YouTube VR is how YouTube plays 360-degree, 180-degree and 3D videos in a headset so you can look around inside the video. YouTube says you can watch 180 and 360 videos in the YouTube app or the YouTube VR app on most VR headsets, and its device list names Android XR headsets, Meta Quest 2 and later, Pico headsets and Apple Vision Pro. You don't need a headset to try it: 360 videos play in a browser too.
VR on YouTube isn't one feature, it's a bundle of video formats and apps. Once you know which is which, it's easy to find the good stuff and skip the flat videos with VR in the title.
What counts as VR on YouTube
| Format | What you see | Where YouTube supports it |
|---|---|---|
| 360-degree video | A full sphere you can look around in any direction | Computer browsers, the YouTube app and VR headsets |
| 180-degree video (VR180) | The half sphere in front of you, often in 3D | Computer browsers, the YouTube app and VR headsets |
| 3D video | Depth, viewed in a headset | Available on YouTube on Android XR, though 3D movies aren't |
| Spatial video | YouTube's term for immersive 360, 3D and VR180 content in XR | Searchable with filters on Android XR |
Which headsets work with YouTube
YouTube's own supported device list for YouTube TV includes XR devices through the YouTube XR app: Android XR devices, Meta Quest 2 and later, Pico devices and Apple Vision Pro. For regular YouTube, the help page on 360 videos says the YouTube VR app is available on most VR headsets. For headset problems, YouTube sends you to each maker: Android XR help, Samsung support for Galaxy XR, and Apple support for Vision Pro.
Sports fans should note one detail. YouTube says single NFL Sunday Ticket games play on Android XR, Meta Quest, Pico and Apple Vision Pro, but multi-game multiview of Sunday Ticket is only available on Android XR. If that's what you're after, the plans are laid out in this NFL Sunday Ticket guide.
How to watch 360 videos without a headset
- Use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge or Opera on a computer, or the latest YouTube app on your phone.
- Open a 360 video. You'll see a pan control in the top left corner.
- Click and drag across the video to look around, or use the W, A, S and D keys.
It's a decent preview, but it won't feel like VR. The point of a headset is that the view follows your head.
Using YouTube on Android XR
YouTube's help page for its Android XR app lists what you can and can't do, and a few limits surprise people:
- You're signed in automatically with the Google account you used for Android XR, and you can add more accounts.
- You can watch videos, live streams, Shorts and NFL Sunday Ticket.
- Under the search bar there are filters for spatial videos in 360, 3D and VR180.
- Home space runs apps side by side in 2D. Full space puts one video centre stage: select Full space in the top right of the video.
- You can read comment previews and see likes, but writing comments isn't enabled in the app.
- You can't upload from the XR app, and you can't buy movies inside it. Buy on YouTube.com or in the phone app, and your purchases appear in the Movies tab.
- Some content needs location sharing, so allow it while using the app when prompted.
Uploading your own VR video
If you're a creator, this is where most first attempts go wrong. A 360 file straight off the camera often plays as a flat, warped rectangle. YouTube's steps are:
- Stitch the footage with the camera's software or separate 360 or 180 stitching software.
- In your editor, set the sequence to VR and match it to your source footage. Encode at a high resolution.
- Prepare the file for upload with an app like Adobe Premiere (2019 or higher) or a script, so YouTube recognises it as 360 or 180.
- Upload, then check it on a computer before publishing. Look for the pan button and try the WASD keys.
- Give it time: YouTube says 360 playback can take up to an hour to appear.
YouTube also supports MV-HEVC uploads, so 3D videos recorded on eligible devices can be uploaded and watched in XR. Upload those from a browser at YouTube.com, not from the headset. For sharper results in general, my guide on how to upload 4K video to YouTube covers the quality side, and YouTube's Spatial Audio option lets viewers hear sound from all directions.
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My verdict
If you own a recent headset, YouTube VR is worth opening for the spatial filters alone: they cut straight past the clickbait and show you real 360, 3D and VR180 videos. If you don't own one, try a 360 video in your browser first and see if it grabs you before you spend anything. And if you're making VR content, check it on a computer and wait the full hour before you decide your upload has failed.
Uploading your own video? Read up on using Creator Music in your videos.
Frequently asked questions
Does YouTube have a VR app?
Yes. YouTube says you can watch 180 and 360 videos in the YouTube VR app on most VR headsets, and Android XR has its own YouTube app with spatial video filters.
Can you watch YouTube on a Meta Quest?
Yes. YouTube's device list names Meta Quest 2 and later through the YouTube XR app.
Can I watch 360 YouTube videos without a headset?
Yes. Use the latest Chrome, Firefox, Edge or Opera on a computer, or the YouTube app, and drag or use the WASD keys to look around.
Why isn't my 360 video working on YouTube?
The file usually needs preparing as a 360 or 180 video before upload, and YouTube says 360 playback can take up to an hour to show after uploading.
