Meta Quest Touch Plus Controllers

Meta Quest Touch Plus Controllers
Basic Info
VR/AR	Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality
Type	VR Controllers
Subtype	6DoF motion controllers
Platform	Meta Quest
Creator	Meta
Developer	Meta
Manufacturer	Meta
Announcement Date	June 1, 2023
Release Date	October 10, 2023
Price	Included with Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S; replacement units sold individually
Website	https://www.meta.com/quest/accessories/quest-touch-plus-controller/
Versions	Left, Right
Requires	Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S; also supported by the announced Meta VR Glasses (due spring 2027)
Predecessor	Meta Quest Touch Controllers (Quest 2)
Successor	None announced
Tracking
Tracking	Ringless optical (infrared LEDs) fused with headset hand tracking and inertial sensors
Base Stations	None (inside-out, headset-tracked)
Rotational Tracking	Yes
Positional Tracking	Yes
Connectivity
Connectivity	Wireless (paired to headset)
Bluetooth	Yes (wireless pairing)
Power	Single AA battery (one per controller); optional rechargeable lithium-ion via charging dock
Battery Life	Approximately 30 hours per AA battery
Device
Dimensions	Approximately 126 x 67 x 43 mm per controller
Weight	Approximately 126 g per controller (including AA battery)
Material	Plastic housing with wrist strap
Haptics	TruTouch haptics (single voice coil motor actuator)
Color	White
Sensors	Infrared tracking LEDs, IMU (accelerometer, gyroscope), capacitive touch sensors
Input	Thumbstick, two face buttons, trigger (two-stage), grip button, menu/system button, capacitive thumbrest
Compliance	Meta Quest platform

The Meta Quest Touch Plus Controllers are a pair of wireless 6DoF motion controllers developed by Meta for its Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S mixed reality headsets. Announced on June 1, 2023 and shipped with the Quest 3 at its October 10, 2023 launch, the Touch Plus controllers are most notable for removing the large plastic tracking ring that had been a fixture of every Meta consumer motion controller since the original Oculus Touch in 2016. In place of the ring, Meta moved the infrared tracking emitters into the controller body and combined optical tracking with the headset's camera-based hand tracking and the controller's own inertial sensors. The Touch Plus uses the "TruTouch" haptics branding that Meta first applied to the Touch Pro controllers, adds a two-stage analog trigger, and is lighter and more compact than the previous generation. Each controller is powered by a single replaceable AA battery, and the two units are paired one-for-one with the headset rather than sold as a tracked set requiring external base stations.

In 2026 Meta added new uses for the controllers. A Horizon OS 2.7 feature called Gamepad Mode, which UploadVR reported was rolling out in September 2026, lets Quest 3 and Quest 3S owners use the Touch Plus controllers in place of an Xbox gamepad, and at Meta Connect 2026 the company said its Meta VR Glasses, announced for spring 2027 at US$1,299.99, have "full compatibility with Touch Plus controllers"; the glasses do not include controllers, which are available separately.

Reviewed 25 September 2026. Meta VR Glasses Touch Plus support and all-black color, Horizon OS 2.7 Gamepad Mode, TruTouch and two-stage trigger claims, and the cited sources for the 2026 additions. About review dates.

History and development

Meta first revealed the Touch Plus controllers on June 1, 2023, when CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the Meta Quest 3 ahead of the company's June gaming showcase. The controllers were presented as the standard input device bundled in-box with every Quest 3, while the higher-end Meta Quest Touch Pro controllers (originally shipped with the Meta Quest Pro) were positioned as a compatible upgrade option.

Additional technical detail was shared at Meta Connect in September 2023, with the controllers reaching consumers when the Quest 3 launched on October 10, 2023. When the more affordable Meta Quest 3S arrived in October 2024, it shipped with the same Touch Plus controllers, making them the shared controller for Meta's current consumer headset line. The design lineage runs from the original Oculus Touch through the Quest and Quest 2 generations. Road to VR noted at the announcement that the Touch Plus drops the tracking ring found on every Meta motion controller going back to the original Oculus Rift; the self-tracking Touch Pro had already done without a ring by using its own onboard cameras, so the Touch Plus is the first ringless Meta controller that is still tracked by the headset.

2026 updates

In July 2026, when Meta added Xbox Game Pass benefits to its Meta Horizon+ subscription, the company said a gamepad emulator "rolling out in the coming weeks" would map Meta Quest Touch controllers to function like an Xbox controller. Road to VR reported that Quest users had previously needed to pair a newer Xbox gamepad over Bluetooth for such games. UploadVR reported on 1 September 2026 that the feature, called Gamepad Mode, was rolling out in Horizon OS 2.7 (see Gamepad Mode below).

At Meta Connect 2026 on 23 September 2026, Meta announced the Meta VR Glasses, a device due in spring 2027 whose main inputs are the wearer's eyes, hand gestures and voice. Meta said the glasses have "full compatibility with Touch Plus controllers", and its developer page states that Touch Plus controllers are supported to access the full Meta Quest library, with controllers available separately. The glasses do not ship with controllers by default; owners can buy Touch Plus controllers separately or pair the ones from an existing Quest 3 or Quest 3S. UploadVR reported that the separately sold controllers will be offered in a new all-black color and that a bundle with controllers is planned "in some retail channels". Engadget described the Touch Plus support as what lets the glasses run every game available for Quest headsets.

Design

The main design change in the Touch Plus is the removal of the tracking ring. On earlier Meta controllers a ring studded with infrared LEDs arced above the user's hand so the headset cameras could see the controller's position. With the Touch Plus, Meta relocated those infrared LEDs into the controller's faceplate and added a single IR LED at the base of the handle, allowing the ringless body to be tracked optically. Without the ring, the controller is more compact. Each unit measures roughly 126 by 67 by 43 millimeters and weighs about 126 grams including its single AA battery, making the pair noticeably lighter and more compact than the Quest 2 controllers.

The controller retains a familiar layout: a thumbstick, two face buttons (A and B on the right controller, X and Y on the left), an analog index trigger, a grip button, and a menu or system button. A capacitive thumbrest provides a sloped surface that doubles as a comfortable resting position for the thumb. Meta also replaced the friction latch of the prior battery cover with a push-button release to keep the cover from detaching during vigorous gameplay. Reception of the ergonomics was generally positive, though reviewers with larger hands noted that the shorter handle stems can leave less room for the lower fingers compared with the bulkier Quest 2 design.

Tracking

Because the Touch Plus has no tracking ring and no external base stations, it relies on a hybrid approach. The headset's outward-facing cameras observe the infrared LEDs embedded in the controller body, while the controller's inertial measurement unit (accelerometer and gyroscope) supplies high-frequency motion data between camera frames. Meta fuses this optical and inertial data with the headset's computer-vision hand tracking, so the system can estimate where a controller is even when its LEDs briefly leave the cameras' view.

Meta used this fusion to deliberately reshape the tracking volume relative to the Quest 2. Coverage above the head was reduced, on the reasoning that players rarely hold their hands overhead for long, while coverage was improved around the torso, shoulders, and the space behind the user. During short tracking gaps the headset estimates controller positions from the available sensor data. The Touch Plus is an inside-out, headset-tracked controller and does not require the external Lighthouse-style base stations used by some PC VR systems.

Haptics and input

The Touch Plus carries Meta's "TruTouch" haptics branding, which it shares with the Touch Pro. Each controller carries a single voice coil motor (VCM) actuator in the body of the controller, delivering a wider and more nuanced range of vibration patterns than the simpler rumble of the Quest 2 controllers. This is a step up from older controllers but stops short of the more advanced Touch Pro, which adds localized haptic actuators in the trigger and thumbstick. According to Meta's developer documentation, the Touch Plus does not support the localized haptics of the Touch Pro.

The index trigger has two stages, a feature that Road to VR, reporting Meta's presentation, said no other Touch controller had at the time. The first stage is high-travel, low-force, and offers constant resistance, while the second stage is low-travel, high-force, and provides linearly increasing resistance. Pressing past the initial pull registers additional force as a separate, continuous value, enabling pressure-sensitive interactions. The trigger and other controls also expose capacitive and proximity sensing, allowing the system to detect when a finger is near or resting on an input before it is fully pressed. Unlike the Touch Pro, the Touch Plus omits the pinch sensor and the pressure-sensitive stylus nub.

When a user sets the controllers down, the Quest 3 and Quest 3S can fall back to controller-free camera hand tracking for navigation and supported applications.

Gamepad Mode

Gamepad Mode is a Horizon OS feature that lets Quest 3 and Quest 3S users emulate Xbox gamepad inputs on their Touch Plus controllers; UploadVR reported on 1 September 2026 that it was rolling out in Horizon OS 2.7. It is set up under Settings > Devices > Controllers. Because the Touch Plus has fewer physical buttons than an Xbox controller, the grip button or thumbrest acts as a modifier, similar to a Shift key: holding it turns certain controls into buttons the Touch Plus does not physically have. According to UploadVR, the feature is compatible with Xbox and Steam Link. Meta's July 2026 announcement presented it as a way to try Xbox games without pairing a gamepad. UploadVR wrote that the mode seems to work best in games that rely mostly on unidirectional inputs, such as casual and medium-paced action games, and noted that the in-headset documentation still recommends a physical Xbox controller for the best experience.

Power and accessories

Each Touch Plus controller is powered by a single AA battery, which yields roughly 30 hours of use per battery according to review testing. For users who prefer rechargeable power, Meta sells a charging dock and a set of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that drop into the same battery compartment. Meta's first-party rechargeable battery pack for the Touch Plus contains two lithium-ion cells (the same cells bundled with the Quest 3 Charging Dock and Compact Charging Dock) and is compatible with the Touch Plus controllers used by both the Quest 3 and Quest 3S.

Each controller ships with a wrist strap (lanyard) and a safety and warranty guide. Meta sells the left and right controllers individually as replacement parts rather than as a bundled pair, since the unit that ships in-box with every Quest 3 and Quest 3S is the same controller. Meta also offers optional Active Straps designed to fit the Touch Plus for a more secure grip during active play. The Active Straps are knuckle straps that attach in place of the lanyard (not at the same time) and fit the Touch Plus controllers used by the Quest 3 and Quest 3S.

Compatibility

The Touch Plus controllers are designed for, and are the default controllers of, the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S. Both headsets also remain compatible with the Meta Quest Touch Pro controllers as an alternative, giving users who want self-tracking and richer haptics an upgrade path. Conversely, the ringless Touch Plus is paired with the Quest 3 generation and is not the controller shipped with older Quest headsets.

The announced Meta VR Glasses (spring 2027) also support Touch Plus controllers. Meta designed that device around eye, hand and voice input and tells developers to build for gaze and pinch first and treat controllers as an option; Touch Plus controllers, bought separately or carried over from a Quest 3 or Quest 3S, give access to the full Meta Quest library there. MIXED noted that this lets Quest owners keep both their library and the input they learned it on.

Touch Plus versus Touch Pro

Feature	Touch Plus	Touch Pro
Shipped with	Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S	Meta Quest Pro
Tracking ring	No (ringless)	No (ringless)
Tracking method	Headset-tracked optical + IMU + hand-tracking fusion	Self-tracked via on-board cameras
Haptics	Single VCM actuator (TruTouch)	Multiple actuators incl. trigger and thumbstick (localized)
Two-stage trigger	Yes	No
Pinch sensor / stylus nub	No	Yes
Battery	Single AA (disposable or rechargeable via dock)	Rechargeable, charging dock

Sources: Road to VR; Meta developer documentation.

Specifications summary

Specification	Details
Type	Wireless 6DoF VR motion controllers (pair)
Compatible headsets	Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S; Meta VR Glasses (announced September 2026, due spring 2027)
Announced	June 1, 2023
Released	October 10, 2023 (with Quest 3)
Tracking	Ringless optical (IR LEDs) + IMU, fused with headset hand tracking
Base stations	None required
Haptics	TruTouch, single VCM actuator
Trigger	Two-stage analog index trigger
Inputs	Thumbstick, two face buttons, trigger, grip, menu/system button, capacitive thumbrest
Power	Single AA battery per controller (approx. 30 hours); optional rechargeable Li-ion via dock
Weight	Approximately 126 g per controller (with battery)
Dimensions	Approximately 126 x 67 x 43 mm per controller
In the box (replacement)	Controller, wrist strap, safety and warranty guide

See also

• Meta Quest 3
• Meta Quest 3S
• Meta Quest Pro
• Meta Quest Touch Pro Controllers
• Meta VR Glasses
• Oculus Touch
• Hand tracking
• VR Controllers