To limit Steam Frame eye tracking to one eye, first enable show advanced settings, then open VR Settings > General and turn on Track Dominant Eye Only. Valve added this accessibility option in SteamOS 0.4 for Steam Frame. The separate Dominant Eye preference is different: Valve documents it for spectator view, screenshots and similar outputs, but does not say that it selects the eye used by single-eye tracking.
What the single-eye setting does
Steam Frame includes an accessibility option that limits eye tracking to a single eye instead of tracking both eyes. Valve’s release note names the control Track Dominant Eye Only and places it at VR Settings > General. The setting is hidden until Steam Frame’s advanced settings are enabled.
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This is a software setting. Valve’s public release note does not say that enabling it physically disables one of the headset’s cameras, nor does it describe a calibration sequence or a performance guarantee. It establishes that eye tracking can be limited to one eye through the VR settings interface.
Valve’s official wording is: “Added accessibility option for users who want to limit eye tracking to a single eye. VR Settings -> General -> Track Dominant Eye Only. (requires enabling "show advanced settings")” You can read the complete announcement in Valve’s SteamOS 0.4 for Steam Frame release notes.
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Requirements and version context
- Headset: Steam Frame.
- Software: SteamOS 0.4 or a later release that retains the option. Valve announced SteamOS 0.4 as available to all users on October 8, 2026.
- Interface access: The show advanced settings control must be enabled before the single-eye option appears.
- Accessories: Valve’s documentation does not require an extra accessory, replacement part or consumable for this setting.
If your headset is running an earlier software release, the menu may not contain the control. The release notes identify SteamOS 0.4 as the release that added it; they do not provide a separate installer or hardware requirement.
Do not confuse the two eye-related controls
Steam Frame exposes two similarly named concepts. They should be treated as separate until Valve documents a direct connection between them.
| Control | Where it is used | What Valve documents | What is not established |
|---|---|---|---|
| Track Dominant Eye Only | VR Settings > General | Limits eye tracking to a single eye; advanced settings must be enabled. | The release note does not explain how the tracked eye is selected or whether another preference controls that choice. |
| Dominant Eye | VR Settings | Selects which eye is used for spectator view, screenshots and similar outputs. | Valve does not state that it selects the eye tracked by Track Dominant Eye Only. |
The word “dominant” appears in both labels, but that similarity is not proof that changing one control changes the other. Set the single-eye tracking toggle for tracking behavior, and use the separate Dominant Eye preference only when you need to control the eye represented in spectator output or screenshots.
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Step-by-step: enable single-eye tracking
- Open Steam Frame’s VR settings. Use the headset’s normal settings interface and go to the VR settings area. The release notes do not specify the exact path to the advanced-settings control, so its position can vary with the interface presentation.
- Enable “show advanced settings.” Find the control that reveals advanced options and switch it on. Valve explicitly lists this as a prerequisite; without it, the single-eye option is not expected to appear.
- Open VR Settings > General. After advanced settings are visible, enter the General section within VR Settings.
- Turn on “Track Dominant Eye Only.” Use the exact toggle label. This is the setting Valve identifies for limiting tracking to one eye.
- Leave the menu after checking the toggle state. Reopen VR Settings > General if you want to confirm that the control remains enabled. Valve’s release note does not describe a separate save button, confirmation dialog or calibration prompt.
- Optionally configure “Dominant Eye.” If your goal includes choosing the eye shown in spectator view or screenshots, adjust that separate preference in VR Settings. Do not treat the change as confirmation that the tracking eye has changed; Valve does not document that relationship.
How to verify the setup without assuming undocumented behavior
The most reliable verification is menu-based because Valve does not publish a dedicated single-eye status indicator or a numerical eye-tracking test for this option.
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- Confirm that show advanced settings is still enabled.
- Return to VR Settings > General and check that Track Dominant Eye Only is enabled.
- Keep the Dominant Eye preference conceptually separate. A spectator image or screenshot reflects that output preference, not documented proof of which eye the tracker is using.
- Record the software version shown by the headset if you are troubleshooting. The feature was introduced in SteamOS 0.4, so version information helps distinguish a missing-feature problem from a setting problem.
Do not infer a camera-power state from the toggle. Steam Frame’s hardware page lists two interior cameras for eye tracking and foveated streaming, while the release note describes a software option that limits tracking to one eye. The public material does not explain whether both cameras remain active, whether processing changes, or how the headset maps an eye to a camera.
If “Track Dominant Eye Only” is missing
Work through these checks in order. Each addresses a documented prerequisite or a straightforward menu mismatch rather than assuming an undocumented fix.
Advanced settings are not enabled
This is the first check because Valve makes it an explicit requirement. Return to the settings interface, locate show advanced settings, enable it, and then revisit VR Settings > General. The single-eye toggle should be looked for only after advanced options are visible.
You are looking in the wrong section
The documented location is VR Settings > General. The separate Dominant Eye preference is described more generally as being in VR Settings; finding that preference elsewhere does not mean the single-eye control is absent. Navigate specifically to the General subsection.
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The headset is not on the release that introduced the feature
Valve added the option in SteamOS 0.4. Check the installed SteamOS version using the headset’s normal system-information screen. If it predates 0.4, the release notes do not provide evidence that the toggle should be present. Update through Valve’s supported SteamOS process, then check the documented menu path again.
The interface has not refreshed
If advanced settings were just enabled and the option still does not appear, close and reopen the VR settings page before drawing a conclusion. This is a basic interface check, not a claim that Valve requires a restart. If the option remains absent, note the installed version and consult the SteamOS 0.4 release notes for the feature’s stated availability.
You expected the “Dominant Eye” preference to be the tracking switch
That preference is documented for spectator view, screenshots and similar outputs. It is not the documented control for enabling single-eye tracking. Use Track Dominant Eye Only for the tracking limitation and regard the other preference as an output-selection setting.
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The label Track Dominant Eye Only indicates that the system works with one eye, but the cited Valve material does not explain how Steam Frame determines or lets you choose that eye. It does not say whether the headset automatically identifies a dominant eye, whether the user selects one elsewhere, or whether the separate Dominant Eye preference is reused.
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That uncertainty matters when you are configuring the headset for accessibility. You can enable the documented single-eye mode, but you should not promise yourself or another user that changing Dominant Eye will redirect tracking. If the selected eye is critical to your setup and the interface offers no additional explanation, use Valve’s support channels or current device documentation rather than relying on the similarly worded preference.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the setting relates to Steam Frame’s cameras
Valve’s Steam Frame hardware page specifies two interior cameras for eye tracking and foveated streaming. The hardware count explains why a single-eye software mode is useful: the headset has an eye-tracking camera arrangement designed to observe both eyes, while some users may need tracking limited to one eye.
The camera specification does not change the setup procedure. You do not need to remove, cover or reposition a camera, and Valve’s documentation does not call for a physical modification. Avoid treating the single-eye option as a hardware-disconnection command; its documented purpose is to limit eye tracking to a single eye in software.
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For the complete hardware specification, see Valve’s Steam Frame hardware page.
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- Personalize Your Fit: Auto-IPD adjustment aligns the XR headset's lenses with the centers of your pupils, giving your eyes the clearest, most comfortable viewing experience.(4)
Practical setup checklist
Use this short checklist when configuring the headset for yourself or assisting another person:
- Confirm that the device is Steam Frame.
- Check that its software is SteamOS 0.4 or newer; Valve announced 0.4 availability for all users on October 8, 2026.
- Enable show advanced settings.
- Open VR Settings > General.
- Enable Track Dominant Eye Only.
- If screenshots or spectator view need a particular eye, configure Dominant Eye separately.
- Do not claim that the output preference determines the tracked eye unless Valve documents that connection in a later release.
- Do not alter or cover the interior cameras; no physical change is part of the documented setup.
Limits of the available documentation
Valve’s release note answers the central setup question but leaves several implementation details unspecified. It does not publish a performance comparison between one-eye and two-eye tracking, a latency figure, an accuracy measurement, a calibration workflow, a method for manually naming the tracked eye, or a statement about whether both interior cameras continue operating. Those details should not be inferred from the toggle label or from the two-camera hardware specification.
What is established is narrower and actionable: enable advanced settings, open VR Settings > General, and turn on Track Dominant Eye Only. The separate Dominant Eye preference has a documented role for spectator view and screenshots, but its effect on the tracking eye is not stated.
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Quick reference
| Need | Action |
|---|---|
| Limit tracking to one eye | Enable show advanced settings, then go to VR Settings > General and turn on Track Dominant Eye Only. |
| Choose the eye represented in spectator view or screenshots | Use the separate Dominant Eye preference in VR Settings. |
| Find a missing single-eye option | Check advanced settings, the General subsection and the installed SteamOS version. |
| Change the physical camera arrangement | No such step is documented or required; Steam Frame’s hardware page lists two interior cameras. |
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