One of those Christmas morning nightmares many of us dread is waiting for updates to download or gadgets to charge. But even worse than that is dealing with an update that actually makes your device unusable before you’ve even had a chance to play with it. That scenario became a reality for several users last week, prompting Meta to offer replacements and some Horizon Store credit in response.
Reports flooded Reddit on December 25th, with new Quest headset owners encountering a devastating error after being pushed to install the latest update. The dreaded message? “Your device is corrupt. It can’t be trusted.” Once that appeared, there was no option to reset the headset—resulting in a device as useful as a brick.
This problem seems linked to the new v72 update for the Quest, which Meta rolled out earlier this month. It didn’t just affect brand-new units but also older headsets that hadn’t been updated in a while.
In response to these issues, Meta issued a statement in a user help thread, saying: “We’ve discovered a software update issue that caused some Quest 2/3/3S headsets to be unresponsive and unable to start up correctly. We are actively working on resolving the issue for all users, but in most cases, you are now able to use your device normally.”
Only a few new headsets reportedly had this serious response. Meta has since paused the problematic firmware update. For those unfortunate enough to have ended up with a bricked headset, Meta is offering replacement devices along with Horizon Store credit to make amends.
Acknowledging the issue further, Meta explained in a ‘Next Steps’ thread: “We are aware that a limited number of Quest 3S devices are experiencing a software update issue, causing headsets to be unresponsive and unable to boot up properly. If your device is affected, we’ll send you a replacement at no cost. We’ll also issue Horizon Store credit as a gesture of our commitment to assisting you.”
Although Meta moved quickly to address the situation, the mishap still left many dissatisfied, leading some to return defective headsets in the hope that a new one wouldn’t have the same flaw. For instance, a Reddit user, ‘Physical-Slip5049’, shared how the issue spoiled their son’s Christmas.
“I bought a never-before-used second-hand Quest 2 from eBay as a Christmas gift for my 9-year-old. He started it on Christmas morning, was prompted to update, and then ran into problems,” Physical-Slip5049 recounted. “We hadn’t used a VR headset before, and after trying to reset it following Meta’s guidance, it became permanently bricked. The headset was on for only 5 minutes in its long lifespan of two years. Unfortunately, my son spent part of Christmas day crying since he couldn’t play with his highly anticipated gift.”
Additionally, Meta is extending support to those with out-of-warranty headsets, like the Quest 2, by providing refurbished units and store credit.
We’re keeping a close watch on how this unfolds. If you’ve faced this problem or know more about Meta’s solution, feel free to share your experiences in the comments below.
