Quest 3 (PTC) – v85: return of the old navigation UI, removal of the toggle
Hello, I am a long-time Meta Quest 3 user. I am a professional software developer as well as a UX/UI designer, and I am enrolled in your PTC program. Yesterday my headset updated to version v85, and after the update the original “strip-style” navigation UI returned. Honestly, this was very disappointing, because I have considered this navigation approach problematic since the early days of Quest 3. It also surprised many people in our fairly large Czech community, and based on what I found on Reddit and other discussions, we are clearly not the only ones who are frustrated by this direction. A similar situation happened last year (I believe around October, though I do not remember the exact date). At that time, the newer menu could still be enabled via the Experimental settings, so users at least had a way to switch back. This time, that option appears to be gone entirely, and the navigation is back to “how it was in the beginning.” I see this as a significant step backwards, and it has already upset a lot of users — myself included. I fully understand that within PTC things are tested, changed, and sometimes temporarily broken. The newer navigation was not perfect and it certainly had room for improvement, but from a usability perspective it was clearly more user-friendly than the old strip UI. It was becoming genuinely pleasant to use, and many of my friends and I were getting used to it and expecting it to evolve further. That is why it is frustrating to see such a reversal without any clear explanation or communication about why this is happening and what the plan is. I also understand that you are developing Horizon Worlds and that different elements come and go in the system UI. However, from the perspective of many users (including myself), Horizon Worlds currently does not provide enough value to justify being pushed into the interface “from all directions.” Personally, I would much rather see Meta focus on a smaller number of truly high-quality worlds with a clear standard (e.g., higher visual quality), and on a meaningful separation of environments for children and for adults. In practice, many worlds feel unfinished and it is often difficult to find other people there because the active population is low. I am mentioning this only as context — the main reason I am writing is the system navigation. Back to the navigation UI: I would understand if you wanted to remove, reduce, or better “hide” elements like Horizon Worlds within navigation. What I do not understand is bringing back the old navigation UI, which from a modern UX/UI standpoint is, for many users, simply not usable. In our community, some people are already considering selling their headsets and switching to another manufacturer. We trusted that the system UI would steadily move forward — lately, however, it unfortunately feels like it is getting worse in some areas. To be fair: my main complaint is not that there are fewer truly high-end titles targeting Quest 3 specifically. I understand that Quest 2 is still a major factor and that developers often prioritize platforms with larger user bases and better monetization opportunities. That is logical. What feels unacceptable, though, is stepping backwards on something as fundamental as system navigation — especially without explanation and without giving users a choice. In many cases, it would “only” take a few core things to be done properly: a stable, modern navigation UI that matches today’s standards, a few strong flagship titles, and a handful of truly high-quality, meaningful worlds/environments. I speak from experience — we have built e-commerce systems for tens of thousands of users, and major UX changes like this, without communication and without an opt-in/opt-out option, typically lead to a rapid loss of user trust. There is also the long-standing issue of mixing child and adult audiences. In my view, it would make sense to offer a clear separation between children’s and adults’ environments, even if that required optional age verification. Having the option to meet only verified adult users in certain parts of the system would significantly improve the experience for both groups. Recently, using Quest 3 has been bringing me more frustration than enjoyment. And this is not just my personal opinion — I repeatedly hear similar feedback across our VR/MR community. I understand that nothing changes overnight, but the overall situation around Quest 3 has been difficult for many users for a long time, even though I gave it a lot of goodwill as a technology enthusiast. Lately, it also creates the impression that part of the focus may be shifting toward other product categories (such as smart glasses). I do not want to speculate — I am only describing how it looks from the outside. I would appreciate a clear response at least regarding the navigation UI: A) Is the return of the old “strip-style” navigation in v85 intentional, and is it meant to be permanent? B) If this is a temporary change within PTC, do you plan to bring back the newer navigation (and if so, in which version or timeframe)? C) Why was the toggle removed from Experimental settings (if it was previously available)? I do not write like this often, but the current situation genuinely upset me. I would be grateful for a factual response and at least a basic explanation.
v.85 PTC Release Thread
Hey Everyone, The Public Test Channel (PTC) for Quest v85 started to roll out today for Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S. Release Notes: https://www.meta.com/help/quest/172903867975451/ If you're seeing an issue or bug after updating to PTC v85: 1) For issues: Go to our Quest Forums and search for any existing thread on the issue, if you don't find one, make a new thread. Please add the tag "PTC v85" to the thread and in the title. This way everyone can look for just PTC v85 issues too. 2) For bugs: If you come across a bug, please post each one you spot in its own thread, to keep track of individual issues separately. Please make sure to also send in bug reports along with posting on the forums if you notice anything going wrong. Share your impressions in the comments below and let us know if you see any issues. We know it's tough when you run into a problem on a PTC build and want to thank you all again for testing out PTC and sharing your feedback! This feedback is extremely helpful to our engineering teams. We appreciate your interest and persistence in testing out the core functionality of software as we develop!
Quest 3 - connects, but PC no longer sees it (v85)
SITUATION: When I connect my Q3 to laptop, (as I've done for years), it beeps, and charges, but doesn't pop-up in explorer (nor show the access files dialogue box). BACKGROUND: I have used windows explorer for years with no issue across multiple Quest headsets. I don't believe I have changed any settings. I have also looked through Quest device settings (and web), and can't find the way to force the access files pop-up. [possible solution?] PURPOSE: My intent is to download recorded content from my device and edit before publishing to YouTube, etc. HOW TO REPLICATE: Plug in Q3 to PC/laptop with trusted cable. NOTES: Currently on v85 Connecting to my PC brings up the charging indicator light as expected Connecting makes the affirmation beep Link still works (can see desktop, play VR games) SideQuest works The usual pop-up "allow connected device to access files" doesn't show I recently had a temporary warning that it detected water in the port. Yet that was random (no where near water), and went away within 30 minutes. Rebooting both devices doesn't change anything. I've spent a few hours trying to figure this out, and would love any ideas you have.