Troubleshooting Unresponsive Meta Quest 3 Controllers
If the VR controllers stop responding, it can make it hard to move or interact in your virtual environment. Instruct your patient to follow these steps to check their hardware and reconnect their controllers so they can get back to their experience.
Initial Hardware Checks
1. Battery Status
Controllers may stop responding if battery levels are low or depleted.
- Check battery level: While wearing your headset, you can quickly see your controller’s battery levels in VR. Just look at your virtual hands and you’ll see each controller’s battery status next to it.
- Check the batteries are correctly installed. Try removing and reinserting the batteries, paying close attention to battery orientation, matching the + / - alignment of the battery with the image of the battery.
- Replace or recharge batteries: Use fresh AA batteries or recharge if using rechargeable cells. Ensure proper orientation when inserting batteries.
If you are having any issues, we recommend checking out our article here: How to Check and Replace Your Controller’s Battery
2. Physical Damage
Hardware damage can prevent controllers from functioning correctly. To perform this step, do not disassemble the controller.
- Inspect for cracks or loose components: Look for visible damage, especially around the battery compartment and buttons.
- Check for corrosion: Remove the battery and inspect terminals for rust or residue. Clean gently if needed using a dry cloth or cotton swab.
Reconnecting or Re-pairing Controller to Headset
If your controllers are still not responding the way they should, it might be time to try reconnecting them. You may be experiencing some issues below:
- Pressing buttons or moving the controller doesn’t do anything—even with fresh batteries.
- One controller works fine, but the other is unresponsive.
- The controllers keep losing connection during use.
- You’ve just done a system update or factory reset, and the controllers aren’t pairing automatically.
If any of these sound familiar, restarting your headset and re-pairing the controllers through the headset.
1. Restart the Headset
A simple restart can resolve temporary connection issues.
- Hold the power button and select Restart from the menu.
- Wait for the headset to fully reboot and check controller status.
2. Manually Re-Pair Controllers
If restarting doesn’t help, manually re-pair the controllers:
- Go to Settings > Devices > Controllers.
- Select the unresponsive controller and choose Unpair, then Pair New Controller.
- Follow on-screen instructions to complete pairing.
Refer to this article for more information regards pairing controllers: How to Pair your Controllers with the Headset