Samsung Gear VR Troubleshooting

This is the  section of the general troubleshooting guide for the VR Wiki. Please use ctrl+f to search this page for common errors, or use the table of contents below.

My Gear keeps overheating
This is a huge issue with the early Gear VR dev versions. The biggest issue, even in commercial releases, is that there's too much going on in the background. Force stop every app in the background besides the one you are using, and avoid using the headset for more than 30 minutes at a time. Disabling downloading apps in the background while playing.

The lens is getting dirty and foggy
The temperature differences between the headset, the phone, and the skin of the user causes this issue. The fog will usually go away by itself, but you can also use an antifogging spray. Spray onto a clean cloth or clean fingers, rub it in, wait a few minutes, then gently wipe with a dry cloth. This will also keep it cleaner longer. Use only sprays designed for optical defogging.

Air canisters can also be used to clean basic grime or dust, and can also clear the headset of any dust from opening to insert the phone.

My battery dies too fast
The Gear VR consumes battery like no other. Use a USB cable to connect your phone to the headset to share power and stay charged longer.

There's squares on my screen
Your field of view can cause a reflection of two dark screens on the sides of the image. You can use bandages on your nose to eliminate this, though your eyes will get used to it and they will disappear after some time.

The audio sounds terrible
This is a problem when not using headphones. Please use headphones to fix this, especially wired ones.

Moving makes me feel sick
Motion sickness is a rare but unfortunate side effect of VR for some people. The app store rates titles by universal comfort level. If you continue to feel sick, try laying down when you feel the nausea coming with one foot on the floor to help aid in stability registering. This often used for those suffering vertigo or alcohol related dizziness, and seems to "reset" the inner ear/eye connection allowing balance to be regained and nausea alleviated.