Forum Discussion

Ckpp2025's avatar
Ckpp2025
Explorer
4 months ago

Meta Quest 3 first update fails – looking for official OTA / manual update solution

Hello everyone,

I’m experiencing a serious issue with a brand new Meta Quest 3 and I’m hoping someone here can help.

The headset is brand new, straight out of the box. During the very first startup, it begins the mandatory system update, but gets stuck in an endless loop:
“Applying update” → reboot → “Applying update” → reboot.

I have already tried:
- Factory reset (multiple times)
- Power cycling
- Different Wi-Fi networks

Nothing helps. The device never finishes the update and never reaches the normal system UI.

I can enter the recovery menu and the base build/version shown there is:
49660200226600510

The web-based Meta update tool does not work and reports that the device is “not supported”.

My questions:
1. Is this a known issue with early Quest 3 firmware?
2. Is it possible to manually flash the headset using ADB sideload?
3. Does anyone have access to, or know how to obtain, the official FULL OTA update ZIP for Meta Quest 3?
4. Has anyone successfully recovered a Quest 3 from this “Applying update” boot loop?

I want to avoid using unofficial or incremental firmware files and would prefer an official OTA package if possible.

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!

10 Replies

  • steve_40's avatar
    steve_40
    Honored Visionary
    4 months ago

    the base build/version shown there is: 49660200226600510

    Current version is 51563850146500520.

    When the new headset is being set up, it will download an update and reboot. It will then show another update bar in the eyepieces, while the update is being applied. Then it might restart again and/or possibly show another update or downloading bar as additional apps are initialized and/or updated. Once, after an update, my headset sat on a black screen for 5-10 minutes before everything suddenly loaded up and started working (it gave me the cold sweats, thinking it had bricked itself 😅)

    The web-based Meta update tool does not work and reports that the device is “not supported”.

    That's not a good sign. Either the device is faulty, or you possibly interrupted the software update process by factory resetting/ rebooting the headset in the middle of its update and possibly bricked it.

    If I were you, I'd return the device to the store where you bought it and get a replacement or refund.

    BUT, if you want to try to fix it yourself, see this YouTube video here.

     

    • Ckpp2025's avatar
      Ckpp2025
      Explorer
      4 months ago

      so I know what the current version is. I read that it is with this build that I have problems updating, because I updated for 25 glasses and I understand how the update process works and only 2 glasses in my case do not want to update and have such a problem.

    • Ckpp2025's avatar
      Ckpp2025
      Explorer
      4 months ago

      regarding the update, as shown in the video, the gpt chat told me that it wouldn't work, since it was updating an already installed system, and I needed a full official FULL OTA

      • steve_40's avatar
        steve_40
        Honored Visionary
        4 months ago

        Are you talking about an online EDL (emergency download mode)? As far as I have read online, Meta won't release anything like that. You'd have to send the unit back for replacement.

    • steve_40's avatar
      steve_40
      Honored Visionary
      4 months ago

      Yes. The solution is to RMA your headset or buy a new one.

      • Ang_gur's avatar
        Ang_gur
        Honored Guest
        3 months ago

        You don't understand, some people, like me and apparently the thread's creator, have the problem that we ordered our Quests from another country, and now we can't download the update the normal way. We need to do it directly from a computer via a wired connection using ADB. Otherwise, we won't be able to do it, or it's much more problematic. If we're looking for a solution to this problem, we search for it in the GPT chat. And he recommends downloading and installing an OTA update archive somewhere. :))

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