Windows 11: Mixed Reality returns – for Quest 3 and Quest 3S

It wasn't that long ago that Microsoft removed Mixed Reality from the operating system with the release of the 24H2 update for Windows 11. Now the technology is returning as Windows Mixed Reality Link –, an app from Microsoft's store designed to bring Mixed Reality to Meta's Quest 3 and Quest 3S.

Microsoft discusses details of Windows Mixed Reality Link in a support article. According to the article, Meta's Quest 3 and Quest 3S are just the start as mixed reality glasses on which Windows 11 "can be enjoyed". In a partnership with Meta, Microsoft has released the public preview to gather feedback from users. "Accessing your local Windows PC from a Quest headset works seamlessly and takes only seconds to connect to a private, high-quality, multi-monitor workstation," Microsoft claims in the article.

Windows Mixed Reality Link: Moderate requirements

The requirements are a breeze for modern systems: Windows 11 with at least the 22H2 update, an eighth-generation Intel CPU and at least one UHD620 GPU or AMD Ryzen 3000 series and at least one Radeon RX 5000 as a discrete graphics card; ARM processors, on the other hand, must meet the requirements for Copilot+. Bluetooth Low Energy must be present and active. The network speed should be in the gigabit range, WLAN at least 802.11ac in the 5 GHz range and with signal strength greater than 75 percent.

If the requirements are met, interested parties can download and install Windows Mixed Reality Link (Preview) from the Microsoft Store. The program is around 36 MB in size. Meta provides detailed installation instructions in the help section of the website.

Microsoft also lists some known problems. A Teams call is received, but the "toast" to accept the call does not appear. The sound is also not always transmitted to the expected device and can be heard on the PC and headset at the same time. Existing connections can be displayed as available even though they are not. With three active displays, the quality may be limited if the PC does not meet the minimum requirements for the graphics card. A helpful tip is hidden underneath: Pressing Ctrl, Alt and Del at the same time terminates the connection so that interested parties can quickly get back to their PC.

Feedback is welcome in Microsoft's tech community, for example, where a forum for Mixed Reality Link has been set up.

"Mixed reality (MR) is Microsoft's own interpretation of what is otherwise known as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). The 3D glasses keep the outside world visible, but superimpose their own virtual elements on top of it. Microsoft has deliberately not positioned Mixed Reality more precisely, but wanted to cover all the "nuances" between AR and VR, which are regarded as fixed poles –. It is therefore essentially a marketing term.

(dmk)