Headset compatibility for browser-based VR playback.
Velvetrace scenes play in the browser through WebXR. This guide explains what to prepare before you enter a scene, with setup notes for Meta Quest, PICO, and Valve Index viewers.
01 · Before you enter
Browser playback requirements
WebXR lets a compatible browser hand an immersive session to your headset. That is different from installing a native app: you open a Velvetrace scene as a secure web page, approve the browser prompts, and enter from there.
- A current browser with WebXR support. Browser and headset compatibility can vary by title, so check the scene details when you choose what to play.
- A secure HTTPS connection. Immersive browser features are restricted on ordinary HTTP pages, while Velvetrace scenes are designed to launch from a secure site.
- A headset with its browser, firmware, and runtime updated. Updates often affect permissions, controller behavior, and WebXR support.
- Permission to use motion and audio features when the browser asks. Without those permissions, a scene may load as a flat page or remain outside immersive mode.
- Charged, paired controllers and a stable connection. Streaming a scene is more forgiving with a reliable Wi-Fi connection and controllers that are awake before you enter.
02 · Choose your viewer
Supported viewer setup
The flow is similar across headsets, but the browser and connection model are not. Use the setup that matches your device, and treat title-level notes as the final source of truth.
Meta Quest
Open the Velvetrace scene in the Quest browser, approve the immersive and motion/audio permission prompts, and choose the control to enter headset mode. Once inside, use the Quest controllers to look, select, and move through the experience.
If the scene stays flat, check that immersive mode was allowed for the site and that the browser is updated. Resetting the site permission can clear a prompt that was dismissed earlier.
PICO
Use the compatible browser installed on your PICO headset, open the scene, and allow immersive playback when prompted. Enter the scene from the browser and confirm that your controllers are active before beginning.
PICO support can vary with browser and firmware versions, as well as with the requirements of a specific title. Update both before troubleshooting a scene that does not enter immersive mode.
Valve Index
Connect the Index to a VR-ready PC, start the supported WebXR browser with SteamVR or the relevant runtime available, and open the Velvetrace scene from that browser. Use the browser’s enter-VR control once the headset and controllers are visible to the runtime.
Unlike standalone headsets, the Index depends on the PC connection and runtime staying healthy. If the headset is not detected, resolve that connection first, then reload the scene.
03 · A quick reset
If playback does not start
Most failed launches come down to a permission, connection, or runtime state rather than the scene itself. Work through this short reset before trying a different title.
- 1Confirm that the page is using HTTPS, then refresh the scene from the headset browser.
- 2Review the browser’s motion, immersive, and audio permissions. If you denied one earlier, reset that site permission and try again.
- 3Check that the headset is connected, the controllers are awake, and audio is routed to the headset rather than another device.
- 4Update the browser and headset software, then close other heavy browser tabs before reloading.
For broader account, subscription, and compatibility questions, the Velvetrace FAQ is the best next stop.
04 · Ready when you are
Find a scene to try
Pick a title from the catalogue and look for its playback notes before you enter. Velvetrace keeps the library curated, but browser compatibility is still a conversation between your headset, browser, runtime, and the scene itself.