How to Watch Netflix in VR
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Open the Meta Quest Browser, visit netflix.com and sign in. Netflix supports this route on Quest 2, Quest Pro, Quest 3 and Quest 3S, with playback up to 1080p. Use the normal browser window: Private Mode is unsupported. The old Netflix VR app was discontinued, and the sideloading steps below are historical reference. Choose the browser for streaming; it does not provide offline downloads.
Watching Netflix in VR gives you a large screen without taking over the TV. When I first bought my VR headset, I tried the Netflix VR app. That experience belongs to the original guide; the app has since closed.
Start with the supported viewing options and Quest Browser instructions. Then compare the viewing experience, understand why the old sideloading walkthrough is retained, and check other streaming apps if you need features such as downloads.
Compatibility and source notes
The Netflix VR app no longer exists. Netflix pulled its Quest app from the store in July 2024, and previously installed copies stopped working (Road to VR). The official way to watch is netflix.com in the Meta Quest Browser, which Netflix's help page lists for Quest 2, Quest Pro, Quest 3 and Quest 3S, in HD (1080p).
The original Quest, Oculus Go and Gear VR mentioned below are discontinued, and the 2020 sideloading method is kept for reference only. Checked 24 September 2026.
Netflix in VR: your current options
| Option | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix VR app (Quest; earlier also Gear VR and Oculus Go) | Quest app discontinued July 2024 | Capped at 480p, no downloads, no passthrough (Road to VR) |
| netflix.com in Meta Quest Browser | Official, supported | Quest 2, Pro, 3 and 3S; HD (1080p) (Netflix Help Center) |
| Sideloaded Netflix Android app | Unofficial, unconfirmed | Not supported by Netflix or Meta; we could not verify it works on current Quest software |
| Apple Vision Pro | No native app | Watch in Safari, no downloads (Netflix Help Center); Netflix confirmed there would be no app in January 2024 (AppleInsider) |
To watch on a Quest, open the Meta Quest Browser from the Apps menu, go to netflix.com and sign in. Private Mode in the browser isn’t supported and triggers error Q7701-1003 (Netflix Help Center). According to Mixed News, the browser version offers a window mode and a curved full-screen mode in four sizes (Small to Jumbo), works in passthrough or a virtual home environment, and supports neither 4K nor downloads.
Why Should You Watch Netflix in VR?
Netflix is available on almost anything these days. If you buy a TV, phone, video game console, or nearly anything else electronic, chances are that it’ll have Netflix available.
You can watch a bunch of shows in 4K UHD as well as HDR10 or Dolby Vision on supported TVs (in a Quest headset, Netflix currently tops out at 1080p).
The shows look and sound fantastic. This raises the question: Why should you watch Netflix in VR?
It’s a valid question, but one that has a few really good answers.
Immersion
When you use a VR headset to watch Netflix, you’re watching something familiar in a totally different world.
The Netflix VR app had an excellent living room setting where you’re set inside a living room with a large TV screen. It’s like you’re chilling in a mansion watching whatever the heck you want. I loved it.
That living room, and the “Void” described below, went away with the app in July 2024. The Meta Quest Browser gives you a resizable curved screen over passthrough or your home environment instead.
The Bigger Perspective
If you’ve ever wanted to have your own private movie theater, VR is likely the closest you’ll ever come.
In addition to the big screen in the living room, you could also enter the “Void”, which put you in a completely black space with a giant screen to watch your shows.
It was frankly amazing and made you feel like you’re watching The Punisher blast bad guys on a 100-foot screen.
Privacy
What if your wife or significant other doesn’t like watching Stranger Things, but you wanna see Eleven do awesome stuff?
Well, while they’re watching whatever they want on the TV, you can strap on your VR headset and watch whatever you want. If you have a headset on, you won’t have to deal with them at all.
I’ve done this multiple times, and it’s saved a few arguments about what to watch.
Quest Browser, Old Netflix VR App or Sideload: Which is Better?
Getting the official Netflix VR App used to be easy as pie. You simply downloaded the app from the Oculus Store or another marketplace that had it, opened it and logged in.
With that said, there were some serious limitations on the app that were a bummer.
These included the inability to download any shows/movies and the capping of resolution to 480p.
That sucked, as it made it look like you were watching on an old school SDTV.
The workaround at the time was to download the Android Netflix app file (APK format) and sideload it onto your headset, which could bring higher resolution and downloads.
Update: the official app is gone, and the 480p limit went with it. Netflix in the Meta Quest Browser streams at 1080p, so of the two things sideloading used to add, only downloads are missing. Sideloading is unsupported, and we could not confirm that the Netflix Android app still installs and plays on current Quest software, so the browser is the better choice for most people.
What is Sideloading?
Sideloading is the process of adding an app directly to your device, rather than using an official store like Google Play or the Meta Horizon Store. The benefit of this is that you can use apps that may otherwise not be available.
Most headset makers allow sideloading, but they don’t officially recognize those apps.
That means that the headset manufacturers can’t vouch for the stability or security of these apps.
Basically, you’re installing at your own risk. Stick to trusted sources.
How to Sideload Netflix to Your Headset (Legacy Method)
Oculus VR headsets are the most common devices that have apps sideloaded, so I’m going to explain the process of sideloading for them. The process is pretty simple, but I recommend you follow the steps below “to the letter” to ensure success. This guide was written mainly for the Quest, Go, and Gear VR, as they run predominantly on Android.
Note: all three headsets are discontinued. The original Quest was discontinued in September 2020 and later limited to maintenance and security patches (Wikipedia). Oculus Go sales ended in 2020, and its system software was maintained only through 2022 (Wikipedia). Oculus dropped Gear VR app development support from Oculus SDK Suite 1.42 in November 2019 (Meta). The steps below have not been re-tested.
Step One: Set up Developer Mode on Your Headset
The first step here is setting yourself up as a developer (it’s okay if you’re not a real developer).
According to Meta’s current developer documentation, you first need to create or join a developer team (organization) on the Meta Horizon Developer Dashboard while logged into your Meta account, then verify the account by SMS two-factor verification or by adding a payment method.
After that, open the Meta Horizon app (formerly the Oculus app) on your smartphone, tap the headset icon, tap your paired headset and go to Headset Settings, then Developer Mode.
Switch Developer Mode on, and you’re set for this step.
Step Two: Download ADB and Install the Drivers
Windows PC Method
If you’re using a Windows computer, you’re going to want to download the Oculus ADB drivers directly from Meta using this link. After downloading and unzipping the file, right-click android_winusb.inf and select install.
The next step is to download ADB from Google. Your Quest headset is essentially an Android device, and this will allow you to sideload apps directly to your headset. Put the downloaded ADB files in a simple and easy to remember folder on your hard drive, as you’re going to use it later.
Mac Computer Method
If you’re using a Mac computer, the easiest way to install the required drivers is to download SideQuest.
This software makes things very easy. You simply download the .dmg file and drag it to your application folder. You then connect your headset to your Mac using a USB cable and click the various buttons when prompted.
Download Netflix Android App
Before you install the Android Netflix app, you need to download it. SideQuest used to list the Netflix app, but its Netflix listing now says the app is no longer available and points to netflix.com in the Meta Quest Browser. The original guide suggested APK Pure, a third-party download site; Netflix doesn’t distribute its app there, so use it at your own risk.
You can download the straight Android version or use the Android TV version if you want.
I went with the Android TV version as it saves a step in the process.
Installing the App
Okay, now that we have everything we need, Windows users just have to install the app.
You’re going to do so by connecting your headset to your computer.
The next step is to click the Start button and open the Command Prompt.
You now need to type in the location of your folder where you put the ADB files (hence why you want a simple spot). Now you want to type adb install -r (and put the path of your Netflix file).
For example, if you put it in your Downloads folder the prompt would be: adb install -r C:\Users\(Your Name)\Downloads\Netflix.apk
Press Enter, and the app will be installed.
Finding the Netflix VR App
Now that you have the app installed, you’re going to have to find it.
The app won’t be with the rest of your Oculus apps, as it is sideloaded.
Instead, you’ll find the Android TV version in the Oculus TV section.
If you downloaded the standard Netflix Android app, you’re going to need to download the TVAppRepo here.
Sideload that app just like you did the Netflix app, and then head to the Oculus TV app and you’ll find the repo in there. Click that, and you’ll see your new Netflix app.
One Last Note
While it does seem like this process is pretty involved, it’s really easy.
In fact, SideQuest does have a Windows app that you can download as well for even easier installation.
I didn’t list it as a main process, as I’ve only ever used the Mac version and don’t want to recommend something I haven’t personally used.
Other Streaming Apps for VR
The original version of this guide recommended the apps below. Of these, Prime Video and Bigscreen are currently listed on the Meta Horizon Store.
Amazon Prime Video
If you have an Amazon Prime subscription, you have access to thousands of shows and movies from Amazon.
The service includes originals like The Man in the High Castle and The Boys.
Amazon used to offer a Prime Video VR app. In September 2024 it launched a new Prime Video app for Quest, a 2D panel app that runs in passthrough or your home environment and supports 1080p playback and downloads for offline viewing, according to UploadVR. It is listed on the Meta Horizon Store.
Hulu
Hulu was another officially supported video streaming service with VR support, and I really liked the official Hulu VR app for long watching sessions.
Hulu dropped its VR app on Daydream in September 2019 and on PSVR, Oculus Go and Windows Mixed Reality headsets in June 2020, keeping only Oculus Rift and Gear VR (Road to VR). As of July 2024 it had no native Quest app (Road to VR). The ad-free price quoted in the original guide is out of date; check Hulu’s site for current plans.
Plex
If you have media downloaded to your PC, you can use Plex as a media hub to watch on a bevvy of devices.
I used Plex to shoot a bunch of movies wirelessly to my device, and the quality never faltered. The VR app also supported 3D movies, which are the best way to watch movies in VR.
In March 2024 Plex announced it was discontinuing its VR apps for Daydream, Gear VR and Oculus Go; it never released a Meta Quest app (How-To Geek). On a Quest you can use Plex’s web app in the browser instead.
Bigscreen
Bigscreen is cool because it lets you sit in with other users while watching video content.
You can watch movies, games, live TV, and more, all while conversing with someone around the world.
Bigscreen Beta is still a free download on the Meta Horizon Store, with public and private rooms, remote desktop streaming from a PC, TV channels and support for local 3D video files. Its store listing doesn’t mention Netflix.
Conclusion
If you’re a Netflix fan and have a VR headset, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t be watching it.
The headset that link points to, the original Quest, is discontinued. Today watching Netflix means opening netflix.com in the Meta Quest Browser on a Quest 2, Quest Pro, Quest 3 or Quest 3S. You get 1080p and a big, resizable screen without any sideloading. If you need offline viewing for travel, Prime Video’s Quest app is currently the better choice.
Research behind this guide
Check the linked specifications and support documents, or read how we research. Original review experience stays attributed to its author.
View 16 sources
- How to use Netflix on your Meta Quest (Oculus) VR headset | Netflix Help Center
- Netflix Error Q7701-1003 | Netflix Help Center
- Netflix Discontinues Quest App Following Browser Streaming Quality Bump | Road to VR
- Hands-on: What's the new Netflix experience like on Quest 3 | Mixed News
- Set up your device for development | Meta Horizon OS Developers
- Oculus Quest | Wikipedia
- Oculus Go | Wikipedia
- Gear VR app development no longer supported from Oculus SDK Suite 1.42 | Meta Horizon OS Developers
- New Amazon Prime Video Quest App Supports Downloads | UploadVR
- Amazon Prime Video on Meta Quest | Meta Store
- Hulu is Shutting Down Its VR App on Most Headsets | Road to VR
- Plex Is Giving up on Its VR Apps | How-To Geek
- Netflix on SideQuest
- Bigscreen Beta on Meta Quest | Meta Store
- How to use Netflix on your Apple Vision Pro | Netflix Help Center
- Netflix says use Safari on Apple Vision Pro, because you aren't getting an app | AppleInsider
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