VRChat won't open in VR mode

Help!
1

Simply put, yesterday I was in VR fine, then got back on 4 hours later and now when I try to open VRChat in VR mode, it swaps to Desktop mode partway through opening. (As seen in VR: It starts opening (shows Up Next in SteamVR view and the icon is on the bottom of the ‘tray’ in SteamVR’s menu, then while the window is black it leaves SteamVR and finishes opening in Desktop mode.) I did not make any changes to my PC between these sessions, and I confirmed the bug happening with both a Rift S and an Index. (Have tried to fix it by reinstalling VRChat and SteamVR (and Rift S software), and trying to use VRC and SteamVR beta brances.)

2

Hi there,

I understand how frustrating it can be when VRChat unexpectedly launches in Desktop mode instead of VR mode. Let’s go through some steps that might help resolve the issue:

1. Verify VRChat and SteamVR Settings

  • Ensure VR mode is enabled in both VRChat and SteamVR settings.
  • Confirm that your headset (Rift S or Index) is recognized and set as the active device in SteamVR.

2. Inspect USB and Hardware Connections

  • Double-check all USB and display connections for your headset. Disconnect and reconnect each cable to ensure a secure connection.
  • For Rift S users, try different USB ports (preferably USB 3.0 or higher) or use a powered USB hub if needed.

3. Reset VRChat Configuration

  • Navigate to C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\LocalLow\VRChat\VRChat and delete the output_log.txt file. This resets certain configurations and can resolve potential conflicts.

4. Investigate Software Conflicts

  • Disable overlays or third-party utilities that could interfere with VRChat or SteamVR, such as:
    • Discord overlay
    • NVIDIA GeForce Experience overlay
    • Other VR utility programs
  • Temporarily disable any antivirus software to rule out interference.

5. Check Beta Branch Settings

  • Opt-out of beta branches for both VRChat and SteamVR. Beta versions can sometimes introduce unexpected issues or instability.

6. Perform a Clean Installation

  • Completely uninstall VRChat and SteamVR. Manually delete any leftover files from their directories, then reinstall both applications from their official sources for a clean setup.

7. Run Applications as Administrator

  • Launch SteamVR and VRChat as an administrator to ensure they have the necessary permissions to interact with your hardware and drivers.

8. Analyze SteamVR Logs

  • Enable debug logging in SteamVR by going to Settings > Developer > Write Debug Logs. Reviewing these logs can help identify errors or conflicts during the launch process.

9. Update or Roll Back GPU Drivers

  • Ensure your GPU drivers are up to date. If issues persist after updating, consider rolling back to a previous driver version that worked well with your system.

If these steps don’t resolve the issue, please let me know what you’ve observed during troubleshooting—patterns or specific errors in logs can provide valuable clues. Unless someone else gets to you first, I’ll do my best to keep track of your post.

Additionally, you can contact VRChat support for further assistance at (https://vrch.at/support). You can also share feedback or join ongoing discussions at VRChat Feedback.

3

Tried everything on this list to no avail. I did look into the VRChat debug log in the Steam/logs folder, and noticed that it was made entirely of this error repeating over and over until it gave up and continued into Desktop mode:

Fri Dec 27 2024 22:18:35.023 [Error] - CSharedResourceNamespaceClient::Init(): failed connect
Fri Dec 27 2024 22:18:35.023 [Warning] - CSharedResourceNamespaceClient::Init(): still waiting for vrserver to reply with namespace data
Fri Dec 27 2024 22:18:36.125 [Info] - WaitNamedPipe SteamVR_Namespace failed because The semaphore timeout period has expired.
(121)
This aligns with what I see in VR, where when opening the game through the SteamVR menu in VR the Up Next tile appears for 20-30 seconds before disappering (as well as the grey square that sits under you when you load into SteamVR turning white), and the VRChat icon leaving the SteamVR ‘task bar’, then a minute or two later VRChat finishes opening in Desktop mode.

1 Like
4

1. Reset SteamVR Settings:

  • Go to SteamVR Settings > Developer > Remove all SteamVR USB Devices and restart your SteamVR. This will clear potential conflicts with the connection.
  • In SteamVR Settings > General, click on “Restore Default Settings.” This can often resolve configuration issues between SteamVR and VRChat.

2. Check for SteamVR or Headset Issues:

  • Reboot your PC and unplug/replug your VR headset. Sometimes, SteamVR can get stuck in a certain state, and a fresh reboot of your PC and headset can help re-establish proper communication.
  • Check SteamVR for error messages under the “Devices” tab to see if there are any warnings or errors related to your VR headset.

3. Reinstall SteamVR and VRChat:

  • Uninstall and reinstall SteamVR: If the namespace connection issue persists, it might be caused by a problem with SteamVR itself. Reinstalling SteamVR can help reset the connection configuration.
  • Reinstall VRChat: A fresh install of VRChat can ensure that any corrupted files or configuration issues are resolved.

4. Check Network and Firewall Settings:

  • The error message suggests a timeout issue, so it’s possible that firewall or antivirus software might be blocking necessary connections. Try temporarily disabling your firewall or antivirus and check if the issue persists.
  • Check your Internet connection: Make sure you have a stable and fast internet connection. Issues with connecting to SteamVR or VRChat’s servers can sometimes cause the errors you’re seeing.

5. Test Without SteamVR:

  • Try launching VRChat directly using the “Launch VRChat (Non-SteamVR)” option from the Steam Library. This will bypass SteamVR to see if the issue is directly related to SteamVR itself.
  • If VRChat launches fine in Desktop mode this way, but not in VR mode, the problem is likely with SteamVR.

6. Debugging VRChat:

  • Open the VRChat log (found under AppData\Local\VRChat\vrchat\) to see if there are additional errors or more specific clues related to the issue.
  • You can also try launching VRChat in a clean environment by running it with the -log command (in the Steam properties) to see more verbose debug output in the log files.

7. Use SteamVR Beta or Previous Version:

  • If this issue began recently, it might be related to a new SteamVR update. You can opt into the SteamVR Beta or roll back to a previous version of SteamVR to see if it resolves the issue. To opt into the beta:
    • Go to Steam Library > SteamVR > Right-click > Properties > Betas tab > Select the Beta branch.
    • Restart SteamVR and check if VRChat works in VR mode.

8. Check for External Conflicts:

  • Sometimes third-party programs, including screen recording software or overlays, can interfere with VRChat. Try disabling or uninstalling any such programs and see if the issue resolves.

9. Contact VRChat Support:

  • If you’ve tried all of the above and the issue persists, it might be time to contact VRChat Support directly for more advanced troubleshooting: https://vrch.at/support Provide them with the logs, error messages, and steps you’ve already taken to resolve the issue.
5

Solution was found: It was a bug in VRCX that was causing this. The bug already has a report on their Github: VRCX will cause huge bug that i cant open any application depend on steamvr · Issue #1058 · vrcx-team/VRCX · GitHub, and it is caused by it’s VR Overlay feature.