VR guide for DCS World

Headsets and how they connect

DCS talks to VR through OpenXR. Whichever app is set as your active OpenXR runtime is the one DCS uses, so the main job is making sure the right app holds that setting. Confirmed Eagle Dynamics: DCS now supports OpenXR natively.

Meta Quest 2, 3, 3S and Pro

• Link cable or Air Link. Install the Meta Horizon Link app on your PC, then choose Link from Quick controls in the headset. Air Link is the Wi-Fi version and works best on 5 GHz. Confirmed Meta: set up Meta Horizon Link and Air Link. DCS then runs on Meta's own OpenXR runtime. Confirmed Eagle Dynamics says DCS uses OpenXR by default, which Meta supports: Native Oculus API and DCS.
• Virtual Desktop. An app that streams over Wi-Fi. It brings its own OpenXR runtime, VDXR, which you pick in the Virtual Desktop Streamer settings on the PC. Meta's OpenXR runtime does not work through Virtual Desktop, so DCS uses either VDXR or SteamVR. Confirmed VDXR wiki.
• Steam Link. Valve's wireless app. It needs Steam and SteamVR running on the PC, so DCS ends up on SteamVR's OpenXR runtime. Meta's store page lists Quest 2, 3 and Pro. Confirmed Steam Link on Meta Quest.
• The Quest 3S is not named on every page above. It uses the same Link, Air Link and Virtual Desktop routes as the Quest 3, but check the app's own page for your headset.

Pimax

• Use Pimax Play. Under General, choose Pimax OpenXR as the OpenXR runtime. Confirmed Pimax DCS setup guide. Eagle Dynamics lists Pimax among headsets that work with native OpenXR. Confirmed DCS now supports OpenXR natively.

Oculus Rift and Rift S

• Eagle Dynamics lists Oculus headsets as working with native OpenXR, through Meta's own runtime. Confirmed DCS now supports OpenXR natively. In practice they connect through the same Meta PC app as Link.
• Both headsets are old now. We could not find a current official Meta statement on how long the PC app will keep supporting them, so we make no claim either way.

Valve Index and HTC Vive

• These need SteamVR, so DCS runs on SteamVR's OpenXR runtime. Confirmed DCS now supports OpenXR natively. Get SteamVR from Steam.

Windows Mixed Reality (HP Reverb G2 and others)

• Microsoft removed Windows Mixed Reality, including the Mixed Reality Portal and its SteamVR driver, in Windows 11 version 24H2. Staying on 23H2 keeps it working with Steam only until November 2026, after which there are no more updates or support. Confirmed Microsoft: removed features.
• Oasis is a free SteamVR driver, by an independent developer, that runs these headsets on Windows 11 24H2 and later without the Portal. DCS then runs through SteamVR, and SteamVR overlays work. It needs an NVIDIA or AMD RDNA graphics card, not Intel, and does not support Windows 10. Confirmed The developer's Oasis wiki and Steam page.

Varjo

• Eagle Dynamics lists Varjo as native OpenXR, using Varjo's own software. Confirmed DCS now supports OpenXR natively.

DCS VR basics

• Turn VR on. In DCS, open Options, go to the VR tab and tick Enable virtual reality headset. Confirmed Eagle Dynamics VR FAQ.
• Pick the runtime in your headset's app. Set the active OpenXR runtime in the app you use: Meta Horizon Link, SteamVR, Virtual Desktop Streamer or Pimax Play. The DCS forum thread recommends simply setting the Meta app as the active runtime for Quest and Rift. Recommended Native Oculus API and DCS. If you have several headset apps installed, the open-source xr-picker shows and switches the active runtime. Recommended
• Launch options, only if you need them. To force VR through OpenXR, add --force_enable_VR --force_OpenXR to a shortcut for DCS.exe, not DCS_updater.exe. --force_steam_VR uses the older SteamVR (OpenVR) route instead. Confirmed DCS now supports OpenXR natively. When something goes wrong, Eagle Dynamics suggests removing extra launch options first. Confirmed VR FAQ.
• Multithreading is now standard. DCS 2.9.8 (30 September 2024) removed the single-thread version. The bin folder now holds the multithreaded game, and the old bin-mt copy is only kept for old shortcuts and will be removed. Confirmed DCS 2.9.8 changelog and Farewell to Single Thread. Players suggest pointing shortcuts at bin. Community Native Oculus API and DCS.
• DLSS and DLAA. DCS 2.9 added NVIDIA DLSS (Quality, Balanced, Performance and Ultra Performance), DLAA and AMD FSR 2. DLSS needs an RTX card and the multithreaded game, and does little if your CPU is the bottleneck. Eagle Dynamics suggested a sharpening value around 0.5 with DLSS. Confirmed DCS 2.9 newsletter and 2.9 Graphics Update FAQ.
• Quad Views. DCS 2.9.8 added Quad View options to the VR settings. Confirmed DCS 2.9.8 changelog (30 September 2024). See Performance tools below.
• Controls not responding? Keep the DCS mirror window on your desktop as the active window, and use the confine mouse cursor to window option in the VR tab. Confirmed VR FAQ.

Discord and other windows in VR

The big rule first: SteamVR overlay apps only appear when DCS is running through SteamVR. Eagle Dynamics says you need SteamVR's OpenXR runtime if you want SteamVR overlays and apps. Confirmed DCS now supports OpenXR natively. The VDXR developer makes the same point: many SteamVR utilities are not available outside SteamVR. Confirmed VirtualDesktop-OpenXR (VDXR) wiki. So on Meta's runtime, VDXR or Pimax OpenXR, use a tool that works on any runtime, such as OpenKneeboard.

Works on any OpenXR runtime

• OpenKneeboard Window Capture. Free and open source. A Window Capture tab can bring any desktop window into VR, such as Discord, the SRS window or a web page. Turn on Capture client area to hide the title bar. Confirmed OpenKneeboard: Window Capture. It works with any OpenXR or SteamVR headset, with some known problems on Pimax with AMD cards, some Varjo Base versions and Pico on SteamVR. Confirmed OpenKneeboard: hardware. You can see the window but cannot click it with your mouse in the game. Confirmed OpenKneeboard FAQ.
• Virtual Desktop. Shows your PC desktop and monitors in the headset. Confirmed Virtual Desktop store page. Players also use its desktop view while a game is streaming. Community We could not confirm this from Virtual Desktop's own pages: see vrdesktop.net.
• Meta's Link menu. Players report that the Link menu can show your PC desktop while DCS runs. Community We did not find an official Meta page for this.

SteamVR only

• The SteamVR dashboard, plus overlay apps such as OVR Toolkit, XSOverlay and Desktop+. All three list SteamVR as their VR platform on Steam. Confirmed Desktop+ is open source: Desktop+ on GitHub. These suit Index, HTC, WMR with Oasis, and Quest on Steam Link, or anyone running DCS through SteamVR.

Tips for Discord

• You do not need to see Discord to talk on it. Bind Discord's push-to-talk to a spare HOTAS button so you never reach for the keyboard.
• Capture only the Discord window rather than a whole monitor. It is easier to read and keeps other windows private.

Performance tools

• OpenXR Toolkit: no longer supported. Its developer has discontinued support and does not recommend installing or using it. Confirmed OpenXR Toolkit releases page. If you still have it installed from years ago and DCS misbehaves, disabling or removing it is a good first step. Recommended
• Quad-Views-Foveated. Free and open source. It renders the centre of your view sharply and the edges at lower detail. It uses eye tracking on headsets that have it (Quest Pro, Pimax Crystal, Varjo and some others) and a fixed centre on headsets without it. On the Quest Pro, eye tracking works through Meta's runtime, VDXR, SteamVR with Virtual Desktop or Steam Link, but not SteamVR with Link. DCS must run on OpenXR. Tick Use Quad Views in the DCS settings and turn off Bloom and Lens Effects. It only helps when your graphics card is the bottleneck. Confirmed Quad-Views-Foveated and its DCS page.
• Pimax and Varjo have their own quad views built in, so on those headsets you may not need this one. Quad-Views-Foveated can also cause trouble in some other modern games, so turn it off when you are not flying DCS. Confirmed Quad-Views-Foveated wiki. If you run several OpenXR add-ons, OpenXR API Layers GUI lets you see, order and switch them off. Recommended
• Pimax. In Pimax Play, under Game, tick Pimax OpenXR Quadviews, then tick Use Quad View and Eye-tracking in DCS. Pimax suggests Bloom off. Confirmed Pimax Crystal Super: the ultimate DCS setup guide.
• Virtual Desktop. Choose VDXR in the Streamer settings. The performance overlay then shows VDXR as the runtime, which is a handy check. Confirmed VirtualDesktop-OpenXR (VDXR) wiki.
• Link and Air Link. Set refresh rate and render resolution in the Meta Horizon Link app, under Devices and Graphics preferences. If you have changed values in the Oculus Debug Tool, Meta suggests setting them back to 0. Confirmed Meta: troubleshoot Meta Horizon Link.

Safe apps and where to get them

Get DCS from Eagle Dynamics or Steam, and every tool from its own home only:

• OpenKneeboard: openkneeboard.com or its GitHub.
• SRS: the official GitHub releases page.
• Quad-Views-Foveated, VDXR, Oasis and OpenXR API Layers GUI: their GitHub pages linked above.
• Virtual Desktop and Steam Link: the Meta Store. OVR Toolkit, XSOverlay, Desktop+ and SteamVR: Steam.

Avoid repacks, unofficial mirrors, re-uploaded installers and "FPS booster" or "optimiser" bundles. If a download is not from the developer's own page, do not run it. Recommended

• Multiplayer integrity check. Servers can turn on an integrity check that looks for changed game files. Mods that change core files, such as shader mods, can fail it, and you will not be able to join until you remove them. Community DCS forum: Unpure for server?.
• When VR is misbehaving, Eagle Dynamics suggests deleting unofficial mods and not using ReShade, VRShader or similar mods. Confirmed VR FAQ.
• Each server or group sets its own rules on mods and tools. If in doubt, ask the people you fly with.

SRS radio in VR

SimpleRadio Standalone (SRS) is a free, open-source radio that runs alongside DCS and works with clickable cockpits. Confirmed SRS on GitHub.

• Bind push-to-talk to your HOTAS. In the SRS client's Controls tab, set Common PTT to a joystick or throttle button. You can add a modifier button too. Confirmed SRS wiki.
• If a button is bound in both SRS and DCS, SRS's Require Admin setting lets SRS catch it while DCS still uses it. Confirmed SRS wiki (controls and overlay).
• Use the in-game overlay. SRS adds an overlay inside DCS, on by default, which you can toggle with Left Ctrl + Left Shift + Esc. Confirmed SRS in-game overlay options. Because DCS draws it, you can see it in the headset. Recommended
• The separate SRS radio window is a normal desktop window, so it will not show in VR on its own. Capture it with OpenKneeboard if you want it. Recommended
• In full-fidelity aircraft, SRS follows the cockpit radios. In Flaming Cliffs aircraft and spectator slots, you use the overlay and SRS key bindings instead. Confirmed SRS wiki (controls and overlay).
• Your group will give you its SRS server details. We do not publish any here.

Sources

Every link was opened and checked on 23 October 2026.

1. DCS now supports OpenXR natively (Eagle Dynamics, DCS forum)
2. Native Oculus API and DCS (Eagle Dynamics, DCS forum)
3. VR FAQ (Eagle Dynamics)
4. DCS 2.9.8 changelog (30 September 2024) (Eagle Dynamics)
5. Farewell to Single Thread (Eagle Dynamics news)
6. DCS 2.9 newsletter (DLSS, DLAA and FSR) (Eagle Dynamics)
7. 2.9 Graphics Update FAQ (Eagle Dynamics, DCS forum)
8. DCS World download page (Eagle Dynamics)
9. Unpure for server? (players on the integrity check) (DCS forum)
10. How to set up Meta Horizon Link and Air Link (Meta Quest Help)
11. How to troubleshoot Meta Horizon Link on your computer (Meta Quest Help)
12. Steam Link on Meta Quest (Meta Store)
13. Virtual Desktop on Meta Quest (Meta Store)
14. Virtual Desktop (Virtual Desktop)
15. VirtualDesktop-OpenXR (VDXR) wiki (GitHub, mbucchia)
16. Pimax Crystal Super: the ultimate DCS setup guide (Pimax)
17. SteamVR (Steam)
18. Deprecated and removed Windows features (Windows Mixed Reality) (Microsoft Learn)
19. Oasis Driver for Windows Mixed Reality wiki (GitHub, mbucchia)
20. Oasis Driver for Windows Mixed Reality (Steam)
21. xr-picker (OpenXR runtime picker) (GitHub, rpavlik)
22. OpenKneeboard (OpenKneeboard)
23. OpenKneeboard: Window Capture (OpenKneeboard)
24. OpenKneeboard: hardware compatibility (OpenKneeboard)
25. OpenKneeboard FAQ (OpenKneeboard)
26. OpenKneeboard source code (GitHub)
27. OVR Toolkit (Steam)
28. XSOverlay (Steam)
29. Desktop+ (Steam)
30. Desktop+ source code (GitHub, elvissteinjr)
31. OpenXR Toolkit releases (support discontinued notice) (GitHub, mbucchia)
32. Quad-Views-Foveated (GitHub, mbucchia)
33. Quad-Views-Foveated wiki: DCS World (GitHub, mbucchia)
34. Quad-Views-Foveated wiki (GitHub, mbucchia)
35. OpenXR API Layers GUI (GitHub, fredemmott)
36. DCS-SimpleRadioStandalone (GitHub, ciribob)
37. SRS latest release (GitHub, ciribob)
38. SRS wiki (controls and overlay) (GitHub, ciribob)
39. SRS in-game overlay options (source file) (GitHub, ciribob)