Update August 23, 2022: Today we launched Meta accounts, a new way for people to log into their VR headsets that doesn’t require a Facebook account. Click here for more information.
Today, we’re announcing some important updates to how people log into Oculus devices, while still keeping their VR profile. Starting in October 2020:
Everyone using an Oculus device for the first time will need to log in with a Facebook account.
If you’re an existing user and already have an Oculus account, you’ll have the option to log in with Facebook and merge your Oculus and Facebook accounts.
If you’re an existing user and choose not to merge your accounts, you can continue using your Oculus account for two years.
After January 1, 2023, we will end support for Oculus accounts. If you choose not to merge your accounts at that time, you can continue using your device, but full functionality will require a Facebook account. We will take steps to allow you to keep using content you have purchased, though we expect some games and apps may no longer work. This could be because they include features that require a Facebook account or because a developer has chosen to no longer support the app or game you purchased. All future unreleased Oculus devices will require a Facebook account, even if you already have an Oculus account.
Giving people a single way to log into Oculus—using their Facebook account and password— will make it easier to find, connect, and play with friends in VR. We know that social VR has so much more to offer, and this change will make it possible to integrate many of the features people know and love on Facebook. It will also allow us to introduce more Facebook powered multiplayer and social experiences coming soon in VR, like Horizon, where you can explore, play, and create worlds. The majority of our users are already logging into Oculus with a Facebook account to use features like chats, parties, and events, or to tune into live experiences in Oculus Venues. We’re also making it easier to share across our platforms if you’d like. For example, people already have the option to livestream or share their VR experience on Facebook, and soon you’ll be able to use your VR avatar on other Facebook apps and technologies.
When you log in with a Facebook account, you can still create or maintain a unique VR profile. And if you don’t want your Oculus friends to find you by your Facebook name, they won’t—just make it visible to ‘Only Me’ in your Oculus settings. You can also choose what information about your VR activity you post to your Facebook profile or timeline, either by giving permission to post or by updating your settings. And we plan to introduce the ability for multiple users to log into the same device using their own Facebook account, so people can easily share their headset with friends or family while keeping their information separate.
Using a VR profile that is backed by a Facebook account and authentic identity helps us protect our community and makes it possible to offer additional integrity tools. For example, instead of having a separate Oculus Code of Conduct, we will adopt Facebook’s Community Standards as well as a new additional VR-focused policy. This will allow us to continue to take the unique considerations of VR into account while offering a more consistent way to report bad behavior, hold people accountable, and help create a more welcoming environment across our platforms. And as Facebook adds new privacy and safety tools, Oculus can adopt and benefit from them too.
We will be updating our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy to reflect these changes and will be sending a notice to users before the changes take effect. This update will make it clear that the Oculus platform is provided by Facebook and will include information on how our users’ data is managed. As we’ve previously shared, when you log into Oculus using your Facebook account, Facebook will use information related to your use of VR and other Facebook products to provide and improve your experience. This information is also used to show you personalized content, including ads. For example, we might show you recommendations for Oculus Events you might like, ads about Facebook apps and technologies, or ads from developers for their VR apps.
We understand that this is a significant change, which is why we’re sharing the news early. We will update existing users who choose not to log in with a Facebook account as we get closer to ending support for Oculus accounts in 2023. In the meantime, here are answers to some questions you may be asking to help make everything clear.
What changes are coming to accounts on Oculus?
Starting in October 2020:
Everyone using an Oculus device for the first time will need to log in with a Facebook account.
If you are an existing user and already have an Oculus account, you will have the option to log in with Facebook and merge your Oculus and Facebook accounts.
If you are an existing user and choose not to merge your accounts, you can continue using your Oculus account for two years.
Starting In January 2023:
We will end support for Oculus accounts.
If you choose not to merge your accounts at that time, you can continue using your device, but full functionality will require a Facebook account.
We will take steps to allow you to keep using content you have purchased, though some games and apps may no longer work. This could be because they require a Facebook account or because a developer has chosen to no longer support the app or game you purchased.
All future unreleased Oculus devices will require a Facebook account, even if you already have an Oculus account.
Why are you making these changes to accounts on Oculus?
Oculus is owned by Facebook and is one of Facebook’s apps and technologies. Using a Facebook account provides a single way to log into Oculus devices and makes it easier to find, connect and play with friends in VR. It also enables Facebook-powered social experiences, like live streaming gameplay to your Facebook timeline, making calls with parties, joining events, and exploring new experiences like Facebook Horizon. And as Facebook adds new privacy and safety tools, they can be added in VR too.
What social features does Facebook provide in VR?
Some examples of social features that Facebook provides on Oculus include:
Chats — Chat with friends in or out of the headset, and quickly hop into games together
User and developer-created events — Organize tournaments or multiplayer games with friends
Livestreaming — Share gameplay to your Facebook timeline from VR
Sharing to Groups — Post to VR-related Facebook Groups under your VR username
Parties — Create open parties to meet up with friends in-VR
Can I still have a profile for VR experiences that is different from my Facebook profile?
Yes. If you already have a unique username from your Oculus account, you will be able to continue using that username in VR. If you don’t have a VR username, you’ll be able to create one when you set up your profile for VR.
Will my VR activity be posted to Facebook without my permission?
No. If you log into your Oculus device with your Facebook account, you can choose what information about your VR activity you post to your Facebook profile or timeline, either by giving permission to post or by updating your settings. If you are an existing user and you choose not to merge your Oculus account and Facebook account, you will not have access to Facebook-powered social features and you will not be able to post your VR activity to your Facebook profile or timeline.
What happens to my data when I log into an Oculus device with my Facebook account?
When you log into your Oculus device with your Facebook account or merge your Oculus and Facebook accounts, we will use information related to your use of Oculus and Facebook for purposes such as:
Providing and improving your experience across Facebook products
Promoting safety and integrity on our services
Showing you personalized content, including ads, across Facebook products. This could include recommendations for Oculus Events you might like, ads about Facebook apps and technologies, or ads from developers for their VR apps.
Examples of the information we use include:
The VR apps you use, so we can recommend new apps you haven’t tried yet
Your Facebook friend list, to make it easier to find and interact with your Facebook friends who are also in VR
Invites and acceptances for events you create
Information like your name and messaging metadata for chats in VR, so that you have access to your chats across devices
Your photos and related content like captions, likes and comments if you share photos from VR to Facebook
Information about your VR activity, like which apps you use, to show you ads for other VR apps you may like
Information about your activity on other Facebook products, such as Pages you like and groups you join, to recommend content and things to do in VR.
Can I use Oculus quest without Facebook?
Meta (formerly Facebook) today began rolling out support for Meta accounts on Quest 2 headsets, offering a new way to access your VR devices without the need for a Facebook account.Can I use Oculus without Facebook 2022?
A simple email address will suffice. It's been a moment but Meta has finally removed the mandatory Facebook login for the Quest 2 VR headset. To login to your Meta Quest 2, you now need to set up a Meta account.