Inspiring

Solved

Audio no longer works when connecting to Windows 11 via AirLink/Link Cable

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[Note as of 12/6/2025 - For me, this was fixed by the latest update to the Horizon Link software, and joining the Beta Channel is no longer needed.]

The Problem: As of 11/26, I no longer get any audio through my Quest3 headset while I'm connected to my Win11 PC via AirLink. This has worked for me for years, and this is the first time I've had an issue with it. The only change I'm aware of, is that I did a 'Repair' using the Oculus Installer to solve a different issue I was having (a "can't find OculusClient.exe" error). After the Repair (which looked successful), I started having this audio issue. To be clear, audio works fine for me in the headset when I'm not connected over AirLink. Once in AirLink, I get no audio from any desktop Oculus app that I run. I've tested a few. When I leave AirLink, I get local audio in my headset again.

Solutions I've Tried: There are a fair number of support threads on this kind of issue here and in Reddit, and I believe I've Googled and found them all. None of them have solved my issue. Here is the list of things I've done:

[Note: Just because a solution didn't work for me doesn't mean these are bad solutions. Some of these have worked for others. Indicated by a (*). As of 12/4 the solution marked with (***) now works for me!]

(Last updated 12/4/25)

Use cable instead of AirLink
(*) Run the repair using the Meta Quest Link (Oculus) Installer
(*) Uninstall Meta Horizon Link, reboot PC, reinstall the app, reboot PC and Quest 3, and try again
Scan the Setup and Driver install logs for errors (I don't see a smoking gun, but the logs are attached to this post)
(*) Manually uninstall the Oculus Virtual Audio Device input driver from device manager, then uninstall and reinstall Horizon Link (also rebooting in between steps again, to be sure)
(*) Rename my Oculus Virtual Audio Device to "Headphones" (It used to be named "Quest VR", and it worked fine, but I changed it back to Headphones after reading another forum post)
(***) Join the Horizon Link Beta Public Test channel, let the app update, reboot my PC and Quest, and trying again
Unpair my Quest3, uninstall Horizon Link, delete ...AppData\Local\Oculus directory, reboot, reinstall, repair the Quest and try again
Uninstall Horizon Link using Revo Uninstaller, let it do a complete post uninstall clean, reboot, reinstall, try again
Reboot my PC and Quest 3 many times by now during various troubleshooting steps
Obvious steps: make sure I can get audio on my PC through other outputs, make sure the volumes are correct, make sure that correct audio devices are selected at the right times, etc.

My Settings

Here are what the relevant settings on my PC look like when I'm connected via AirLink.

Audio Devices

Meta Link Program

I have also tried all the combinations of Hear VR Audio from Computer and Hear Computer Audio in VR, but the screenshot below shows what used to work for me and now no longer works.

Audio Devices

The Virtual Audio device is present, enabled, and can get audio. It is also named "Headphones". NOTE: Something I find a little bit weird is that when I'm connected via AirLink, the volume is always showing at 1/2 level, even when I have no audio playing on my PC. When I disconect from AirLink, it stops doing this, and only shows the audio bar when something is actually playing. I don't know if this behavior occurred before my issue started, or if it coincides with it.

Audio Devices

Here are all the audio devices on my PC. I don't know exactly what I'm looking for, so I don't know if this is correct or not. It looks correct, although I do find it a bit strange there is no Oculus Virtual Audio Device under the Sound, video and game controllers section

Drivers

I can tell that the drivers are being updated whenever I install the Meta Quest Link Program, because the timestamp of these files is always updated

NOTE: I do find it a bit strange that the Oculus Virtual Audio Device shows different driver information depending on where I look.

Here it is in Win11 basic settings:

Here it is in the Device Manager:

When I click 'Update Driver', it takes me here, which also seems a bit weird (is 'Audio Endpoint' the normal name?)

Worth Mentioning (Windows error after Installation)

Whenever I finish an installation or repair, I always get this error. I don't believe this is related to my audio issue, because my installation seems successful, as shown in my previous screenshots. But it's worth mentioning.

NOTE: the Meta Quest Client is NO LONGER called 'oculus-client\OculusClient.exe', but simply 'oculus-client\Client.exe'. I don't know where on my PC there is old data pointing to the old filename, but it clearly affects the installer (even though I just downloaded the latest version from the website). I also had to manually fix my Meta Quest Link shortcut that had this same problem. I've been a user since the original retail Oculus, so maybe that's why this happened to me once the devs changed the client exe name; not sure. Again, I doubt it's even relevant. Obviously I didn't have this issue way back when I first bought my Quest 3 and set all this up.

What I see when I click 'Next' and the installer tries to open the client

Thanks for any help with this issue.

R

RabidHobbitAnswer

Inspiring

fofocho I tried this a couple days ago and it didn't work, but there's a new update on the Public Test channel, and it fixed me! I'm going to go ahead and mark this as the solution, but I want to give you a chance to try again and I'll check back here and see your results. It's not necessarily an immediate update, here's how it went for me:

Switch to Public Test Channel
Wait 30s (nothing)
Close and reopen client
Wait 30s
See that I have a new notification and click on it
It's downloading a new update; I waited for it to finish
A popup to install an Update finally appeard
I let the update install and it prompted me to reboot
I let it reboot the PC and I rebooted the headset at the same time

It's now working for me. Several things of note!

1 - The client has a new version: 83.0.0.311.349

2 - I now have Oculus Virtual Device listed under Sound, video and game controllers in Device Manager:

(I think this was the case before my audio broke, but nobody in the thread who fixed their audio bothered to check this for me; to be fair, my post was very long)

3 - My Oculus Headphones driver has been rolled back to an old version:

If you do manage to get this update, and it does not fix you, please check all of these things to see if there any discrepancies.

Show previous replies

M

Megapixies

New Participant

I finally fixed it for myself. I downloaded the meta quest link app installer or whatever, and clicked repair. Had to restart my computer afterwards, then I opened the app, installed new drivers after being prompted, restarted my computer again, and finally the audio returned!

B

bipcopter

New Participant

Just tried again with no luck with a Quest 3s, steps i did are as follows:

Uninstalled meta horizon link
Removed/deleted the Oculus folder from Appdata
Rebooted
Downloaded and installed meta horizon link
Rebooted
Once again, able to hear in lobby and when opening Steam Link
Opened Airlink, can't hear anything, made sure device is being used not muted etc.
scrolled through other sound outputs (speakers, monitor speakers, etc) all worked except (headphones) oculus virtual audio device

I was having zero issues for months, this just started after getting the latest update (Meta Horizon Link Version 83.0.0.269.349 (83.0.0.269.349)). I have also tried doing the public test and that didn't fix it either.

B

bipcopter

New Participant

Just tried again with no success using a Quest 3s. Things I tried are as follows:

Uninstalled Meta Quest Link
Deleted Appdata Oculus Folder
Rebooted
Installed latest MQL (Meta Horizon Link Version 83.0.0.269.349 (83.0.0.269.349))
Rebooted
Able to hear in Steam Link and in Lobby
Once I go into AirLink I get no sound from headset, verified output is using (headphones) oculus virtual audio device (using all other outputs work (speakers, monitor speakers, etc)

I have had zero issues with this headset for months this started right after the Meta Horizon Link Version 83.0.0.269.349 (83.0.0.269.349) update.

J

JessaVariant90

New Participant

I have less than a month i bought my meta quest 3s and everything was running peaches until yesterday after a long session of Half-Life Alyx, the next day i wanted to play again i had no audio on my visor. Link mode. I also checked air link and same issue.

I have tried many admin device troubleshooting like disable-enable the oculus virtual audio device, checked all the obvious steps like muted options, switching the output/input devices and using the repair options within the meta quest link app, no luck 🥹.

Im about to do the repairs through windows and the other 2 methods (uninstalling everything and local folders from the pc and downloading a fresh installer from the website, and the other method, the beta one).

Is it normal that the green volume bars on the oculus virtual device is half full on green? I clicked test but nothing happen and the green bars ain't moving up nor down as well.

Hope meta have this corrected because is very annoying now I have to pair a Bluetooth earphones to the pc and use them when playing this is an additional step we should not be doing.

I would like to ask if the meta quest link app is the only one failing, using another option like steam link could work in the meantime? Will it run Half-Life Alyx using it?

N

Nolerine

New Participant

Steam Link and SteamVR still runs thru the same Meta's crappy Quest Link/Air link and audio is already unavailable on that layer. So no, it won't fix the issue. Virtual Desktop might work since it doesn't require quest link to run and uses its own drivers for video and audio transmission, but it's not free (about $25 in meta store)

steve40

Honored Contributor

Has anyone tried running the Link app fixer tool?

C:\Program Files\Oculus\Support\oculus-diagnostics\Fixer.exe

I just learnt about this tool from Meta's video here.

Z

ZaffreBlue

New Participant

I have, but it just opens and immediately closes

R

RabidHobbitAuthor

Inspiring

Mine gets a little farther. I get this error. Obviously I've repaired a gajillion times by now, so that's not going to help here:

It could be that the rename from OculusClient.exe to Client.exe made Fixer incompatible, and they haven't updated it yet. But that's just an unsubstantiated guess :).

B

BvsNButtHD

New Participant

Having the exact same issue here. Tried all of the mentioned solutions with no luck. Steam link is still working fine.

G

GoldSrc3

New Participant

Ok, I tried a few things and I got audio back.

I uninstalled everything, again, but this time I used revo uninstaller to also get rid of every remnant of the program, as well as all its registry keys. Doesn't matter if you make a restore point or not, I didn't.

Then for good measure I rebooted my PC after that.

After a reboot, I proceeded to install the Link software again like normal. Ignoring the executable name change error.

Run the updated "Client.exe" from C:\Program Files\Oculus\Support\oculus-client and set things up again.

After that, I had audio again when I picked Oculus Virtual Audio Device from the volume menu.

Maybe it works for someone else, maybe it doesn't. But it seems that using revo helped somehow to set things to a more default state, unlike the repair option or windows' own uninstalling procedure.

B

BvsNButtHD

New Participant

I just tried something similar with success.

I manually went through and deleted anything named oculus throughout my C drive and in the registry. (I expanded each folder and searched within the "Software" folder. Deleted every folder named "Oculus".

Rebooted my computer. Downloaded the link software again from Meta.

After installing, (didn't receive the name change error this time) I went through the process of linking my headset.

After linking, the app prompted me to install an update. I choose to "Snooze" it.

Set my oculus headset audio as default in windows settings. Tested a game and audio is now working.

I decided to try and update the app. After updating, the software prompted me to install a driver. Installed the driver, software asked to reboot.

Rebooted computer, got a UAC prompt upon boot. Clicked yes and proceeded to launch the meta software.

Tested a game and audio continues to work.

I don't know if they updated the app but the "Meta Horizon Link Version" still shows 83.0.0.269.349.

J

JessaVariant90

New Participant

So i did the workarounds explained here and finally got audio. This is what worked for me:

Using the modify/uninstall windows feature on the oculus app from the windows installed app list

It took some minutes to reinstall everything which gave me good hope for this run

Once it finished i rebooted the pc

I opened meta quest link app and a red alert message appeared indicating the drivers must be updated, so i click on the banner and after it was done and after a second pc reboot i tried opening the meta link app and audio was back!!.

I know this workaround won't work for every case but hopefully will help others.

Thank you all for all the hacks and troubleshooting, this forum and community is way better than the meta support itself 😐

M

mgrmq

New Participant

Also having this issue. As other audio output devices still function in VR, as a workaround I'm using external speakers via enabling an audio mirror under SteamVR. This way I'll be aware of any update fixing this issue.

hth

steve40

Honored Contributor

Rabid.Hobbit the worst thing about this audio bug is that users on the Link PTC were also having the same audio issues, but Meta released the update anyway, without fixing the issue 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️.

R

RabidHobbitAuthor

Inspiring

I honestly won't be too surprised if it's never fixed for everyone. I have a worries that Meta will move away from supporting Link to PC (or reducing the amount/quality of support) in an effort to primarily focus on mobile VR. Or perhaps even away from supporting VR entirely. VR isn't profitable yet, and I assume that any company spending so much money on it is only going to continue only until it takes too long to start paying off.

This is all speculation and I hope I'm wrong, of course. Just preparing for the worst. Thankfully Valve just jumped back into the ring to help the chances of a VR / metaverse market become a reality. Which is good for the Quest as well.

B

Bo9985

New Participant

Had the same problem out of nowhere that my sound didnt work. Had it before. After a few restarts for the quest 2 and my pc is randomly work and it was good for a while. Yesterday it wasn't, did a repair still nothing. Only thing i changed was using another usb input, put it in the one i mostly use and got sound again.

Think the first one was usb 2.0 and now in a 3.0 or something. A faster usb port. Dont know if that got something to do with it, but i have sound again in my vr.

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My Settings

Audio Devices

Meta Link Program

Audio Devices

Audio Devices

Drivers

Worth Mentioning (Windows error after Installation)

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