How to Set up Your Own Parental Controls on Oculus Quest
Oculus Quest – now known as Meta Quest – is a lot of fun, but without a screen you can watch with them, it’s hard to know how your kids are using it. There is no VR parental control, but you can still set some restrictions using other features and devices.
Know that Quest has no parental controls
The first step to setting up Quest parental controls is understanding that there isn’t one. While Quest requires a Facebook account, which is technically limited to users 13 and older, it lacks any content filters.
Of course, you can look into the content ratings of specific games before letting your kids buy or play them. However, if you’re looking for a filter that you can enable to restrict certain content, you won’t find it. Quest has a built-in browser that also lacks parental controls.
However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t options for VR parental controls.
Broadcast to other devices
One of the biggest problems with VR parental controls is the lack of a screen to see what kids are watching. Your kids can stream movies and online videos to the headset without showing them to anyone. You can get around this by streaming the headset performance to another device.
First, make sure the headset and the device you want to cast to are on the same Wi-Fi network. Then download the Oculus app on your phone and open ” Settings ” in the bottom right corner. Click ” Connect a new headset ” and follow the instructions to connect your headset and app.
With your Oculus turned on, tap the icon in the top right corner of your phone that looks like a headset with a Wi-Fi signal icon. In the ” Cast From ” section, select the headset and click ” Start “. From there, you will receive a live stream of the image from the headset to your phone.
Save files
You can also set the headset to sync saved files with the mobile app to keep track of the media your kids are downloading. In your headset, press the Oculus button to open the main menu, then select the Apps button. Select the Files app and tap on the cloud icon in the top right corner.
You can now see all your saved files in the Synced Media section under Devices in the Oculus mobile app. This way you can keep an eye on what content your kids save on the device – just know that the media will automatically disappear after 14 days.
Set up router restrictions
While Quest may not have built-in parental controls, you can restrict browser content from your Wi-Fi router. Most routers have some kind of parental control feature , which often allows you to filter certain content, monitor traffic, and block certain websites.
What this looks like depends on your particular router. Refer to your router’s instructions to see what options you have and how you can use them. However, sometimes these controls don’t work in all browsers, so try them in your headset first.
Other safety factors to consider
Remember, even if there were built-in VR parental controls, there is no perfect solution. Using a combination of steps and looking at third-party network security applications will give the best results.
Even if you don’t care about the content, it’s best to use these controls for general security. Virtual reality helmets, like any other device, are susceptible to hacking, so it is recommended to keep an eye on the history and content of your quest.