This post will provide clear instructions on how to use the Samsung Gear VR with ease.
If you have a supported Samsung Galaxy smartphone and the Gear VR Headset, all that’s left to do is set it up.
There are a few factors you must know about to ensure the smoothest experience possible. We’ll discuss them in this post.
Quick Summary
In this post, we will discuss:
- How to secure your smartphone inside the Gear VR Headset
- How to set up the Oculus app
- The basics of the Gear VR interface
And much more.
So without further ado, let’s get into it.
Putting Your Phone into the Headset
The first and fairly obvious step to setting up the Samsung Gear VR Headset is to put your phone inside of it.
While it may seem easy, it’s actually not as straightforward as you’d expect. What you must ensure here is that the phone is securely fixed inside the Gear VR Headset so that it does not move around inside it.
Unlike most VR headsets, your smartphone will be directly connected to the Samsung Gear VR Headset with the help of a micro USB connection.
If you have a case on your phone, take it off.
The Gear VR Headset is specifically designed to fit the supported Galaxy models perfectly. If they have a case on them, then they might not be able to fit properly.
Step 1: Take the cover plate off. You will notice latches on either side inside the Gear VR Headset. These are what will be used to hold your phone in place.
The latch on the left, when you face the Gear VR Headset will be the side that holds the micro USB port.
The port is present on a hinge which assists you in easily insert the phone inside the headset.
Step 2: Insert the phone inside the hinge so that it plugs into the micro USB port. It’s also easy to tell which way the phone should be oriented since the screen needs to be facing the lens of the Gear VR Headset.
Step 3: Once the phone is fixed onto the micro USB port, push the phone into the Gear VR Headset so that it latches onto the right latch as well.
You’ll hear a slightly audible click and with that, your phone is fully secured and ready to use with the Gear VR Headset.
Setting Up the Software
This is going to sound counterintuitive but this step will involve you taking the phone back out.
Basically, when you connect the phone to the Gear VR’s micro USB port and secure it inside, the phone will be prompted to download the appropriate software.
You’ll hear an audible voice from your smartphone, prompting you to install it.
While this may seem like a round-about method, it’s still much easier than installing the software manually.
This is because when you do it this way, the entire installation process is essentially automated.
Step 1: Pull out your phone from the Gear VR Headset and click on “Next”. Read the user agreement and then, click on “Install”.
Depending on the version, your buttons may say something slightly different but all you need to know is that you must continue with the prompt for installation.
Step 2: Once the installation is done, you’ll be prompted to create an Oculus account. If you already have an Oculus account, you can just log in but otherwise, you must create one.
This is what will be used to interact with your VR headset, download games, save your progress on them, etc.
Step 3: Once your account is created, you’ll be transported to the Gear Store.
At this point, you can put your phone back into the Gear VR Headset. You might get some instructions that explain how to use the focus dial on the side of the Gear VR Headset.
You can use this dial to, you guessed it, adjust focus. Tinker with it until the image you see is perfectly clear and not blurry at all. Make sure to take your time when you first adjust this because if you don’t do it properly. It can lead to eye strain issues.
Using the Gear VR Interface
Now that your Samsung Gear VR is completely set up and configured with your smartphone, you can use it to download VR apps and experience them.
Here are some quick tips that’ll help you navigate more conveniently:
- If you’d like to go to the main menu, press and hold the back button. It’s located on top of the D-pad on your Samsung Gear VR Headset. From here, you can check out your wifi information, notifications as well as other statistics.
- If you’d like to take a screenshot or record a video inside VR, you can do so by going to the main menu and choosing “Utilities”.
- You can access the camera passthrough feature through the Utilities menu. This allows you to look at your real surroundings by using your smartphone’s camera. We think it’s a really convenient feature where you don’t have to take your headset off.
- As for all other conventional features such as going to Home, Library, Store or to use Voice Search, they are all present at the bottom of the screen. All you have to do is look down and choose one of them.
- If you’d like to quit an application, all you have to do is press the back button on top of the D-pad on your Samsung Gear VR Headset.
- Once you’re done with your Samsung Gear VR Headset, simply take your smartphone out of it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Phones are Supported by the Samsung Gear VR Headset?
Some of the most commonly supported phones by the Samsung Gear VR Headset are:
- Samsung Galaxy Note 4
- Samsung Galaxy Note 5
- Samsung Galaxy S6
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
For a complete list of supported models for the Samsung Gear VR Headset, you can check out Samsung’s website.
Does the Samsung Gear VR Headset Work with iOS Devices?
No. The Samsung Gear VR Headset does not work with iOS devices.
Does the Samsung Gear VR Headset Work with All Android Phones?
No. However, it can work with some Android phones but only with limited functionality.
If you’d like to use the Samsung Gear VR Headset to its fullest potential, use it with a smartphone that fully supports it.
The Display in My Samsung Gear VR Headset is Blurry, What Should I Do?
You’re most likely not focused properly. Use the focus dial on the side of the Samsung Gear VR Headset to adjust the focus until the image is clear.
Does the Samsung Gear VR Headset Work with the Latest Samsung Phones?
If your phone is running Android version 12 or higher, then it won’t support the Samsung Gear VR Headset and thus, won’t work with it.
All phones that run an Android version older than 12 will still be able to run with the Samsung Gear VR Headset with ease; Assuming that they are fully compatible with the headset otherwise as well.
Conclusion
That’s how you use the Samsung Gear VR.
Overall, the setup is quite self-explanatory and it only takes some time to figure out how to navigate it effectively.
What do you think of the Samsung Gear VR Headset? Let us know in the comments section below.