Why Your Meta Quest 3 Passthrough Is Grainy

If you’re wondering why your Meta Quest 3 passthrough is grainy, then you’re not alone.

The Meta Quest 3 is an exciting leap forward for virtual reality in terms of the power and freedom it offers, but it’s also a big change to the world of mixed reality. It’s the first time that full-color passthrough has been available on a reasonably-priced VR headset, which means it’s also the first time many of us are experiencing it.

Despite it being a big leap, it’s not perfect. There are some issues when it comes to the passthrough that can leave Meta Quest 3 users feeling a little underwhelmed. That’s especially true for anyone who watches YouTubers talking about how they can read books and use their phones while wearing the Meta Quest 3, and then not being able to replicate those results at home. So, let’s get into what’s going on here, and what we can do while we wait for patches to hopefully improve things.

Related: How Much Is the Meta Quest 3 (& Is It Worth It?)

Why Your Meta Quest 3 Passthrough Is Grainy

Let’s address something important first. A lot of the content creators are using images they’ve recorded from their headset, which can actually differ from what your eyes would see. There are plenty of reasons for this, including things like needing glasses and the IPD not being correct for the user, but also just that the recorded quality might just be higher than it feels in the headset itself. Nobody is intentionally lying to you. Some of these issues can be resolved with things like VR prescription lenses, and messing around to find the right IPD.

Prescription lenses are something that you might need even if you don’t realise it. While being able to see things is good, if you’re one of the countless people who have an astigmatism in either eye, that’s going to have an impact on the way your eyes receive the images your headset sends. Even if you don’t require glasses for anything else, the astigmatisms are going to cause problems.

Images from the Meta Quest 3 are also a lot grainier when in low lighting. While Meta suggests you can use the passthrough in low evening light, we’ve found that you’ll basically want everything turned up to the max for the best results. The more light there is, and the more it comes from basically every angle, the better your passthrough quality is going to be. It’s not ideal if you’re trying to play mixed reality games in the dark, but also, don’t try to play mixed reality games in the dark.

If you’re looking for more, check out how to connect your Meta Quest 3 to your PC.