I originally posted this article at the beginning of January when I first received parts of V85 on my Quest 3. My first reactions were not very good. Fortunately, a lot has changed since then so I thought I better update this article and give you all of the recent info we’ve received and experienced with this new update.
Honestly, I’m impressed with this update and it shows me that Meta is not giving up on VR. They’ve made some great improvements here.
Watch my update below or read further down.
Horizon Feed Is Being Phased Out
One of the biggest structural changes in v85 is the gradual sunsetting of Horizon Feed in VR. If you’re like me, as soon as you power up your Meta Quest, you instantly close the feed and move right into the library to choose the game you came to play. Horizon Feed has long been Meta’s hub for discovery, social content, and experiences, but it seems to just be in the way for most users.
In its place, Meta is continuing to roll out the new Navigator. A newer system designed to make exploration in VR faster and more intuitive. Navigator is currently being tested with a small group of users and will expand over future releases. I had the Navigator in early November, and then the beginning of January it was removed again. It must really be a small batch of testers but they have confirmed that it is coming back.
I give this aspect of the update a thumbs up as it removed unnecessary start up windows and makes the experience smoother.
Ongoing Activities Bar Gets a Visual Refresh
The Ongoing Activities bar has received a cleaner, more consistent design in v85. This bar gives you quick access to active tasks like:
- Recording video
- Taking calls
- Controlling media playback
The update doesn’t radically change functionality yet, but Meta says this redesign lays the groundwork for future enhancements and deeper feature integration.
I haven’t had much experience with this yet but am interested to see how it all works. If you have this feature already, let us know in the comments below how it’s going.
New “Hide Hands” Gesture
v85 introduces a small but surprisingly useful feature: the ability to hide your virtual hands when you don’t need them.
Once enabled:
- Turn on Expanded Quick Actions in Movement Tracking settings
- Look at your palm, pinch and hold to open the menu
- Select Hide Hands
Though I don’t have it yet, this is where it will show up:
Your hands disappear temporarily and can be brought back by repeating the gesture. Hands will always reappear after restarting the headset.
This is especially helpful for media viewing, browsing, or productivity scenarios where floating hands can feel distracting.
I give this update feature a thumbs up! There have been many times where I have been watching movies or sports games and while eating a snack the Quest thinks I’m clicking something and all of a sudden the movie pauses or jumps ahead because it’s just perfectly lined up with the time on the bottom. Now, this will no longer be an issue.
Surface Keyboard and Touchpad (Quest 3 Only – Experimental)
One of the most interesting additions in v85 is the Surface Keyboard and Touchpad, an experimental feature exclusive to Meta Quest 3.
This feature turns any desk or table into:
- A virtual keyboard for typing
- A touchpad for cursor control
Supported gestures include:
- Move cursor with index finger
- Tap to click
- Double-tap and drag
- Two-finger scrolling (index + middle finger)
Meta is clear that this is aimed at casual productivity, not heavy writing. A physical keyboard is still recommended for long sessions.
Similar to some other features in this update, I think this is something that might be used later with AR devices. I know we’re far away from that but it’s something to think about.
I also give this one a thumbs up. I’ve tested this new keyboard quite intensely and am honestly impressed with it. It has made using the browsers and the search bars so much easier. I usually type at a speed between 90-100 words per minute. With the virtual keyboard, I was able to still get 70-75 words per minute and pretty accurately. My biggest complaint is that there is no physical notches on the “F” and “J” keys to help recenter yourself!
Check out how to enable the Surface Keyboard here!
Action Button Customization on Meta Quest 3S
If you own a Meta Quest 3S, v85 finally lets you customize the action button. Before the update, it only switches between VR and MR. As I don’t have the update yet (trying to get it on my 3s), I am unsure of all of the options that will be available for the button.
You can now assign different system actions to:
- A short press
- A long press
This allows faster access to frequently used features without leaving your current experience.
A simple update that makes the overall 3s experience easier and more fluid is always welcome.
On-Device Malware Scanning
Meta Quest now includes local malware scanning for apps when they’re installed or updated.
If an app is flagged:
- You’ll receive a notification
- You can uninstall the app or stop the installation immediately
All scanning happens on-device, not in the cloud.
Thumbs up. Added security is always nice especially with the ability to side load apps and other various features.
New Privacy Indicator
v85 introduces a privacy indicator to show when apps access sensitive permissions like:
- Microphone
- Camera
- Location
In 2D and theater-mode apps, this appears as a persistent purple dot in the control bar. Tapping it reveals more details and permission controls. This isn’t the biggest deal to me but I can see why some people might like having it there.
Voice Control for Hands-Free Navigation
Meta Quest now supports Voice Control, allowing you to navigate and interact with 2D panels using:
- Voice commands
- Head movements
This feature improves accessibility for users with limited hand mobility and also offers a convenient hands-free option for everyone. Visual and audio feedback confirms each action.
Voice Control can be enabled in the Accessibility section of Settings.
I think an update like this serves two purposes for Meta. It works for VR and is something that can be used for AR as well. Why not develop things that can be used across different devices.
Anchored Browser in Home Environment
The Quest Browser can now be anchored directly in your Home environment, giving you instant access to the web without launching it from your app library. You can pin it anywhere in your home environment. Below you can see that I pinned it to this wall.
The browser appears in a dedicated spot on your virtual wall and can be removed or re-added at any time through the in-world menu.
Being able to customize the home environment is very nice. It’s something I hope to see more of over time. I know many of us that would like to see more virtual environments brought back that are based on the old ones.
Passkey Login Support in Meta Quest Browser
Finally, v85 adds passkey login support in the Meta Quest Browser for supported websites like:
- YouTube
- Discord
Instead of passwords, passkeys use secure device-stored credentials unlocked with your passcode, offering better security and faster logins. And this just makes things easier, which is what we like to see.
Final Thoughts On the V85 Meta Quest Update
Meta Quest v85 isn’t a flashy, headline-grabbing update, but it’s an important one that is actually good for the most part. It focuses on:
- UI cleanup and modernization
- Early productivity experimentation
- Better privacy and security
- Accessibility improvements
More importantly, it shows Meta continuing to shift Quest toward a lighter, faster, more practical mixed-reality platform, even as it quietly retires features that didn’t resonate with users.
If you’re in the Public Test Channel, expect features to appear gradually, and if history is any indicator, some of these experimental tools will evolve significantly over the next few updates.
