Steam Link's Latest Public Beta Adds Wired USB Support On Quest Headsets

The latest Public Beta release for Valve's Steam Link on Meta Quest headsets has added support for wired USB PC streaming, following a similar implementation by Virtual Desktop. The new capability relies on Meta Horizon OS 2.5 and later, which includes Android USB networking (NCM) support. This allows compatible apps to request a direct network link to a connected host computer over USB once the user approves the required system-wide permission.

For Steam Link, users can utilize the feature by plugging a data-capable USB-C cable into the headset after launching the app. Currently, an active USB connection is indicated by a cycling Wi-Fi signal on the SteamVR dock. To access the functionality, users can join the Steam Link for Meta Quest Public Beta channel using Valve's official invite link while signed into a Meta account, alongside joining the SteamVR Beta and opting into the Steam Client Beta on PC.

Despite the addition of wired USB streaming, early testing indicates that an active Wi-Fi connection may still be required. The app reportedly failed to find the host computer without Wi-Fi enabled, appearing to require initial host discovery over a wireless network before shifting to USB streaming, which suggests the feature may not yet be fully realized in the current beta release.