To play a SteamVR demo, install Steam on a Windows PC, connect a compatible headset by cable or supported wireless method, install SteamVR, complete Room Setup, then find a demo marked VR Only or VR Supported. Add the demo to your Steam library, install it, and launch it with SteamVR running. Meta Quest 2, Quest 3 and Quest Pro headsets can use Steam Link wirelessly when the PC and network meet Meta’s requirements.
What SteamVR does
SteamVR is Valve’s PC runtime for supported virtual-reality headsets. It provides the headset connection, controller tracking, room boundaries, desktop dashboard and launch environment that Steam games use. Supported headset families include Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Windows Mixed Reality devices. A particular demo can require more powerful hardware, specific controllers, room-scale tracking or a particular VR mode than SteamVR itself.
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SteamVR is not a standalone headset operating system. The demo runs on the Windows PC, while the headset displays the rendered frames and sends tracking and controller input back to the computer. A wired headset uses its headset cable; a compatible Quest headset can stream the PC output over a local Wi-Fi network with Steam Link.
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Check your PC and headset before installing
Valve’s current SteamVR store requirements are a baseline, not a guarantee that every demo will run well. Check the individual demo page as well as these runtime requirements.
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| Requirement | Valve SteamVR baseline | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 | Use a supported 64-bit Windows installation and keep graphics and USB drivers current. |
| Memory | 4 GB RAM | That is the runtime minimum; demanding demos may need substantially more headroom. |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon R9 290 equivalent | Compare the demo’s own GPU requirement, especially for high-resolution environments or effects. |
| Internet | Broadband internet | Needed for Steam downloads, account services and updates. Wireless play also depends on the local network. |
| USB | USB 2.0 | Confirm the headset’s required USB connector and avoid loose hubs or incompatible adapters. |
| Display connection | HDMI 1.4 or DisplayPort 1.2 | Use the connector specified for your headset; DisplayPort 1.2 or newer is a directly relevant cable requirement for many PC headsets. |
Individual Steam titles can impose additional CPU, GPU, storage, controller and tracking requirements. A PC that satisfies the SteamVR baseline may still deliver low frame rates in a particular demo, so treat the demo’s system-requirements panel as the final compatibility check.
Choose a wired or wireless connection
| Route | Compatible hardware | Strengths | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wired PC VR | Headsets with the required USB and HDMI or DisplayPort connections, including Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and many Windows Mixed Reality models | Consistent bandwidth and latency; no dependence on Wi-Fi congestion | A cable can restrict movement and must match the headset and graphics-card connectors |
| Wireless Steam Link | Meta Quest 2, Quest 3 and Quest Pro | No headset cable; convenient room-scale play | Requires a suitable 5 GHz network at minimum, careful router placement and a wired PC-to-router connection for best results |
For a wired setup, have the headset’s USB and HDMI or DisplayPort leads connected directly or through adapters explicitly supported by that headset. For wireless Quest play, the PC still renders the demo and must run both Steam and SteamVR; Steam Link does not make the demo standalone.
Install the headset software first
Windows Mixed Reality headsets
Install the headset’s Windows Mixed Reality software and Portal before starting SteamVR. Valve’s setup flow is to run the Portal installer, finish account or device setup when prompted, install SteamVR, and launch SteamVR to begin the tutorial. Keep the Portal available when troubleshooting detection or boundary issues.
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Other wired PC headsets
Install the headset manufacturer’s current PC software, device drivers and firmware tools if the headset requires them. Connect the headset only after the software has completed its initial setup, then follow its sensor, controller and firmware instructions. SteamVR can manage the PC runtime, but it cannot replace device-specific drivers or firmware utilities.
Meta Quest headsets
For a cable connection, use the vendor’s PC connection software and the headset’s supported USB cable. For wireless play, install Steam Link directly in the headset instead of relying on a USB cable. The wireless procedure is described in its own section below.
Install Steam and SteamVR
- Install Steam and sign in. Use the Windows Steam client and the account that will own the demo.
- Connect or pair the headset. Start the headset’s PC software or Portal and wait for it to report that the device is ready.
- Let Steam detect the headset. Valve states that SteamVR is automatically installed when Steam detects a headset connected to the PC. If the prompt does not appear, open the Steam store or library, search for SteamVR and install it manually.
- Launch SteamVR. Start it from the Steam library or the headset software. Follow the opening tutorial so you understand the dashboard, controllers and safety prompts.
- Confirm the headset view. You should see the SteamVR environment or dashboard in the headset, with the headset and controllers shown as connected in the SteamVR status window.
Do not launch a demo before SteamVR has initialized unless the demo’s page explicitly documents another method. Starting SteamVR first makes it easier to distinguish a game compatibility problem from a headset-connection problem.
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Complete SteamVR Room Setup
Open SteamVR’s Room Setup and define the space where you will play. The process asks whether you are using a standing or room-scale arrangement, has you identify the floor, and lets you draw the usable play area. SteamVR’s Chaperone system then displays a boundary when you approach the edge.
- Clear furniture, cables, pets and other obstacles from the entire tracked area.
- Set the floor at the actual floor height; an incorrect height makes controllers and virtual objects appear misplaced.
- Choose a boundary smaller than the room if walls, desks or fragile objects are nearby.
- Repeat Room Setup after moving base stations, cameras, the play mat or the computer.
Room Setup defines tracking space; it does not change a demo’s own locomotion, comfort or controller settings. Configure those after launching the demo.
Find SteamVR demos
- Open Steam’s search and select the Demos product type.
- Apply the VR filter and choose VR Only or VR Supported, depending on whether you want titles designed exclusively for headsets or games that offer an optional VR mode.
- Open each candidate’s store page. The catalog changes over time; Steam displayed 797 VR-filtered demo results when its catalog was captured on October 16, 2026, but that number is volatile and can differ by region or account.
- Read the page’s VR Support field, controller information, room-scale notes and Windows system requirements before adding the demo.
Examples visible in the catalog include PROJECT MIX: VR Cyberpunk Bartending Demo, Vuntra City Environment Demo, FORM – Episode 1 Demo and Racket:Nx Demo. Treat these as examples of catalog entries rather than a permanent recommendation list: demos can be added, removed, renamed or restricted by region.
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Understand VR Only and VR Supported
VR Only
A VR Only label means the demo is intended to be played through a headset. It is generally the clearest choice when you are specifically looking for a headset experience, but you still need to check the listed controllers, tracking mode and GPU requirement.
VR Supported
A VR Supported label means the title also has a non-VR mode or otherwise supports VR alongside another play mode. Open the detailed VR Support information on the right side of the store page. Look for Windows Mixed Reality or other headset labels, tracked-controller support, room-scale support and any seated or standing limitation.
Neither label alone guarantees that every headset, controller layout or graphics card will work identically. The individual demo page is the authoritative compatibility check for that title.
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Add, install and launch a demo
- Add it to the library. Select Add to Library when that control is shown. Valve allows demos to be added without immediate installation, so you can collect them and download later.
- Locate the install control. Some demos have their own store page with an Install button. Others expose the demo as an installable item from the full game’s page or from your Steam library.
- Select a library drive. Choose a drive with enough free space for the demo and its updates. Steam shows the required download and installed size before confirming.
- Wait for installation and updates. Keep Steam online until the download and any first-run redistributables finish.
- Start SteamVR. Confirm that the headset is connected and Room Setup is valid.
- Launch the demo. Start it from the Steam library, the SteamVR dashboard or the headset’s game list. If Steam offers a choice between a standard and VR mode, select the VR option.
- Configure the first run. Set height, seated or standing mode, locomotion, turning, graphics quality and comfort options inside the demo. These settings are separate from SteamVR’s boundary.
To remove a demo, open its library entry, choose Manage, then Remove from account when that option is available. This removes the demo from the account rather than merely uninstalling its local files.
Use Steam Link with Meta Quest wirelessly
Meta’s Steam Link listing supports Quest 2, Quest 3 and Quest Pro. The computer must run Windows 10 or newer, Steam and SteamVR, and use at least an NVIDIA GTX 970-class GPU. Meta lists a 5 GHz Wi-Fi 5 router as the minimum network, with Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E recommended. The preferred arrangement is the PC connected to the router by Ethernet while the headset uses the 5 GHz or newer Wi-Fi band.
- Connect the gaming PC to the router with Ethernet whenever possible.
- Put the headset and PC on the same local network. Avoid guest networks that isolate devices from one another.
- Install Steam Link from the Quest headset’s app store.
- Open Steam Link and follow its on-screen pairing instructions. Confirm the code shown in the headset on the PC when prompted.
- Allow Steam Link to detect the running Steam client and SteamVR. Start SteamVR on the PC if it is not already open.
- Put on the headset, select the computer, and launch the demo from the Steam Link interface or SteamVR dashboard.
Wireless streaming is sensitive to distance, walls and competing traffic. A 5 GHz Wi-Fi 5 connection is the minimum stated by Meta, not a promise of identical latency in every home. Wi-Fi 6 or 6E, an Ethernet-connected PC and a nearby router generally provide more headroom.
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Wired versus wireless: which route fits?
| Decision factor | Choose wired when… | Choose wireless when… |
|---|---|---|
| Latency and consistency | You want the most predictable connection or your local Wi-Fi is congested. | Your router is nearby, modern and lightly loaded. |
| Movement | You can manage a cable safely and prefer not to configure network streaming. | You need unrestricted turning and your play area is clear. |
| Hardware | Your headset requires HDMI or DisplayPort and USB connections. | You own Quest 2, Quest 3 or Quest Pro and meet Steam Link’s PC and network requirements. |
| Troubleshooting | You want fewer variables than wireless bitrate and interference introduce. | You accept network tuning in exchange for avoiding a headset cable. |
Troubleshoot common problems
The headset is not detected
- Confirm that the headset’s vendor software or Windows Mixed Reality Portal is installed and reports the device as ready.
- Check that the USB and HDMI or DisplayPort plugs are fully seated and connected to the intended PC ports.
- Close and restart both Steam and SteamVR, then reconnect the headset.
- If support requests diagnostics, open SteamVR, choose Settings > General > Create System Report, and provide that report.
The demo opens on the monitor instead of in VR
- Read the demo’s VR Support field; it may be a standard title with optional VR rather than a VR-first application.
- Launch SteamVR before launching the demo.
- If Steam presents a launch-mode choice, select the VR mode.
- Verify that the headset is shown as connected in SteamVR before starting the application.
Wireless video stutters or looks compressed
- Connect the PC to the router by Ethernet.
- Move the headset closer to the router and use the 5 GHz, Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E band rather than a congested 2.4 GHz network.
- Reduce competing downloads and streaming on the same network.
- Restart the router, Steam Link and SteamVR if pairing or streaming becomes unstable.
A cable or display error appears
- Check the headset manual for its required connector and adapter type.
- Verify that the graphics card exposes HDMI 1.4 or DisplayPort 1.2 or newer, matching Valve’s listed connection baseline.
- Try another supported port and remove unnecessary adapters or hubs.
- Update the graphics driver and headset firmware through the appropriate vendor software.
Frame rates are poor or the image is uncomfortable
- Compare the demo’s own CPU and GPU requirements with the SteamVR baseline; Valve notes that requirements vary by Steam title.
- Lower the demo’s render scale, shadows, reflections and other heavy effects.
- Close GPU-intensive desktop applications and browser tabs.
- Use the demo’s comfort options, such as snap turning, vignette movement or seated mode, if continuous motion causes discomfort.
- Stop playing if you feel nausea, eye strain, dizziness or loss of balance, and resume only after you feel normal.
Practical checklist
- Windows 10 or newer is installed and the PC meets the demo’s requirements.
- The GPU is at least in the GTX 970 or Radeon R9 290 class for the SteamVR baseline.
- The headset’s required USB and HDMI or DisplayPort connections are available, or Quest Steam Link networking is ready.
- Headset-specific PC software or Windows Mixed Reality Portal is installed.
- Steam and SteamVR are installed and the headset appears as connected.
- Room Setup has a correct floor height and a safe boundary.
- The demo page’s VR Only or VR Supported label, controller support and requirements have been checked.
- The demo has been added to the library, installed and launched with SteamVR running.
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