Meta Horizon OS has gone through several changes since the release of the Oculus Rift DK1 on March 29, 2013.
The operating system has been updated on a roughly monthly basis since the v1.0 release in 2016, and was gradually ported from a proprietary embedded operating system to Android starting in 2015, first for the Samsung Gear VR and later for its own headsets. The updates often include experimental or undocumented features.
Overview
From 2013 to 2015, the then-proprietary firmware and SDK for Windows PCs were developed exclusively for the Rift by Oculus VR, which was acquired in 2014 by Facebook (now Meta Platforms) and renamed as Reality Labs. Starting in 2014, the company ported the Oculus Home, Oculus Store and Oculus Cinema (later Video) apps to Android for use on the Samsung Gear VR headset, allowing Samsung Galaxy phone users to access VR games and apps made available through the Store app. In 2018, Facebook launched the Oculus Go, which was both the first standalone headset and the first Android-based headset from the company. Subsequent headsets from Facebook used this combination of Android with the company's proprietary user interface and apps, even as the company was renamed in 2022 as Meta Platforms and the headsets were rebranded accordingly. In 2024, Meta announced that the combined operating system stack would be named as Meta Horizon OS and licensed to select third party hardware manufacturers.
Version history Previous releaseCurrent releaseCurrent beta release
Pre-1.0 (2012–2015) VersionBuildRelease dateNotesFeaturesRelease notesv0.1v0.2Oculus SDK 0.2.3July 4, 2013 Linux support to the Oculus C++ SDK and OculusWorldDemoOculus SDK 0.2.5October 11, 2013v0.3Oculus Rift SDK 0.3.1 PreviewApril 15, 2014v0.4Oculus SDK 0.4.0July 24, 2014Oculus Mobile SDK 0.4.0November 12, 2014First release for Samsung Gear VR (w/ Samsung Galaxy Note 4) asynchronous timewarpOculus PC SDK 0.4.3 BetaOctober 24, 2014 experimental Linux support Unity FreeOculus Mobile SDK 0.4.1January 7, 2015v0.5Oculus Mobile SDK 0.5March 31, 2015for Samsung Note 4 - Gear VRv0.6Oculus PC SDK 0.6.0May 15, 2015v0.7Oculus PC SDK 0.7August 20, 2015 replacement of Extended Mode with Direct Driver Modev0.8Oculus PC SDK 0.8October 21, 2015
1.0 era (2016–2019) VersionBuildRelease dateNotesFeaturesRelease notesv1.0Oculus Audio SDK 1.0.2February 5, 2016Oculus OVRLipSync for Unity 5 1.0.0-betaFebruary 10, 2016Oculus Mobile SDK 1.0.0.1March 1, 2016System Activities/VrApi 1.0.2.2March 16, 2016v1.3Rift 1.3.1April 4, 2016 Sensor firmware update bug fixesRift 1.3.2April 18, 2016 support for installing Oculus and VR applications to a different drive bug fixesv1.4Oculus App 1.4May 19, 2016 improvements to performance and stability bug fixes AUD, CAD, Euro, Pound, and Yen currencies supported by all gamesOculus SDK 1.4May 20, 2016Platform SDK 1.2May 20, 2016v1.5Oculus App 1.5June 23, 2016 improvements to notificationsOculus PC SDK 1.5June 24, 2016Unreal Engine 4 Integration 1.5June 24, 2016Oculus Platform SDK 1.5June 24, 2016Oculus Utilities for Unity 5 Version 1.5June 30, 2016v1.6Oculus App 1.6July 14, 2016 addition of "Coming Soon" section to Oculus Store and Library option to choose how much bandwidth to use for Oculus downloads automatic resumption of download if interrupted automatic updates for installed apps user ratings for apps and games in Oculus StoreOculus App 1.6.1July 29, 2016 bug fixOculus SDK for Windows 1.6July 15, 2016Unreal Engine 4 Integration 1.6July 15, 2016Oculus Platform SDK 1.6July 15, 2016Oculus Utilities for Unity 5 Version 1.6July 29, 2016v1.7Unreal Engine 4 Integration 1.7.0August 11, 2016 adaptive viewport scaling with configurable min/max (Rift only) Oculus Platform SDK support to mobile VR applications Blueprint for Oculus Platform entitlement checks (available in SI 1.6). cylinder TimeWarp overlay support (Gear VR only) ability develop using GearVR plugin and Mobile renderer on the PC using the Oculus RiftOculus Platform SDK 1.7.0August 11, 2016 VoIP Filters automatic Developer and Admin Entitlements to all apps in organization minor improvements, bug fixes, and updatesOculus SDK for Windows 1.7.0August 11, 2016Oculus Utilities for Unity 5 1.7August 24, 2016 bug fixesv1.8Unreal Engine Integration 1.8September 14, 2016 support for the Oculus Guardian System depth ordering support cubemap support (mobile only) Blueprint for retrieving Oculus ID/UsernameOculus Platform SDK 1.8September 14, 2016 Quickmatch matchmaking modeOculus SDK for Windows 1.8September 14, 2016Oculus Utilities for Unity 5 1.8September 15, 2016v1.9Oculus App 1.9October 13, 2016 Star ratings on Oculus Store for all apps, games and experiences performance improvements, stability enhancement, and bug fixesOculus Platform SDK 1.9October 19, 2016Oculus SDK for Windows 1.9October 19, 2016Oculus Utilities for Unity 5 1.9November 1, 2016v1.10Rift 1.10November 16, 2016first combined update for Rift Asynchronous Space Warp write reviews for apps and games in Oculus Store performance improvements, stability enhancement, and bug fixesRift 1.10.1December 2, 2016 setup for Touch using the Oculus app Guardian System for boundaries Experimental support for 2-sensor 360º and 3-sensor roomscale configurations custom Oculus Avatars performance improvements, stability enhancement, and bug fixesRift 1.10.2December 5, 2016 performance improvements, stability enhancement, and bug fixesv1.11Rift 1.11February 3, 2017 option to skip updating the controller firmware when repeating Oculus setup better visibility and hand animations in Guardian System instructions for Oculus sensor positioning during setup experimental roomscale and experimental 360º supportv1.12Rift 1.12February 27, 2017 ability to report user reviews as spam in Oculus Store finish installing new apps and games when they're done downloading while in VR (requires admin privileges in Windows) improvements: tracking quality with Oculus Rift and Touch support for Unity content support for Unreal Engine UE4 contentv1.13Rift 1.13March 23, 2017 ability to enroll in Public Test Channel ability to move forward by looking at skip button update to First Contact bug fixesRift Debug Tool 1.13March 28, 2017v1.15Rift 1.15May 22, 2017 improved 360 degree tracking and roomscale supportv1.16Rift 1.16June 15, 2017 support for Mixed reality capture redesign of update interface ability to report issues in VR addition of Cityscape environment ability to see whether friends are using Rift or Gear VR option to choose one of four supported languages during setup of Rift or Touch support for 360º-only content, with notifications for 360-only games and apps and compatibility with headset configurations bug fixesv1.19Rift SI 1.19October 5, 2017 Camera Calibration Tool update in Mixed reality capture bug fixesv1.20Rift SI 1.20October 23, 2017 Dynamic Bundle Pricing in Oculus Storev1.21Rift SI 1.21December 6, 2017 wishlist option in desktop beginning of Rift Core 2.0 Beta UI redesign replacing the existing Universal Menu and Home with a new Touch-native interface for Dash, Oculus Home, and Oculus desktop app requirement for Windows users to upgrade to Windows 10 to support some Core 2.0 features persistent overlay system for Dash use of Windows desktop apps in VR notification redesign in Oculus desktop appv1.22Rift SI 1.22January 18, 2018 install and manage VR apps across more than one hard drive or Windows folder detailed information about usage of each app 8x MSAA support Rift Core 2.0 Beta Graphics settings made into its own section in Options menu performance and bug fixesv1.23Rift SI 1.23February 5, 2018 add apps and games to wishlist in VR Rift Core 2.0 Beta create and customize multiple homes bug fixesv1.24Rift SI 1.24March 5, 2018 Installed apps can now be moved between library locations Rift Core 2.0 Beta performance improvements and bugfixesv1.25Rift SI 1.25April 13, 2018 populating search bar with recommended “trending” apps and recent searches Rift Core 2.0 Beta Updates tab and the ability to sort apps by comfort/location in the Dash Library panel Improved virtual keyboard input mouse cursor in Dashv1.26Rift SI 1.26May 4, 2018 public, discoverable events on Rift Rift Core 2.0 Beta improvements to Oculus Desktop usability in Dashv1.27Rift SI 1.27May 30, 2018 updates to Oculus desktop search options for sorting and filtering in library results page to browse, sort, and filter results in Oculus desktop search notifications for friend activity and content updates (experimental) Rift Core 2.0 Beta overlay UI for Dash panels to show distance and scale while position them with the thumbstick Dash stability improvementv1.28Rift SI 1.28June 26, 2018 support across core software for Danish, Finnish, Dutch, Swedish, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Latin American), Italian, Norwegian, and Polish per-application language pack support for developers in Oculus desktop app Rift Core 2.0 Beta new custom hair, skin shading, clothing, and eyewear designs in the Avatar Editor ability to invite up to eight people to Home, but user's Home is locked while guests are present experimental support for broadcasting Oculus Desktop in multiplayer new "Movement" section in Home to set up options for moving around in VR, including Walk Mode, Smooth Turning, and Snap Turningv1.29Rift SI 1.29August 2, 2018 Rift Core 2.0 Beta new Belt UI design for Dash new contextual menus for panels within Dash basic animation support for custom assets in Home improvements to display of 3rd party apps in Libraryv1.30Rift 1.30August 23, 2018 Rift Core 2.0 Beta greater graphics card support for ability to stream desktop content directly to displays in Home Long Press for Oculus Button to avoid accidental pressing ability to bulk import applications and re-add previously deleted apps in Library design updatesv1.31Rift 1.31October 10, 2018 Exit of Rift Core 2.0 out of Beta new "Experiments" section playback of skinned animations for user generated content Customer Developer Itemsv1.32Rift 1.32November 6, 2018 new Dash rollover menu performance improvements to Dash add embedded panels to custom 3D objects for importing to Home (solo users only) Updated fonts and localizationsv1.33Rift 1.33December 11, 2018 new system keyboard for Dash new textures and lighting for Dash's background environment ability to report offensive behavior and content within Homev1.34Rift 1.34January 22, 2019 livestream directly to Facebook page using Dash pressing “Edit Avatar” tab on the Social Panel in Dash opens Avatar Editor option to make Home public updated multiplayer features in Home to allow for play and redesign while friends are present ability to use Avatar Editor in Home while friends are presentv1.35Rift 1.35February 12, 2019 ability to import one's own Home geometry as a replacement for the standard “cabin” geometry performance improvements and additional bug fixes, including a Dash issue impacting memory clock speed on NVIDIA cardsv1.36Rift 1.36March 6, 2019 new sound objects link between own Home and other Homes using Gateway feature ability to share a link to one's own Home Miscellaneous graphics updatesv1.37Rift 1.37May 9, 2019 UI and Tutorial refresh Avatars updated to simulate eye and mouth movement new outfits and customization options like eye color and lipstickv1.38Rift and Rift S 1.38June 12, 2019First update for Oculus Rift S ability to rename Homes relocate items directly from the inventory menu to move or reposition them reduced download sizes Homes UI refresh
Quest and Rift era (2019–2020) VersionBuildRelease dateNotesFeaturesRelease notesv3.56Quest, Go and Gear VR build 7.0July 22, 2019First update for Quest and Go; first to support Android-based VR hardware, starting with Android 7.0 (Nougat) overall audio experience ability to enable or disable microphone in VR persistent search bar in-VR