Tutorial – VR on Linux with WiVRn

WiVRn is a tool that lets you connect a VR headset to a Linux computer without using wires. It’s similar to ALVR but uses OpenXR for interaction with VR applications, instead of relying on Steam’s buggy VR alternative.

What You Need

• Linux PC (Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora, Arch, etc.)
• Standalone VR headset: Meta Quest 1/2/3/3S/Pro, Pico Neo 4, HTC Vive Focus 3 or XR Elite, or other Android-based headsets
• Good network: 5 GHz Wi-Fi strongly recommended
• Alternative: USB cable + ADB for wired mode
• Optional: Steam installed for SteamVR titles
• Optional: WLX-Overlay-s, an overlay solution similar to steamvr’s that works with WiVRn

Step 1: Install WiVRn on Your PC

Option A: Flatpak (Recommended)

1. Ensure Flatpak is installed on your distro.
2. Add Flathub & install: flatpak install flathub io.github.wivrn.wivrn
3. Launch the dashboard: flatpak run io.github.wivrn.wivrn

Alternatively you can download it here.

Option B: Native Packages

• Arch (AUR): yay -S wivrn-dashboard wivrn-server
• Fedora: sudo dnf install wivrn
• Gentoo (Guru overlay): layman -a guru emerge --ask wivrn-dashboard

Step 2: Install the Headset Client

1. Open the WiVRn dashboard on your PC.
2. Follow the setup wizard:
   • Quest 2/3/Pro: installs directly from the Meta Store.
   • Other headsets: download or sideload the APK as guided.

Step 3: Prepare Your System

1. Enable Avahi (network discovery): sudo systemctl enable --now avahi-daemon
2. Open firewall ports (if applicable):
   • UDP 5353 (Avahi)
   • UDP & TCP 9757 (WiVRn)

Step 4: Connect and Play

1. Start the server on your PC: launch “WiVRn Server” or run the dashboard.
2. Launch the client on your headset: find “WiVRn” in your app library (under “Unknown Sources” if sideloaded).
3. Pair: select your PC from the list. Wait for “Connection ready. Start a VR application on your computer.”
4. Run your VR app on the PC.

SteamVR / OpenVR Games

WiVRn uses OpenComposite to bridge OpenVR titles into OpenXR.

• If you run Steam as a Flatpak, grant it access to WiVRn & OpenXR: flatpak override --user \ --filesystem=xdg-run/wivrn:ro \ --filesystem=xdg-data/flatpak/app/io.github.wivrn.wivrn:ro \ --filesystem=xdg-config/openxr:ro \ --filesystem=xdg-config/openvr:ro \ com.valvesoftware.Steam
• Link your OpenXR config into Steam’s sandbox: mkdir -p ~/.var/app/com.valvesoftware.Steam/.config/openxr ln -s ~/.config/openxr/1 ~/.var/app/com.valvesoftware.Steam/.config/openxr/1
• Copy the per-game launch options shown in the WiVRn dashboard into Steam’s Properties → Launch Options.

Audio & Mic Setup

• Audio output: WiVRn exposes a virtual sink named “WiVRn.” In PulseAudio (pavucontrol) or PipeWire, route your game’s output to it.
• Microphone: enable mic streaming in the headset’s WiVRn settings and grant permission. A virtual source “WiVRn (microphone)” will appear—select it in your system’s input settings.

Troubleshooting

Headset doesn’t discover PC

• Verify both on same network/subnet.
• Check systemctl status avahi-daemon.
• Ensure UDP 5353 is open.

Connection fails

• Confirm UDP & TCP 9757 are open.
• Match WiVRn versions on PC and headset.

Wired USB mode

1. Connect headset via USB.
2. On PC, run: adb reverse tcp:9757 tcp:9757 adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.VIEW \ -d "wivrn+tcp://localhost" org.meumeu.wivrn
3. If you installed a different package flavor (e.g. nightly), replace org.meumeu.wivrn with the correct identifier.

Enjoy your VR setup on Linux with WiVRn! Feel free to leave a comment if you hit any snags or reach out on their github!