Meta Horizon device modes only apply to devices enrolled through Meta Horizon managed services (formerly Quest for Business). Device modes do not apply to legacy Meta devices enrolled through the ManageXR Device Setup Tool. Learn more about legacy Meta devices.
Overview: Shared Mode vs. Individual Mode
Quest devices enrolled in ManageXR through Meta Horizon managed services (formerly Quest for Business) must use Meta Horizon device modes. There are two device modes: Shared Mode and Individual Mode.
The device mode impacts the experience of both managing a device as an admin and using the device. The device mode is set for the first time during enrollment (see Set Device Modes section), according to its configuration. It is important to consider what mode is right for your Meta Quest devices before you enroll them in ManageXR, as it can be cumbersome to switch devices between modes (see Switching Modes section below).
Meta Horizon modes do not apply to legacy Meta devices or devices from other manufacturers.
Definitions
Shared Mode: Shared Mode is designed for deployments where devices are used by multiple people. In Shared Mode, a device does not require a Managed Meta Account. Devices in Shared Mode use restricted kiosk device experiences like Custom Home Screen, Kiosk App, and Kiosk Video. To refresh device and app data between users, Meta requires Shared Mode devices to use Sessions. At the start of each new Session, new users must complete “Session Intro Steps” before getting to the Home Screen or Kiosk App.
Individual Mode: Individual Mode is intended for a Meta Quest device that’s used by one person in your organization (1:1). In Individual Mode, a device is tied to a valid Managed Meta Account. Devices in Individual Mode may only use the Default Device Menu device experience (e.g. the standard Meta Universal Menus device experience that isn’t locked down).
Key Differences
The primary differences between Shared Mode and Individual Mode involve Meta account requirements and the in-headset experience. See the details in the table below:
| Shared Mode | Individual Mode |
Requires Meta account on device? | No. | Yes. Each device in Individual Mode uses a Managed Meta Account. You can create Managed Meta Accounts in your Meta Horizon Admin Center. |
Available device experiences | Restricted kiosk device experiences, including:
| Default Device Menus (e.g., Meta Universal Menu) |
Access to Meta Horizon App Store in-headset? | No.
It is not possible to leave the restricted kiosk experience in Shared Mode to purchase apps from the Meta Horizon Store.
If you are using Shared Mode and require apps from the Meta Store:
| Yes. The Meta Horizon Store is accessible to individuals in-headset by default. Admins can disable access through configuration settings. |
Requires New User Experience (Session Intro Steps) in-headset? | Yes. New users must complete a series of in-headset “Session Intro Steps” before getting to the Custom Home Screen or Kiosk App. Unique sessions are identified using Session Passcodes.
To view an example of the Meta Shared Mode Session Intro, watch this video. View our guide to Shared Mode Sessions for more info on the user experience of Sessions.
Admins can enable/disable some optional aspects of the Session Intro Steps, but others are required. See more below | No. |
Set device mode (pre-enrollment)
When enrolling a Meta Horizon device in ManageXR, the device experience selected in your configuration determines its initial device mode:
Shared Mode – Select one of the Restricted Kiosk experiences:
Custom Home
Kiosk App
Kiosk Video
Individual Mode – Select Default Device Menus
Why This Matters
A device is assigned a mode during enrollment according to its configuration. While it is possible to switch modes later, doing so may require a factory reset and re-enrollment. To ensure your devices start in the correct mode, follow this checklist before enrolling:
Pre-Enrollment Checklist to Confirm Device Mode
Check your organization’s enrollment settings
Go to Devices > Add Device > Meta or use this quick link.
If your organization uses a Default Configuration for enrollment, you will see the Meta Horizon mode indicated:
Example: In the image above, all enrolled devices will use the configuration Usa Construction Default Config and be placed into Shared Mode.If your organization uses Configuration Codes, the code entered in-headset during enrollment determines the assigned configuration.
Check the device experience on that configuration to verify the mode.
Verify and adjust the mode on your configuration (if needed)
If the configuration you plan to use has the wrong mode:Go to the Configuration section.
Select the Device Experience tab
Choose the appropriate Device Experience:
Shared Mode → Restricted Kiosk (Custom Home, Kiosk App, Kiosk Video)
Individual Mode → Default Device Menus
Save to apply changes
✅ By confirming your enrollment settings beforehand, you ensure devices are placed in the correct mode.
Switch device modes
After enrollment, you can switch device modes by editing the configuration applied to your Meta Quest device(s). It is easy to switch from Individual Mode to Shared Mode, but difficult to go the other way.
Shared Mode to Individual Mode (Factory reset and re-enrollment required)
Switching from Shared Mode to Individual Mode requires you to factory reset your devices and re-enroll them. It is not possible to toggle quickly between a restricted kiosk experience and the default device menus on devices enrolled via Meta Horizon managed services like it was on legacy Meta devices. To switch devices from Shared Mode to Individual Mode:
Go to the Configuration > Device Experience tab
Select Default Device Menus
Confirm you understand that you will need to factory reset and re-enroll devices in order to use them in Individual Mode. Confirming will automatically initiate factory resets on all Meta Quest (enrolled via MHMS) devices on this configuration. It will not factory reset legacy Meta devices or devices from other manufacturers.
Wait for your device(s) to factory reset
After device has factory reset, go through the out of box experience and re-register it in your Meta Horizon Admin Center and ManageXR
If your organization’s Meta enrollment settings require use of Configuration Codes, you will be prompted to enter your Configuration Code during ManageXR re-enrollment. Use the code associated with your current configuration. You can find the code on your configuration:
If your organization’s Meta enrollment settings use a Default Configuration, your device will automatically be placed onto its current configuration during enrollment instead of the typical default configuration.
Individual Mode to Shared Mode (Automatic)
Using Shared Mode offers several benefits. However, you should only switch a device from Individual Mode to Shared Mode if you are certain that you want to use Shared Mode. If you ever want to switch back to Individual Mode in the future, you will need to factory reset and re-enroll the device (see above).
Go to the Configuration > Device Experience tab
Select a Restricted Kiosk device experience (Custom Home, Kiosk App, or Kiosk Video)
Click Save Changes
Confirm you want to change device modes
The next time the device comes online, it will restart and begin using Shared Mode.
Check device modes
You can verify the mode your devices are using by checking your configuration, viewing your devices on the ManageXR Web Console, or inspecting the menus in-headset. Note, legacy Meta devices and devices from other manufacturers do not use Meta Horizon modes and will not display them in the Web Console.
Method 1: Check the mode on your configuration
Go to Configurations
Select a Configuration applied to Meta Quest devices
View the Mode in the top left summary:
Note: The Meta Mode will only appear in the configuration summary if the configuration is applied to Meta devices enrolled through Meta Horizon managed services.
Method 2: Check the mode from the device list
In addition to reviewing it on your configuration, you can quickly check the mode a Meta Quest device is in when viewing your devices.
Go to Devices
Find the mode in the Configurations column of the devices table
Method 3: Check the mode from in-headset
The device experience between Shared Mode and Individual Mode help you determine what mode the device is in from inside the headset. In Shared Mode, you will see a Custom Home Screen or be locked into a Kiosk App. In Individual Mode, you will see the Default Device Menus (Meta Universal Menus).
In-headset experience in Shared Mode:
Devices in Shared Mode can quickly be identified by the presence of Sessions and Session Intro Steps:
Once you’ve started a Session, you will see the ManageXR Home Screen or your Kiosk App/Video.
In-headset experience in Individual Mode:
Mode-specific settings
In addition to setting the device mode by selecting a device experience, you can customize several mode-specific settings through configurations.
Shared Mode
Meta devices operating in Shared Mode use Meta’s Sessions to refresh the device state between users and ensure that all users have granted required legal terms. When using Shared Mode, you can control some aspects of the Shared Mode Sessions experience on your configuration. To find and adjust these Shared Mode settings:
Go to the Configuration > Device Experience tab
Confirm the Configuration uses a restricted kiosk experience (Custom Home, Kiosk App, Kiosk Video)
Go to the Meta Only tab below the preview image
View and adjust settings as needed
Save to apply changes
Available Shared Mode Settings
Setting | Details | Considerations |
Session Passcode Complexity
| When a user starts a new session, they set a passcode in-headset. This passcode is used to identify the user session and allow a user to return to it after inactivity. To maintain the current session and skip the Session Intro Steps (see below), enter the same passcode.
Choose between Low, Medium, and High Passcode Complexity.
| Session passcodes are required. It is not currently possible to turn off the Session passcode and auto-end sessions after 15 minutes of inactivity. This will become available later in 2025.
Only one session and passcode are active at a time. For example, say User A sets a passcode (1234), uses the device, then puts it down. If User B picks up the device, leaves the session, and sets a new passcode (1111), User A will not be able to enter 1234 to retrieve their previous session. The only valid passcode at that time to resume a session would be 1111. |
Session Intro Steps
| Session Intro Steps are a series of screens shown at the beginning of each new user session. They include optional tutorial screens and required legal screens. New users must go through Session Intro Steps before arriving at the Home Screen or Kiosk App.
You can enable/disable two of the Session Intro steps:
For an overview of the Shared Mode Sessions user experience with in-headset demos, visit our doc on Shared Mode session management.
| There are several required Session Intro steps that cannot be disabled:
Controllers are required to complete Session Intro. It is not possible to complete the Meta Shared Mode Session Intro Steps with hand tracking or gaze selection at this time. |
Note: Changing these Meta-specific settings via ManageXR will cause your device to restart after about 10 seconds.
Heads up! You can also customize your Home Screen menus, background, and branding. For more info, visit our Home Screen customization doc.
Individual Mode
When using Individual Mode, you can adjust the device experience by customizing several Meta permissions on your configuration. To find and adjust these Individual Mode settings:
Go to the Configuration > Device Experience tab
Confirm the Configuration uses Default Device Menus
View and toggle the options under Meta Horizon Individual Mode Settings
Save to apply changes
Enable/Disable | Details | Considerations |
Meta Horizon App Store | Allow users to access and download apps from the Meta Horizon Store | Any apps you’ve downloaded from the Meta Horizon Store while in Individual Mode will not remain on the device if it is moved to Shared Mode later on. |
Meta Social Features | Allow users to access Meta social features and interactions, including the Meta Horizon Worlds app, parties, messaging, calling, traveling and more | Turning off Social features does not prevent access to all social media. Users can still download social apps like Instagram and Facebook through the Meta Horizon App Store or access them via the browser. |
Casting from device | Allow people in your organization to cast from their device. | When disabled:
|
Personal accounts | Allow people in your organization to create or add personal accounts. The Meta Horizon Store along with social features and interactions can be freely accessed on these accounts. | Personal accounts and Managed Meta Accounts require separate sign-ins on devices. The app library and data between a Personal account on a device and a Managed Meta Account are not shared. |
Note: Changing these Meta-specific settings via ManageXR will cause your device to restart after about 10 seconds.
FAQs
Shared Mode
Can I download apps from the Meta Horizon App Store while in Shared Mode?
Can I download apps from the Meta Horizon App Store while in Shared Mode?
It is not possible to leave the restricted kiosk experience in Shared Mode to purchase apps from the Meta Horizon Store.
If you are using Shared Mode and require specific apps from the Meta Store:
Check if they are available on Discover XR
Reach out to the developer and request that they share the app with you on ManageXR
Reach out to support@managexr.com for further assistance with any developer-related activities
It is still possible to download and use apps from the Meta Horizon Store on legacy Meta devices.
If I download store apps from the Meta store while in Individual mode, and then I switch my mode to "Shared mode," will I have access to the apps that were downloaded from the Meta store?
If I download store apps from the Meta store while in Individual mode, and then I switch my mode to "Shared mode," will I have access to the apps that were downloaded from the Meta store?
No. Any apps you’ve downloaded from the Meta Horizon Store while in Individual Mode will no longer remain on the device if you switch it to Shared Mode.
Individual Mode
Can I link multiple devices in Individual Mode to the same Managed Meta Account?
Can I link multiple devices in Individual Mode to the same Managed Meta Account?
Yes. However, Individual Mode is intended for devices assigned to specific individuals in your organization and there are important restrictions:
You cannot use Meta Horizon Store content on multiple devices with the same Managed Meta Account simultaneously.
You cannot cast on multiple devices with the same Managed Meta Account simultaneously.