this post was submitted on 20 Aug 2025
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Meta Quest 3/3s XR headsets finally rooted after 2 years (github.com)
submitted 15 hours ago by utopiah@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
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Meta XR headsets are very cheap for the performance they give. Unfortunately they require a Meta account and one can assume as much data as legally possibly is sent back to the advertising company.

For years now, since the Quest 1, those Android devices have not been rooted except for some specific version number of the Quest 2.

This recent work https://github.com/FreeXR/eureka_panther-adreno-gpu-exploit-1 makes the latest headset with a rather recent update (but NOT the very last ones, so be cautious!) rootable.

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[–] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 5 points 14 hours ago (8 children)

Reading this has me almost considering one. I feel like I still wouldn’t use it enough for it to be worth it.

[–] utopiah@lemmy.world 6 points 14 hours ago (5 children)

Well I would ask you to reconsider reconsidering. It's a very neat technical fear, arguably even an important one... but you would be giving money to Meta. So unless you really have to, because you work in the domain, maybe try to recycle a 2nd hand headset for a cheaper price and tinker with it as much as you want? Maybe even contribute to the rooting process by finding ways to remove the Meta account requirement altogether?

TL:DR: nobody needs a XR headset but if you do and you want to get a Meta one, get it 2nd hand.

[–] GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.ca 1 points 10 hours ago (2 children)

I'm kind of curious. Is the Quest 3 actually profitable, or is it a loss leader? If it's the latter, I'd be even more inclined to take their product and have them lose money in the process.

[–] utopiah@lemmy.world 1 points 4 hours ago

Good point, based on how much Meta spends on their XR department I wouldn't be shocked if the hardware itself is also losing money and used as a kind of innovation-washing marketing strategy. That said I'd still recommend buying 2nd hand so that it's cheaper and doesn't register on their book as a sale. Also no purchase information shared with Meta.

[–] sheogorath@lemmy.world 1 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

High probability of it being a loss leader with its specs. So if you were to buy and root it they'll definitely lose money.

However, the bootloader unlock process is still quite dangerous so you might end up with an expensive paper weight.

[–] GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.ca 1 points 8 hours ago

Yeah, i saw that note later. I can wait.

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