What is SideQuest for Meta Quest & should you use it?

Wondering what SideQuest for Meta Quest is? We explain all behind the sideloading app for Meta Quest VR headsets.

The Meta Quest 2 and 3 already have a decent library of games and apps available via the Meta Store, there are plenty of exciting apps and games that are not on the Meta Store that users may wish to try. This is where sideloading comes in handy, along with SideQuest.

This guide will explain exactly what sideloading is, how it can benefit you, and how SideQuest fits in to improve your VR experience.

What is Sideloading?

Sideloading is a term for the practice of installing software on a device without using the official app store. Some devices need to be ‘jailbroken’ to allow Sideloading, but thankfully, the Meta Quest allows you to do this without such modifications.

There are many reasons for users to install an application using sideloading, but mostly it is because the app or game they want is simply not available in the official store, or else not officially available in their region.

What is SideQuest?

SideQuest is, at its core, a content platform. Similar to other media platforms it offers users a huge range of VR games, apps, services, and experiences. These range from full-scale games that can be found on other app stores, to ports from other VR systems, through to small tech demos and community projects.

SideQuest

The advantage of SideQuest is that it is largely community-driven, so many more creative and offbeat projects can be found on the platform that would not necessarily be able to be published on the official Meta store. Some apps and games got their start on SideQuest before graduating up to being published on the official Meta store.

SideQuest also contains a multitude of tools and features that allow Quest users to tweak their VR experience, or unlock new features for their headset that they may not have known about or been able to access previously.

Is SideQuest safe?

It can seem that SideQuest, or sideloading in general, is illicit, but it is actually a legitimate app. Independent developers often use sideloading to test new apps, games, and features. It can also be used to run diagnostic software if your device has developed a fault.

What about the content itself then? Are you in any danger of getting any malware from the apps and games on SideQuest? Thankfully, that is very unlikely, as SideQuest vets all the content they publish, and has collaborated closely with Meta ever since it was launched in May 2019. Even Mark Zuckerberg has expressed support for SideQuest.

SideQuest has earned the trust of thousands of developers, and more than 2 million users visit SideQuest to explore new content.

What you need to get started with SideQuest

You will need either a PC running Windows, Linux, or MacOS or a newer model of Android smartphone. You will also need a Quest 2 or 3 headset and a suitable cable to connect the headset to the phone or PC.

After that, you can just follow the helpful guide we have on sideloading apps onto your Meta Quest headset and then begin exploring a new world of content.