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dipRio's avatar
dipRio
Protege
14 days ago

UE5.5 VR App on Meta Quest 3 Not Receiving Bluetooth Keyboard Input

Environment

  • Unreal Engine 5.5
  • Meta Quest 3
  • Using the VR Template (OpenXR)
  • The application starts directly in VR

Test Setup

  • Input is handled using either Enhanced Input or Input Key events
  • When a specific key is pressed, a corresponding number is displayed using the Text 3D plugin

Issue

  • A Bluetooth keyboard is successfully connected to the Meta Quest 3
  • The keyboard works correctly in system UI (e.g., search fields)
  • However, no key input is received inside the Unreal Engine APK (in VR mode)

What I Have Tried

Android Manifest modifications

Added the following via ManifestRequirementsAdditions.txt:

<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.keyboard" android:required="true"/>

Added the following via ManifestApplicationActivityAdditions.txt:

android:configChanges="keyboard|keyboardHidden|navigation"

Project Settings adjustments

  • Disabled Enable Improved Virtual Keyboard
  • Permissions added android.permission.BLUETOOTH_CONNECT
    android.permission.BLUETOOTH_SCAN
    android.permission.BLUETOOTH_ADMIN
  • Set Input Mode Game and UI 
     Widget to Focus: NoneMouse
     Lock Mode: Do Not Lock

Current Situation

  • No key events (including basic keys like letters or numbers) are detected in the application
  • This applies to both Enhanced Input and traditional Input Key events

Question
Is there any additional setup required for receiving Bluetooth keyboard input on Meta Quest 3 in Unreal Engine (specifically in VR / OpenXR)?
Or are there known limitations for keyboard input in VR mode on Quest devices?

1 Reply

  • Degly's avatar
    Degly
    Start Partner

    As far as I know from the Bluetooth handling, this is a platform limitation in VR mode on Quest, not your setup.

    Bluetooth keyboards can work on Quest, but:

    • They are not reliably routed to VR apps (especially OpenXR/UE VR templates)
    • In Unity and Unreal, VR support is app-dependent and often only works in:
      • 2D Android apps
      • Apps explicitly handling Android key events

    That’s why:

    • Works in system search
    • Doesn’t work in your VR app 

    Workarounds:

    • Use tracked keyboard feature (Meta SDK, limited support)
    • Use a virtual keyboard / in-app input system
    • Or run in 2D/Android mode (not immersive VR)

    If anyone has more info about this, please comment!

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