Windows Mixed Reality
More actions
| Windows Mixed Reality | |
|---|---|
| |
| Information | |
| Type | Mixed Reality |
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Operating System | Windows 10, Windows 11 (through version 23H2); Windows Holographic on HoloLens |
| Devices | Microsoft HoloLens, Microsoft HoloLens 2, Windows Mixed Reality Headsets |
| Accessories | Windows Mixed Reality motion controllers |
| Release Date | Announced January 21, 2015 (as Windows Holographic); consumer headset launch October 17, 2017 |
| Website | https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-hololens/en-us |
Windows Mixed Reality, formerly Windows Holographic, is a Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Software Platform incorporated in the Windows 10 operating system and later in Windows 11. It utilizes Microsoft HoloLens, an OHMD, to project Windows 10 apps and other high-definition digital imageries onto real life objects. Holographic allows users to interact with these virtual objects through gaze, gestures and voice commands. On PCs, the same platform drives opaque "immersive" headsets made by Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung and others, which use camera-based inside-out tracking instead of external sensors.[1][2]
Microsoft renamed the platform from Windows Holographic to Windows Mixed Reality in March 2017.[3] The PC headsets went on sale with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update on October 17, 2017.[2] In December 2023 Microsoft deprecated Windows Mixed Reality for PC headsets, and the feature was removed in Windows 11 version 24H2, released in October 2024. Headsets keep working with Steam on Windows 11 version 23H2 through November 2026, after which Microsoft says the platform will receive no further updates or support.[4][5] HoloLens 2 runs a separate operating system, Windows Holographic, which Microsoft was still updating in 2026.[6]
Announced on January 21, 2015, as Windows Holographic, the platform was introduced alongside Microsoft HoloLens.[7]
On June 1, 2016, at Computex, Microsoft announced that it was opening Windows Holographic, now Windows Mixed Reality, to third-party hardware partners, including HTC, Acer, Asus, Lenovo and HP.[8]
On August 28, 2017, Microsoft announced that games and experiences from Valve's Steam store would run on Windows Mixed Reality Headsets.[9]
History
Windows Holographic (2015-2016)
On January 21, 2015, Microsoft executive Terry Myerson wrote that "Windows 10 is the world's first holographic computing platform", with a set of APIs for developers to build holographic experiences, and introduced HoloLens as an untethered holographic computer. He described holograms as Windows universal apps.[7] The HoloLens Development Edition went on pre-order on February 29, 2016, at US$3,000, and began shipping to developers in the United States and Canada on March 30, 2016. Alex Kipman's announcement said that all Universal Windows apps could be made to work on Windows Holographic, and that Visual Studio projects and a HoloLens emulator would be released when the devices began shipping.[10]
At Computex on June 1, 2016, Myerson wrote that Microsoft had invited its OEM, ODM and hardware partners to build PCs, displays, accessories and mixed reality devices with the Windows Holographic platform, from fully immersive virtual reality headsets to untethered holographic computers. The partners named were Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, HTC, Acer, ASUS, CyberPowerPC, Dell, Falcon Northwest, HP, iBuyPower, Lenovo and MSI. Microsoft said the platform included "a holographic shell and interaction model, perception APIs, and Xbox Live services".[8]
Rename and developer kits (2017)
Microsoft began using the name Windows Mixed Reality on March 1, 2017. In a statement quoted by Thurrott.com, Microsoft said the new name was "more encompassing of the company's broader vision for the platform".[3] In a post published the same day for the Game Developers Conference, Kipman announced that developer kits built with Acer would start shipping that month. Device partners at that point were Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo and 3Glasses. Kipman said these were "the first mixed reality headsets to deliver built-in inside-out tracking", and that Microsoft planned to bring mixed reality to the Xbox One console family, including Project Scorpio, in 2018.[1] Acer and HP developer editions opened for pre-order in the United States and Canada on May 11, 2017, at US$299 (Acer) and US$329 (HP). Both had two 1440 x 1440 LCD panels, a 95-degree horizontal field of view and a native 90 Hz refresh rate, and connected over one cable carrying HDMI 2.0 and USB 3.0.[11]
The Xbox plan did not go ahead. In June 2018 Mike Nichols, Microsoft's chief marketing officer for gaming, told GamesIndustry.biz: "We don't have any plans specific to Xbox consoles in virtual reality or mixed reality".[12]
Consumer launch and SteamVR (2017-2018)
On August 28, 2017, Kipman said that bundles of a headset and motion controllers would start at US$399 and compatible PCs at US$499. He also announced that Steam content would run on the headsets and that 343 Industries was working on Halo experiences for mixed reality.[9] Pre-orders for five headsets (the Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset, Dell Visor, HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset, Lenovo Explorer and Samsung HMD Odyssey) opened on October 3, 2017, for release on October 17 with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. All five came with motion controllers. The same post welcomed the AltspaceVR team to Microsoft and introduced Halo Recruit, a first Halo experience in mixed reality.[2]
SteamVR support opened to all headset owners as a public preview on November 15, 2017. Road to VR noted that Microsoft's own store then offered 61 VR apps, which made access to Steam's catalog important for the platform.[13] The bridge software, "Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR", is a free Steam download published by Microsoft Studios; its store page lists a release date of April 30, 2018 and a minimum of the Windows 10 April 2018 Update.[14]
Later headsets and OpenXR (2018-2020)
Samsung announced the HMD Odyssey+ on October 22, 2018, priced at US$500 in the United States. It kept the 1440 x 1600 per-eye resolution of the original Odyssey and added a light-diffusing layer that Samsung said reduced the screen door effect.[15] HP announced the Reverb on March 19, 2019, with 2160 x 2160 panels per eye, at US$599 for the Consumer Edition and US$649 for the Professional Edition, available from late April 2019.[16]
On July 29, 2019, when the Khronos Group released the OpenXR 1.0 specification, Microsoft Technical Fellow Don Box said Microsoft was releasing "the first OpenXR 1.0 runtime that supports mixed reality, for all Windows Mixed Reality and HoloLens 2 users".[17] HoloLens 2 had been announced at MWC Barcelona on February 24, 2019, at US$3,500, with a field of view twice that of the original and hand and eye tracking.[18]
The HP Reverb G2, which Road to VR described in 2024 as the latest addition to the platform, was announced by HP on May 28, 2020, and developed with Valve and Microsoft. It cost US$599 in the United States, with availability from fall 2020. Valve designed the lenses and Microsoft supplied a four-camera inside-out tracking system that HP said doubled the controller tracking volume.[19][5]
Layoffs, deprecation and removal (2023-2026)
In January 2023, during company-wide layoffs, Microsoft cut the entire Mixed Reality Toolkit (MRTK) team and announced that AltspaceVR would close; the social platform shut down on March 10, 2023, as Microsoft moved its focus to Microsoft Mesh.[20]
Microsoft added Windows Mixed Reality to its list of deprecated Windows features in December 2023. The entry says the deprecation covers the Mixed Reality Portal app, Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR and Steam VR Beta, and that the feature "will be removed in Windows 11, version 24H2". Existing devices "will continue to work with Steam through November 2026" for users who stay on Windows 11 version 23H2; after November 2026 the platform receives no security updates, nonsecurity updates, bug fixes, technical support or online technical content updates.[4] Windows 11 version 24H2 launched on October 1, 2024, and removed support for all Windows Mixed Reality headsets, including those from Acer, Asus, Dell, Lenovo, HP and Samsung.[5] Microsoft's archived guides now state that Windows Mixed Reality devices "are not supported with Windows 11, version 24H2 and newer".[21]
HoloLens followed a separate schedule. In late September 2024 Microsoft told enterprise partners that it was discontinuing HoloLens 2, announcing a "Last Time Buy" of remaining stock, and said the headset would receive updates for critical security issues and major regressions through December 31, 2027; the original HoloLens received its final servicing update on December 10, 2024.[22] As of September 2026, Microsoft's release notes list "Windows Holographic, version 24H1 - September 2026 Update" as the latest HoloLens 2 release.[6]
In June 2025 Road to VR reported on an unofficial SteamVR driver, announced by a developer posting as "mbucchia" who said he was a Microsoft employee who had previously worked in its mixed reality division, meant to run the headsets on Windows 11 24H2 and later without the Mixed Reality Portal.[23] The free "Oasis Driver for Windows Mixed Reality", listed under developer Matthieu Bucchianeri, was released on Steam on August 29, 2025. Its store page lists headset and motion controller tracking, support for OpenVR and OpenXR applications, and compatibility with NVIDIA graphics cards and AMD cards from the RDNA series 5000 onward, but not Intel graphics.[24]
Features
- Users can interact with virtual objects. Gaze, gesture and voice are supported input methods.
- The OHMD (HoloLens) is mobile, untethered to your PC or another device.
- Computer vision is utilize to understand the device's environment.
Tracking
Microsoft's enthusiast guide describes a tracking system that uses two low-resolution, visible-light black-and-white cameras to find features in the room. The system triangulates the headset's position from those features and fuses the result with high-rate IMU data to produce a continuous pose, which gives six degrees of freedom. The PC stores environment data so it can recall the room boundary for each location. Microsoft notes that tracking needs enough light and visual detail, and does not work well in dark rooms, with a direct stream of sunlight into the room or in moving vehicles. Users cannot bring their own tracking hardware.[25] During setup, users choose between a seated and standing mode without a boundary, or a mode with a room boundary for room-scale apps.[21]
Motion controllers and input
The platform's motion controllers are tracked by the headset's sensors, so no hardware has to be mounted in the room. Early headsets paired the controllers to the PC over Bluetooth 4.0, while later models such as the Samsung Odyssey+ and HP Reverb have a Bluetooth radio built into the headset. Each controller runs on two AA batteries and has a thumbstick, touchpad, trigger, Windows button and Menu button; its LEDs are brightly lit while the headset is tracking it. An Xbox controller, a mouse and keyboard, or voice commands can also be used.[26]
Microsoft's design guidance groups interaction into three models: hands and motion controllers (HoloLens 2 and immersive headsets), hands-free input through gaze, dwell and voice (all devices), and gaze and commit, the main model for the first HoloLens. Far interaction with a 6DoF controller on an immersive headset uses the same patterns as hand interaction on HoloLens 2.[27]
Mixed Reality home
On PC headsets the system starts in the Mixed Reality home, which Microsoft compares to the desktop on a PC or the home screen on a phone. Users can walk within their boundary, teleport with a thumbstick or mouse, open the Start menu with the controller's Windows button, and decorate the home with app windows and holograms. Sound from each app window comes from its position in the home; Microsoft disables this spatial sound simulation on PCs with integrated graphics.[28] The Mixed Reality Portal desktop app handles setup and checks whether a PC meets the requirements.[29]
PC requirements
At launch Microsoft defined two PC tiers: Windows Mixed Reality PCs with integrated graphics running headsets at 60 fps, and Windows Mixed Reality Ultra PCs with discrete graphics running at 90 fps.[9] Microsoft's final published guidelines list the following minimums for most headsets.[29]
| Component | 90 Hz PCs | 60 Hz PCs |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 version 20H2 through Windows 11 version 23H2 | Windows 10 version 20H2 through Windows 11 version 23H2 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 4590, or AMD Ryzen 5 1400 3.4 GHz (desktop) | Intel Core i5 7200U with Hyper-Threading, or AMD Ryzen 5 1400 3.4 GHz (desktop) |
| RAM | 8 GB DDR3 | 8 GB DDR3 dual channel |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GTX 1060 or AMD RX 470/570 (DX12-capable discrete GPU) | Intel HD Graphics 620, NVIDIA MX150, GTX 1050 or 965M, or AMD Radeon RX 460/560 |
| Display output | HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.2 | HDMI 1.4 or DisplayPort 1.2 |
| Other | USB 3.0, Bluetooth 4.0, WDDM 2.2 driver, 10 GB free disk space | USB 3.0, Bluetooth 4.0, WDDM 2.2 driver, 10 GB free disk space |
Higher-resolution headsets, the HP Reverb G2 and HP Reverb G2 Omnicept Edition, need at least an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 or AMD Radeon RX 5700, 8 GB of RAM, a DisplayPort 1.3 output and a USB 3.0 Type-C port with power delivery (or the included power adapter) for full resolution at 90 Hz.[29]
Hardware
Integrated Headsets
Windows 10 VR Headsets
- See also: Windows 10 VR
Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset
HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset
| Headset | Maker | Announced or released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acer and HP developer editions | Acer, HP | Pre-order May 11, 2017 | US$299 (Acer) and US$329 (HP); 1440 x 1440 per eye, 90 Hz[11] |
| Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset | Acer | October 17, 2017 | One of five launch headsets, sold with motion controllers[2] |
| Dell Visor | Dell | October 17, 2017 | Launch headset[2] |
| HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset | HP | October 17, 2017 | Launch headset[2] |
| Lenovo Explorer | Lenovo | October 17, 2017 | Launch headset[2] |
| Samsung HMD Odyssey | Samsung | October 17, 2017 | Dual AMOLED displays, 110-degree field of view, built-in AKG headphones[2] |
| Samsung HMD Odyssey+ | Samsung | October 22, 2018 | US$500; 1440 x 1600 per eye with an anti-screen-door diffuser[15] |
| HP Reverb | HP | Announced March 19, 2019 | 2160 x 2160 per eye; US$599 (Consumer) and US$649 (Professional)[16] |
| HP Reverb G2 | HP with Valve and Microsoft | Announced May 28, 2020 | US$599; Valve-designed lenses, four-camera tracking[19] |
Apps
Windows 10 Apps - HoloLens Apps
Ahead of the October 2017 launch Microsoft wrote that users would be able to use "the more than 20,000 apps in the Microsoft Store".[2] SteamVR games run through the Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR bridge, whose store page cites access to more than 2,000 titles.[14] The HP Reverb announcement in 2019 quoted Alex Kipman describing an ecosystem of more than 2,500 VR experiences.[16]
Developer
Windows Mixed Reality API is incorporated in all devices running Windows 10, even tablets and smartphones.
HoloLens UI/UX are designed around gaze input, gesture input and voice input or GGV. World coordinates, spatial sound and spatial mapping are environmental understanding features that provide the ability for virtual objects to interact with both the user and the world around them.
Developers can target HoloLens 2 and immersive headsets through OpenXR. The OpenXR runtime comes preinstalled on HoloLens 2, and the Windows Mixed Reality OpenXR runtime is installed and activated automatically for Windows Mixed Reality users and updated through the Microsoft Store; Microsoft gives Windows 10 version 20H2 as the minimum release for running OpenXR apps on immersive headsets. Without hardware, developers can use the HoloLens 2 Emulator or the Windows Mixed Reality Simulator. Microsoft also publishes an "OpenXR Tools for Windows Mixed Reality" app and a BasicXrApp sample for Visual Studio.[30]
Tools
The Mixed Reality Toolkit (MRTK) is an open-source, MIT-licensed Microsoft project of components for cross-platform mixed reality development in Unity. MRTK version 2 supports HoloLens and HoloLens 2, Windows Mixed Reality headsets, Meta Quest devices and SteamVR (through OpenXR), among other platforms. Development of version 3 and later moved to a separate MixedRealityToolkit organization on GitHub, and Microsoft recommends that apps migrate to it.[31]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Alex Kipman (2017-03-01). "Windows Mixed Reality dev kits shipping this month". Windows Experience Blog. Microsoft. https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2017/03/01/windows-mixed-reality-dev-kits-shipping-month/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Alex Kipman (2017-10-03). "The era of Windows Mixed Reality begins October 17". Windows Experience Blog. Microsoft. https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2017/10/03/the-era-of-windows-mixed-reality-begins-october-17/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Paul Thurrott (2017-03-01). "Yes, Microsoft Just Quietly Renamed Windows Holographic". Thurrott.com. https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/105785/yes-microsoft-just-quietly-renamed-windows-holographic. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Deprecated features in the Windows client". Microsoft Learn. Microsoft. 2026-09-23. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/deprecated-features. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Scott Hayden (2024-10-02). "Windows 11 No Longer Supports Microsoft's Windows VR Headsets Following October Update". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/windows-11-drops-wmr-support-24h2/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "HoloLens 2 release notes". Microsoft Learn. Microsoft. 2026-09-08. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/hololens/hololens-release-notes. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Terry Myerson (2015-01-21). "The Next Generation of Windows: Windows 10". Windows Experience Blog. Microsoft. https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2015/01/21/the-next-generation-of-windows-windows-10/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Terry Myerson (2016-06-01). "Opening Windows Holographic to Partners for a New Era of Mixed Reality". Windows Experience Blog. Microsoft. https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2016/06/01/opening-windows-holographic-to-partners-for-a-new-era-of-mixed-reality/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Alex Kipman (2017-08-28). "Windows Mixed Reality holiday update". Windows Experience Blog. Microsoft. https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2017/08/28/windows-mixed-reality-holiday-update/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ Alex Kipman (2016-02-29). "Announcing Microsoft HoloLens Development Edition open for pre-order, shipping March 30". Microsoft Devices Blog. Microsoft. https://blogs.windows.com/devices/2016/02/29/announcing-microsoft-hololens-development-edition-open-for-pre-order-shipping-march-30/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Windows Apps Team (2017-05-11). "Windows Mixed Reality Dev Kits available for pre-order". Windows Developer Blog. Microsoft. https://blogs.windows.com/windowsdeveloper/2017/05/11/windows-mixed-reality-dev-kits-available-pre-order/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ Sarah Wells (2018-06-21). "Microsoft backpedals on VR promise". TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/21/microsoft-backpedals-on-vr-promise. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ Ben Lang (2017-11-15). "Windows Mixed Reality VR Headsets Can Now Play Games on Steam". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/windows-vr-mixed-reality-steam-support-steamvr-preview/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR". Steam. Valve. https://store.steampowered.com/app/719950/Windows_Mixed_Reality_for_SteamVR/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Ben Lang (2018-10-23). "Samsung Odyssey+ Windows VR Headset Revealed with "Anti-SDE" Display". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/samsung-odyssey-plus-price-anti-sde-display/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 "HP Unveils Cutting-Edge Virtual Reality Headset at Global Partner Conference". HP Newsroom. HP Inc.. 2019-03-19. https://www.hp.com/us-en/newsroom/press-releases/2019/hp-unveils-cutting-edge-virtual-reality-headset-at-global-partner-conference.html. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ "Khronos Releases OpenXR 1.0 Specification Establishing a Foundation for the AR and VR Ecosystem". Khronos Group. 2019-07-29. https://www.khronos.org/news/press/khronos-releases-openxr-1.0-specification-establishing-a-foundation-for-the-ar-and-vr-ecosystem. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ Frederic Lardinois (2019-02-24). "Say hello to Microsoft's new $3,500 HoloLens with twice the field of view". TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/24/say-hello-to-microsofts-new-hololens-with-twice-the-field-of-view/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 "HP, Valve, and Microsoft Removing Distance Barriers with Next-Gen Virtual Reality Headset". HP Newsroom. HP Inc.. 2020-05-28. https://www.hp.com/us-en/newsroom/press-releases/2020/hp-valve-microsoft-next-gen-virtual-reality-headset.html. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ Scott Hayden (2023-03-09). "Microsoft is Shutting Down Pioneering Social VR Platform 'AltspaceVR' Tomorrow". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/microsoft-social-vr-xr-interface-layoffs/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Before you start - Enthusiast Guide". Microsoft Learn. Microsoft. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/mixed-reality/enthusiast-guide/before-you-start. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ Scott Hayden (2024-10-01). "Microsoft Discontinues HoloLens 2, Support to End in 2027 with No Successor in Sight". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/microsoft-hololens-2-discontinued-support-2027-hololens-3/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ Scott Hayden (2025-06-09). "Unofficial SteamVR Driver Will Reportedly Enable Support for WMR Headsets on Latest Windows Versions". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/unofficial-steamvr-windows-11-mixed-reality-driver/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ "Oasis Driver for Windows Mixed Reality". Steam. Valve. https://store.steampowered.com/app/3824490/Oasis_Driver_for_Windows_Mixed_Reality/. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ "How inside-out tracking works - Enthusiast Guide". Microsoft Learn. Microsoft. 2017-12-10. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/mixed-reality/enthusiast-guide/tracking-system. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ "Controllers in Windows Mixed Reality - Enthusiast Guide". Microsoft Learn. Microsoft. 2020-09-15. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/mixed-reality/enthusiast-guide/controllers-in-wmr. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ "Instinctual interactions". Microsoft Learn. Microsoft. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/design/interaction-fundamentals. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ "Your Mixed Reality home - Enthusiast Guide". Microsoft Learn. Microsoft. 2017-12-10. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/mixed-reality/enthusiast-guide/your-mixed-reality-home. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 "Minimum PC hardware guidelines - Enthusiast Guide". Microsoft Learn. Microsoft. 2022-11-22. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/mixed-reality/enthusiast-guide/windows-mixed-reality-minimum-pc-hardware-compatibility-guidelines. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ "Getting started with OpenXR". Microsoft Learn. Microsoft. 2021-10-14. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/develop/native/openxr-getting-started. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
- ↑ "MixedRealityToolkit-Unity". GitHub. Microsoft. https://github.com/microsoft/MixedRealityToolkit-Unity. Retrieved 2026-09-29.