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Meta Quest Browser

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Meta Quest Browser
Information
Type Web browser
Industry Virtual reality
Developer Meta Platforms (originally Oculus VR)
Operating System Meta Horizon OS
Supported Devices Oculus Quest, Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S; earlier versions also ran on Samsung Gear VR and Oculus Go
Release Date December 9, 2016 (Carmel developer preview)
Website https://developers.meta.com/horizon/documentation/web/


Meta Quest Browser, known as Oculus Browser until 2022, is the built-in web browser of the Meta Quest line of standalone headsets. Meta's current help and developer pages often call it simply "Browser".[1][2] It is developed by Meta Platforms and uses the Chromium rendering engine.[2] Meta's developer documentation describes it as a browser that can open hosted 2D sites, screen-based 3D sites and immersive WebXR experiences.[3]

The browser began as Carmel, a WebVR browser that Oculus VR announced at its Connect developer conference in October 2016 and released as a developer preview for Samsung Gear VR on December 9, 2016.[4][5] Released as Oculus Browser, it ran on Gear VR, Oculus Go and the original Oculus Quest, turned WebXR on by default in version 7.0 and removed the older WebVR API in version 9.0.[6] In March 2026 the version number jumped from 42.3 to 144, a release that updated the browser to Chromium milestone 144; version 146.0 then moved to Chromium milestone 146.[7][8]

Reviewed 13 October 2026. Checked the lead, history, release table, features and comparison against Meta's browser specs, overview, help and release-note pages, the 2016 Carmel posts, archived 2020 and 2022 release notes, and the Road to VR, Engadget, UploadVR, MIXED and web.dev articles cited. About review dates.

History

Carmel (2016)

Oculus co-founder Nate Mitchell presented Carmel at the October 2016 Connect conference, alongside the React VR JavaScript framework. Road to VR reported that Oculus described the browser as optimized for performance, designed for navigation and input in VR, tightly integrated with Oculus Home and intended to run on any Oculus device.[4] Engadget reported that the on-stage demonstrations at Connect included a Renault vehicle configurator built with React.[9]

The developer preview arrived on December 9, 2016 as a Gallery app for Gear VR in the Oculus Store. Oculus engineers Justin Rogers and Michael Antonov wrote that the preview supported WebVR only, had no address bar and could not yet display ordinary 2D web pages. It was built on the Chromium codebase, so developers could debug it with Chrome remote debugging for Android, and it came with a starter kit of four samples (HelloWebVR, Gamepad, HTML5 Navigation and Pano).[5] UploadVR quoted Oculus as saying it was working "alongside our partners at Google, Microsoft, and Mozilla" toward a key milestone for the web, and reported that Oculus Rift support was expected later.[10]

Oculus Browser

The released product was named Oculus Browser. Its developer release notes from this period list the version-by-version changes. Version 5.0 took in updates from Chromium 62 through 66, and version 5.4 put WebXR behind an experimental flag and made WebGL multiview available by default. Version 6.0 moved to Chromium 74 and used zero-copy timewarp layers to cut buffer copies. Version 7.0 moved to Chromium 77 and enabled WebXR by default alongside WebVR, and version 7.1 added the WebXR Gamepad module for Quest, Go and Gear VR.[6]

Version 8.0 (Chromium 79) added fixed foveation and high and low refresh rate options for WebXR, and an experimental flag that let WebVR and WebXR pages be used with hand tracking by representing the hands as controllers. Version 8.3 introduced a redesigned interface and made desktop sites the default, initially for some users. Version 9.0 removed WebVR support and moved to Chromium 81, with the notes warning that some immersive pages would stop working until they updated to WebXR. Version 10.0 moved to Chromium 83.[6] In July 2020 Road to VR reported that version 10.2 added experimental full-finger hand tracking for WebXR; the hand tracking in version 8.0, released in February 2020, had been limited to controller emulation.[11]

On October 28, 2021, Meta product management lead Jacob Rossi announced that progressive web apps (PWAs) were coming to Quest and Quest 2. A web.dev guide by Google's Thomas Steiner and Alexey Rodionov said the browser at that time (version 18.1) was based on Chrome 95, rendered 2D content and WebXR at 90 Hz, and shared login state, permissions and passwords with installed PWAs.[12]

Meta Quest Browser (2022 onward)

Meta's developer release notes page was still titled "Oculus Browser Developer Release Notes" in June 2022.[13] By October 2022 the same page was titled "Meta Quest Browser Developer Release Notes".[14] In November 2022 Meta added Web Launch, which lets a website show a button that sends a URL to the user's headset; according to UploadVR, the headset then opens the page in Meta Quest Browser so that it is ready when the user puts the headset on. Matterport was the first major WebXR platform to use it.[15]

In February 2024 MIXED reported that Meta had resumed publishing browser release notes after nearly two years. Version 31.4 required system software version 62 or later and added WebXR support for using hands and controllers at the same time.[16] Version 32.0 moved to Chromium milestone 122, added WebGPU support and experimental WebXR body tracking, exposed extra Meta Quest 3 controller data (such as finger proximity and trigger force) to WebXR, and began an experimental beta of browser extensions that was not available to all users.[17] MIXED reported in March 2024 that LastPass was the only extension available at launch.[18] Version 32.3 used profile-guided optimization, which MIXED reported made the browser about 15 percent faster, and added an experimental PDF reader extension.[19]

Later 2024 releases moved the browser to Chromium milestone 124 (version 33.0)[20] and added Dolby Atmos playback on supported sites and WebXR support for the Logitech MX Ink stylus, which Meta's notes describe as a "6DoF pen controller with 2 buttons and 2 pressure sensitive areas" (version 35.1).[21] Version 36.2 merged the WebXR "Depth" and "Planes" permissions into one "Spatial" permission, installed the PDF reader by default and added password import from other browsers.[22]

2026 releases

Version 42.0 (January 26, 2026) tested a new New Tab Page design, and version 42.3 (February 18, 2026) added a dedicated private mode window. On March 2, 2026 Meta released version 144, which updated the browser to Chromium milestone 144; version 146.0 followed on April 21, 2026 with Chromium milestone 146 and experimental WebGPU and WebXR depth projection support.[8][7] Later 2026 releases added WebGPU support for space-warp layers (149.1), experimental WebGPU foveation and MV-HEVC video playback (150.1), and experimental WebGPU composition layers in WebXR (152.1, October 2, 2026).[8][23][24]

Selected releases

Version Date (per Meta's notes) Chromium Notable changes
5.0 62 to 66 Chromium web platform updates[6]
5.4 WebXR behind an experimental flag; WebGL multiview by default[6]
7.0 77 WebXR enabled by default[6]
8.0 February 2020 79 Experimental hand tracking through controller emulation; fixed foveation for WebXR[6][11]
9.0 81 WebVR removed[6]
10.2 July 2020 Experimental full-finger hand tracking for WebXR[11]
32.0 February 2024 122 WebGPU; experimental WebXR body tracking; extensions beta[17]
33.0 April 2024 124 Draggable tabs[20]
35.1 September 2024 Dolby Atmos; Logitech MX Ink in WebXR[21]
36.2 January 2025 Single "Spatial" WebXR permission; PDF reader installed by default[22]
42.0 January 26, 2026 Experimental New Tab Page design[8]
144 March 2, 2026 144 Version number jumped from 42.3; Chromium milestone 144[7]
146.0 April 21, 2026 146 Experimental WebGPU and WebXR depth projection[8]
146.1 May 11, 2026 Browser window can be anchored to a wall on Quest 3 and later[8]
150.1 August 28, 2026 Experimental WebGPU foveation; MV-HEVC playback[23]
152.1 October 2, 2026 Experimental WebGPU composition layers in WebXR[24]

Features

Browsing

The browser runs in a resizable window. Meta's specifications give a default size of 1280 by 670 pixels, a minimum of 500 by 495 and a maximum of 2000 by 1070. Desktop mode is the default; in mobile mode the user agent adds a "Mobile VR" token and the browser applies the page's viewport meta tag.[2] Meta's help center describes tabs, separate windows, bookmarks and a setting to turn off usage statistics and crash reports, which are shared by default.[1] The user agent string carries a device token: "Quest", "Quest 2", "Quest Pro", or "Quest 3", the last of which is also used by the Quest 3S and Quest 3S Xbox Edition. Meta advises developers to detect features such as WebXR directly instead of relying on the user agent.[2]

WebXR and web apps

Meta's documentation divides web development for the browser into 2D sites, which can be packaged as PWAs for the Meta Horizon Store, and 3D web content built with WebXR or Meta's Immersive Web SDK. Developers can also submit WebXR content for the browser's New Tab Page.[3] Meta introduced the Immersive Web SDK in early access in October 2025, built on Three.js; in the announcement Meta said that since Connect 2024 an average of more than one million users had engaged with WebXR experiences on Meta Quest each month.[25]

WebXR features exposed by the browser over the years include hand tracking, body tracking, fixed foveation, depth and plane data under the "Spatial" permission, and stylus input from the Logitech MX Ink.[6][17][21][22]

Reception and comparison

When Apple Vision Pro launched in February 2024, UploadVR tested the same WebXR hand-tracking sample on Vision Pro and Quest 3. It noted that WebXR was turned on automatically on Quest headsets, while on Vision Pro it had to be enabled in an advanced settings menu.[26] In April 2024 Igalia began moving its open-source Wolvic XR browser from Mozilla's Gecko engine to Chromium; UploadVR reported the switch as an effort to close the performance gap with Quest Browser and Pico Browser, which already used Chromium.[27]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Use the Browser with Meta Quest". Meta Quest Help Center. Meta. https://www.meta.com/help/quest/1095931284237787/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Browser specifications". Meta Horizon OS Developers. Meta. 2026-07-21. https://developers.meta.com/horizon/documentation/web/browser-specs/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Meta Quest Browser overview". Meta Horizon OS Developers. Meta. https://developers.meta.com/horizon/documentation/web/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Scott Hayden (2016-10-07). "Oculus to Support WebVR Through New VR Browser Codenamed 'Carmel'". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/oculus-support-webvr-new-vr-browser-codenamed-carmel/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Justin Rogers, Michael Antonov (2016-12-09). "Carmel Developer Preview Launches Today". Oculus Developer Blog. Meta. https://developers.meta.com/vr/blog/carmel-developer-preview-launches-today/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 "Oculus Browser Developer Release Notes". Oculus Developers. Facebook Technologies. Archived from the original on 2020-07-21. http://web.archive.org/web/20200721184554/https://developer.oculus.com/documentation/oculus-browser/browser-release-notes/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Browser Version 144 Release Notes". Meta Horizon OS Developers. Meta. 2026-03-02. https://developers.meta.com/horizon/downloads/package/browser/144/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 "Release notes". Meta Horizon OS Developers. Meta. https://developers.meta.com/horizon/release-notes/web/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  9. ↑ Timothy J. Seppala (2016-10-06). "Oculus is building a VR web browser, codenamed 'Carmel'". Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/2016-10-06-oculus-vr-web-browser-carmel.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  10. ↑ Jamie Feltham (2016-12-12). "Oculus Launches Developer Preview Of Its WebVR Browser, 'Carmel', On Gear VR". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/carmel-launches-developer-preview-gear/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Scott Hayden (2020-07-22). "Oculus Browser Gets Experimental Hand-tracking Support on Quest". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/oculus-browser-experimental-hand-tracking-support/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  12. ↑ Thomas Steiner, Alexey Rodionov (2022-01-10). "PWAs on Oculus Quest 2". web.dev. Google. https://web.dev/articles/pwas-on-oculus-2. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  13. ↑ "Oculus Browser Developer Release Notes". Oculus Developers. Meta. Archived from the original on 2022-06-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20220627143308/https://developer.oculus.com/documentation/web/browser-release-notes/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  14. ↑ "Meta Quest Browser Developer Release Notes". Oculus Developers. Meta. Archived from the original on 2022-10-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20221001154555/https://developer.oculus.com/documentation/web/browser-release-notes/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  15. ↑ David Heaney (2022-11-30). "Websites Can Now Add A Link To Launch A WebXR Experience On Your Quest". UploadVR. https://uploadvr.com/meta-quest-webxr-web-launch/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  16. ↑ Tomislav Bezmalinovic (2024-02-21). "Meta Quest Browser gets new features and improvements". MIXED. https://mixed-news.com/en/meta-quest-browser-update-31-4/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 "Browser 32.0 release notes". Meta Horizon OS Developers. Meta. 2024-02-27. https://developers.meta.com/horizon/downloads/package/browser/32.0/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  18. ↑ Tomislav Bezmalinovic (2024-03-19). "Meta Quest Browser gets beta support for browser extensions". MIXED. https://mixed-news.com/en/meta-quest-browser-extensions-beta/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  19. ↑ Tomislav Bezmalinovic (2024-04-17). "Meta Quest Browser gets performance boost and experimental PDF reader". MIXED. https://mixed-news.com/en/meta-quest-browser-better-performance-pdf-reader/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Browser 33.0 release notes". Meta Horizon OS Developers. Meta. 2024-04-24. https://developers.meta.com/horizon/downloads/package/browser/33.0/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 "Browser 35.1 release notes". Meta Horizon OS Developers. Meta. 2024-09-27. https://developers.meta.com/horizon/downloads/package/browser/35.1/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 "Browser 36.2 release notes". Meta Horizon OS Developers. Meta. 2025-01-01. https://developers.meta.com/horizon/downloads/package/browser/36.2/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Browser 150.1 release notes". Meta Horizon OS Developers. Meta. 2026-08-28. https://developers.meta.com/horizon/downloads/package/browser/150.1/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Browser 152.1 release notes". Meta Horizon OS Developers. Meta. 2026-10-02. https://developers.meta.com/horizon/downloads/package/browser/152.1/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  25. ↑ "Meet Immersive Web SDK: A New Era for Spatial Web Development". Meta for Developers. Meta. 2025-10-07. https://developers.meta.com/horizon/blog/immersive-web-sdk-new-era-spatial-web-development. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  26. ↑ Ian Hamilton (2024-02-08). "WebXR Sites Are Apple Vision Pro's First Cross-Compatible Destinations". UploadVR. https://uploadvr.com/webxr-vision-pro-cross-compatible-quest/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
  27. ↑ David Heaney (2024-04-10). "Wolvic WebXR Browser Switching To Chromium To Close Performance Gap With Quest Browser". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/wolvic-switching-to-chromium/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
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