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Get Started With Haptics SDK

Updated: Apr 15, 2026

Overview

By the end of this guide, you will be able to:
  • Identify the hardware and software prerequisites for the Haptics SDK.
  • Install and enable the Haptics SDK plugin in an Unreal Engine project.
  • Verify the setup by running the included example map.

Prerequisites

To use the Haptics SDK, ensure you have the following:
  • Firmware: The SDK works on Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S, and other PCVR headsets. The Meta Quest headsets need to run firmware version v47 or newer.
  • Controllers: The headset can be paired with Touch, Touch Pro, Touch Plus, and other controllers.
  • UE (Unreal Engine): The Haptics SDK is available for multiple versions of Unreal Engine 5.x. Download the version matching your engine from the Meta Haptics for Unreal SDK downloads page. For Unreal Engine installation, see Installing Unreal Engine.
  • Meta XR or OpenXR plugin: The SDK requires the Meta XR plugin for Quest devices, or the OpenXR plugin (Unreal Engine 5.4 or later) for both Quest and non-Quest devices.
  • Runtime: On PC, high-fidelity haptics are supported with Meta’s OpenXR runtime using Meta Horizon Link. With other runtimes, such as SteamVR, the SDK will use lower fidelity haptics with a fixed vibration frequency.

Setup

Installation and import

Installing the SDK into project

  • With your project closed, extract the .zip file contents to ProjectFolder\Plugins\
  • Create a new Plugins\ folder if it does not exist yet.

Installing the SDK into the engine

  • Extract the .zip file contents to <UE5InstallationFolder>\Engine\Plugins\Marketplace\, for example: C:\Program Files\Epic Games\UE_5.x\Engine\Plugins\Marketplace\. Create a new Marketplace folder if it does not exist yet.

Haptic samples

The SDK also includes Haptic Sample Packs, a small collection of haptic clips designed by Meta to get you started. These are included in the HapticSamples folder. You can find the same haptic samples as preinstalled packs in Meta Haptics Studio.

Project setup

Enable the haptics plugin

First you need to install and enable either the Meta XR plugin or the OpenXR plugin. See the setup support section for instructions on installing these plugins.
Once you have installed the Meta XR Haptics SDK plugin, you need to enable it in your project. Go to Edit > Plugins and search for “Meta XR Haptics SDK”, then click the checkbox to enable it. Restart the editor for the changes to take effect.
Enable Meta XR Haptics SDK in the Plugins menu.
To see the plugin’s content in the Content Drawer, click the settings icon on the top right of the Content Drawer and enable the Show Plugin Content checkbox. If you installed the plugin into the engine, this checkbox is called Show Engine Content instead.
Enable the Show Plugin Content checkbox. The checkbox is called Show Engine Content if you installed the plugin into UE.

Test the setup

Open the ExampleMap under: Plugins/MetaXRHapticsSDKContent/Example/Maps/ExampleMap.
ExampleMap is found in the Plugins/MetaXRHapticsSDKContent/Example/Maps/ directory.
Enable Link mode on your headset (see Link below). Make sure the headset is not sleeping and then select VR Preview. You should be able to see the scene and play the haptics clips.
Select VR Preview to see the scene and play haptic clips.

Setup support

Unreal Engine setup

Download and install your preferred UE5 version according to Installing Unreal Engine.

Meta XR plugin

  • Download the Meta XR Plugin for UE5.
  • Make sure you download the version corresponding to your UE version, newer versions will not work with older engines.
  • Follow the instructions to install it on your engine.
The Haptics SDK for Unreal supports both the “Oculus OVRPlugin + OpenXR backend” and the “Epic Native OpenXR with Oculus vendor extensions” XR API configurations. To select one, go to Edit > Project Settings > Plugins > Meta XR and choose your preferred option:
Select your preferred XR API configuration in the Meta XR plugin settings.
After selecting your XR API, complete the following steps:
  • In the same window, click on Launch Meta XR Project Setup Tool.
  • In the Meta XR Project Setup Tool window that opens, switch the platform tab in the top right from PC to Mobile (the tab labeled Mobile appears next to the PC tab at the top of the window).
  • Accept all the suggested fixes and changes under General Settings (you can ignore the lights).
  • Restart the editor. The first time these settings are applied, all shaders will need to be recompiled. This can take a few minutes.

OpenXR plugin

This configuration does not use the Meta XR plugin and requires Unreal Engine 5.4 or later. High-fidelity haptics will activate when using a Quest device. Non-Quest devices will still trigger simple haptics.
To use this configuration, enable the OpenXR plugin and restart your project, as shown in the image below:
OpenXR Plugin

Android

If you want to build an application that runs on the headset, set up the Android NDK and SDK as described in Setting Up Android SDK and NDK⁠.
  • Go to Edit > Project Settings > Platforms > Android.
  • Click on the Configure Now button with a red background in the APK Packaging section
  • The button should turn green.
Install and set up the Meta Horizon Link app with the following steps:
  • Download the Meta Horizon Link app from the Meta Quest setup page⁠, using the Download Software link.
  • Install the Meta Horizon Link app and set up an account.
  • Navigate to Settings > General.
  • Enable Unknown Sources.
  • Click the Set Meta Quest as active button to choose Meta Quest as your active OpenXR runtime.
Follow Use Meta Horizon Link for App Development to configure Link support for faster development iterations.
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