.
This won't reset your headset, and you'll keep all your apps, files, and data.
David Heaney
While using this new tool will put your headset on the latest software version, it's important to note that this doesn't actually give you all the latest features. Meta often releases new features as sub-updates, and these are rolled out dynamically as dictated by Meta's servers. That includes the major Quest 3 passthrough improvement in v66.
You'll still be able to get most new features though, and Meta describes the purpose of the tool as to "help fix software-related issues such as slow performance and unresponsive apps".
