VRHow / Guides / How-to / Transfer files to Meta Quest
How to transfer files to Meta Quest
Before you start
Informational: This is a local USB file transfer, not a Quest Link or Air Link PC-VR session. Use a cable designed for data; Meta notes that some USB-C cables are charging-only. Keep the headset awake and unlocked while approving the connection. Exact prompts and folder labels can vary with Quest software and computer updates. If your goal is to install an APK or run developer commands, stop here and use Meta’s separate ADB documentation instead; ordinary document, photo, and video copying does not require developer mode.
Transfer files from Windows to Quest
- Turn on Quest and connect it to the Windows PC with a USB-C data cable. A Quest Link cable also works for the connection; this guide is using it for file access, not PC VR.
- Put on the headset. When the USB prompt appears, select Allow to let the computer access files. If you do not see it, check the bell icon in the universal menu for notifications. Meta documents this permission step and the Windows drive behavior.
- On the PC, open File Explorer and select This PC → [Your Quest Device] → Internal shared storage.
- For a file you are putting onto Quest, copy it into Download (the least surprising destination) or Documents. Wait for the copy to finish before disconnecting. The Files app documentation identifies Downloads and Documents as internal-storage locations.
- In Quest, press the Meta/Oculus button → Library → Files and check the destination. If it opens there, the transfer succeeded. For a captured file going the other direction, Meta’s documented paths are Oculus/VideoShots for videos and Oculus/Screenshots for images; copy those files to the PC instead.
- Close the transfer window and unplug the cable after the copy completes. Do not move or delete files in other headset folders: Meta warns that doing so may prevent the device from working properly.
Mac and Chromebook differences
Actionable: On Mac, Meta’s device-transfer instructions name Android File Transfer: connect the cable, choose Allow in Quest, open the utility, and copy the file into Download or Documents. On Chromebook/ChromeOS, Meta says to use the Chromebook Files app after approving access. If the Mac utility is unavailable or your OS no longer supports it, do not download an untrusted replacement; use Meta Support for a current supported path.
Use Quest’s Files app for connected storage
Informational: If the source is a drive rather than a computer, Quest’s Files app can expose connected USB drives, SD cards, MTP devices such as Android phones, and (when available) Google Drive. Open it with the Meta/Oculus button → Library → Files. Meta says USB drives and SD cards can be safely ejected from the toolbar. Google Drive files are read-only in Files, but can be downloaded to Quest’s Downloads folder. These features are version- and region-dependent: Meta’s current article says it applies to Files v108, so treat missing options as a compatibility issue rather than a failed copy.
If Quest does not appear
- Diagnose first: confirm the cable supports data, reconnect it directly to the computer (not through an unpowered hub), wake the headset, and look for the missed permission notification.
- Try another known data cable or USB port. Meta specifically notes that some USB-C cables are for charging only.
- On Windows, if Quest still is not listed after reconnecting, Meta identifies it as an MTP USB device and documents selecting MTP USB Device in Device Manager. Treat that as a later Windows-only step, and follow Meta’s procedure rather than changing unrelated security settings.
- If a file copied but is not visible, check Files → Downloads or Documents, confirm the copy completed, and remember that app-specific folders and file formats may require the target app to support them.
- Do not factory-reset Quest or delete system folders to solve a transfer problem. Copy first, verify the destination file opens in Files, and then disconnect normally.