Why Does Oculus keep Opening? Fix Auto Start Issues

Are you wondering why the Oculus PC app keeps opening whenever you perform any task on your computer or play other VR games?

If the Oculus keeps opening on its own, this happens when you’ve configured the Oculus PC app to launch automatically at the Start-up. To fix this, type “Services” in the search box, hit “Enter” to launch the program, open the “Oculus VR Runtime Service” properties, and select “Manual” as the Startup type.

Below, we’ll explore why does Oculus app keep opening on your PC and in what ways you can quickly resolve this issue.

Why does Oculus keep opening on my pc?

If the Oculus keeps opening by itself, one of the following might be the reason:

The Oculus PC app is set to launch automatically on startup.
HMD proximity sensor is triggering by itself.
A program or non-VR game loading the VR drivers automatically.
Corrupted Oculus app data or installation files.
The headset is connected to the PC unintentionally.

How do I stop my Oculus from opening by itself?

To stop the Oculus from opening by itself while playing games through SteamVR or doing something else on your computer, try these 7 solutions.

Check the Proximity Sensors

The proximity sensor on your Oculus Rift or Quest turns on the headset when you wear it and automatically launches the Oculus PC app.

However, if the app opens itself when you are not using the headset, some nearby object might trigger the proximity sensor.

So, ensure you are not laying the headset upside down with the strap bent upward or putting it on a manikin’s head.

Disable the App From Launching At the Start-Up

You may have configured the Oculus PC app to launch at start-up. As a result, the app opens by itself whenever you turn on your computer.

To prevent this, change the Oculus app Startup type to manual with these steps:

Type “Services” in the search bar on your desktop and click to open it.
Find “Oculus VR Library Service.”
Right-click on it.
Click “Properties.”
Select “Manual” from the “Startup Type” drop-down menu and save the changes.
Now, find “Oculus VR Runtime Service” and redo the above steps.
Restart your Windows PC and see if this fixes the issue.

Stop the OVRService Through the Task Manager

If you are playing any non-VR game on your PC, but the Oculus app is automatically opening, this could be due to a bug or glitch in the game which loads the VR drivers.

Luckily, you can stop the OVRService in the Task Manager to prevent the app from launching during the gameplay with the following steps:

Press “Win+X”
Click “Task Manager.”
Go to “Services.”
Find “OVRService” and right-click on it.
Click “Stop,” and the Oculus app won’t keep opening now.

NOTE: If you’ve connected your headset to your PC, it can also trigger the Oculus app to launch automatically. So, unplug the USB cable or Oculus Link from your computer to resolve the issue.

Run the Oculus Client As An Administrator

The Oculus app is programmed to open for any service or app that has VR capabilities, such as SteamVR. To fix this, configure the Oculus Client to run only as an administrator to prevent it from opening while using Steam or other programs.

Open “File Explorer.”
Click “Local Disk (C:).”
Open “Program Files.”
Click “Oculus.”
Select the “Support” folder.
Open “oculus-client.”
Right-click “OculusClient.exe.”
Click “Properties.”
Open the “Compatibility” tab.
Checkmark “Run this program as administrator.”
Click “OK” to apply the changes, and the Oculus app won’t start automatically anymore.

Control the Oculus App Through Oculus Tray Tool

Setting the Oculus PC app to run as an administrator usually stops it from launching automatically. But some games might not work unless you undo these changes.

So, to avoid constantly changing the settings, use Oculus Tray Tool to control the Oculus services. This third-party software tool provides additional control and customization options for the Oculus VR headsets.

To install and use the OTT or Oculus Tray Tool to disable the Oculus Runtime services, do the following steps:

Launch a browser on your PC and go to the “Apollyonvr” website.
Click “Download” next to “Oculus Tray Tool.”
Scroll to the download section on the next page and click “Download” next to the latest version.

Click the installer file when ready and choose “Run Anyway” in the next prompt window.
Now, follow the on-screen prompts to install the tool.
Click “Launch Oculus Tray Tool.”
Click “Finish.”
Next, right-click the “Oculus Tray Tool” icon in the taskbar.
Click “Stop Oculus Services.”

When you need to rerun the Oculus Services, right-click the icon and click “Start Oculus Services.”

Repair the Oculus PC App

Corrupted data files might also cause the Oculus app to automatically open when you start playing Roblox or VR games running on other gaming clients.

So, to remove the corrupted data files, repair the Oculus PC app with these steps:

Launch a browser on your PC and head to the “Oculus Setup” page.
Go to your headset: Quest, Rift, or Rift S.
Click “Download Setup.”
Once the installer file is ready, click it to install the app on your PC.
Click “Repair” in the prompt window.
Click “Yes.”

NOTE: If the Windows Defender displays a warning message, click “More Info” and select “Run Anyway.”

Wait for the Repair process to rerun the setup and verify the fix.

Repairing the Oculus PC app can also troubleshoot the Oculus Rift blinking orange light.

Reinstall the Oculus App

If the Oculus app is still opening after the repair process, reinstall it on your PC to remove corrupted installation files resulting in this frustrating issue.

To do this, go to “Settings” on your PC, click “Apps,” and click “Oculus Home.” Click “Uninstall” and choose “Uninstall” again to confirm.

Now, go to the “Oculus Setup” page, click “Download Setup” next to your headset type, and click “Run.” Select “Get Started,” click “Agree,” and click “Install Now” to install the app on your PC.