💡 New to Horizon managed services? Check out our FAQ, Horizon managed services FAQ 1 (Orientation), for frequently asked questions about Meta's changes and what it means for your organization.
What are "Device Presets" and "Third Party MDMs" in Horizon managed services?
You can think of both Third Party MDMs and Device Presets in Horizon management services as profiles. The profile determines the enrollment and the device's configuration.
Third Party MDM:
A Third Party MDM should be created if you want to enroll devices into a third-party MDM like ArborXR.
Third Party MDM profiles do not include the option to add Apps or configure Settings as these are managed by the third-party MDM.
Device Presets:
A Device Preset should only be created if you plan to manage devices using Horizon managed services only. If using a third-party MDM like ArborXR, create a Third-Party MDM instead.
A device preset can be configured to either Individual mode or Shared mode.
Individual mode is intended for a Meta Quest device that’s used by one person in your organization. Each user has their own managed Meta account and profile, allowing them to personalize their experience and access the app store to download apps.
Shared mode is intended for when a device is to be used by multiple people without the need for individual accounts or logins.
Since a device preset is meant for managing devices using Meta's first-party MDM, there are additional configurations available on these profiles that are not available on the Third Party MDM profile like Apps and Settings. These options are not available on a Third Party MDM profile since the apps and settings are managed by the third-party MDM.
Do I need a Meta account to enroll devices using the ArborXR integration with Horizon managed services?
While you no longer need personal/individual Meta accounts, you'll need a managed Meta account to enroll devices into ArborXR using Horizon managed services.
The managed Meta account is used to log in to Horizon managed services and enter the device pairing code during enrollment. Importantly, the account you use to complete enrollment will become the active account on the device.
Learn more about managed Meta accounts here.
Do I need to use a unique managed Meta account to enroll each device?
It depends on whether you'll be using apps from the Meta Horizon Store:
Plan to use apps from the Meta Horizon Store? We'd recommend using a unique managed Meta account for each device. This ensures the same app can be downloaded on multiple devices and run simultaneously.
⚠️ The Horizon App Store is no longer accessible in ArborXR Home or ArborXR Kiosk Mode. Keep reading this FAQ for important information about these changes.
Not planning to use apps from the Meta Horizon Store? You can use the same managed Meta account for enrolling devices.
Learn more about managed Meta accounts here.
I enrolled my devices using a "Third-Party MDM" profile. Can I manage apps and settings on these devices using Horizon managed services?
No. The Third Party MDM profile in Horizon managed services simply enables the enrollment of devices into a third-party MDM. Once devices are enrolled into the third-party MDM, they must be configured with apps and settings using the third-party MDM.
What is "Discover Apps" in Horizon managed services? Can I install these apps to devices enrolled using a "Third-Party MDM" profile?
You can think of Discover Apps as Meta's managed app store. At the moment, apps added to your app library in Horizon managed services via the Discover Apps page cannot be installed to devices enrolled into a third-party MDM such as ArborXR.
What is individual mode and shared mode and how do these modes impact ArborXR?
On devices enrolled through Horizon managed services, individual mode and shared mode are two distinct ways to manage and use Meta Quest devices.
Individual mode:
Intended for a Meta Quest device that’s used by one person in your organization.
Each user has their own managed Meta account and profile, allowing them to personalize their experience and access the Meta Horizon Store to download apps.
In ArborXR, the Device Home Environment Headset Experience setting configures the device to individual mode.
Shared mode:
Intended for when a device is to be used by multiple people without the need for individual accounts or logins.
When devices are configured to shared mode, the managed Meta account on the device is removed and the Meta Horizon Store cannot be accessed.
In ArborXR, the ArborXR Home, ArborXR Kiosk Mode, and In-House Launcher Headset Experience settings configures the device to shared mode. This is because the Meta API that enables ArborXR Home, ArborXR Kiosk Mode, and In-House Launcher is only exposed through shared mode.
⚠️ The Horizon App Store is no longer accessible in ArborXR Home or ArborXR Kiosk Mode. If you plan to use apps from the Meta Horizon Store, your devices need to be in individual mode. This requires leaving the ArborXR Headset Experience setting configured to the default Device Home Environment.
Can I use apps downloaded from the Meta Horizon Store in ArborXR Home or ArborXR Kiosk Mode?
ArborXR Home, ArborXR Kiosk Mode, and In-House Launcher use Meta Quest's shared mode. This mode is designed for multiple users sharing a device without needing separate accounts. When devices are configured to shared mode, the managed Meta account on the device is removed.
Since the managed Meta account is removed in shared mode, the Meta Horizon Store cannot be accessed when devices are configured to ArborXR Home, ArborXR Kiosk Mode, or In-House Launcher. This means you can't:
Download apps from the Meta Horizon Store.
Add shortcuts to these apps in ArborXR Home using Unmanaged Apps.
Designate one of these apps as the kiosk app in ArborXR Kiosk Mode using Unmanaged Apps.
⚠️ To use apps from the Meta Horizon Store, your devices need to be in individual mode. This requires leaving the ArborXR Headset Experience setting configured to the default Device Home Environment.
My app is on the Meta Horizon Store and the same .apk is uploaded to ArborXR. Can I use it in ArborXR Home or ArborXR Kiosk Mode?
ArborXR Home and Kiosk Mode rely on Horizon managed services' shared mode, designed for multiple users on a single device. Shared mode removes the managed Meta account, which impacts how some apps function.
Specifically, your app won't work in shared mode if it uses any of the following:
Entitlement Checks: Verifying app ownership.
Account-Related Features: Any features tied to a Meta account, such as logins, user profiles, friend lists, etc.
Meta Cloud Services: These include Matchmaking, DLC, In-App Purchases, Voice Chat, Cloud Backup, Custom Items, and Achievements.
If your app doesn't use these features, it's likely compatible with shared mode (and therefore ArborXR Home and Kiosk Mode). If it does, you'll need to update your app to remove these dependencies.
Can I switch from individual mode to shared mode or vice versa?
Individual mode to shared mode (seamless ✅)
The Device Home Environment Headset Experience setting in ArborXR is individual mode.
You can seamlessly switch from Device Home Environment (i.e. individual mode) to ArborXR Home, ArborXR Kiosk Mode, or In-House Launcher (i.e. shared mode). However, keep in mind the Meta Horizon Store cannot be accessed in shared mode so if you plan to use apps from the Meta Horizon Store, leave devices configured to Device Home Environment.
Shared mode to individual mode (factory reset required ❌)
The ArborXR Home, ArborXR Kiosk Mode and In-House Launcher Headset Experience settings in ArborXR put the device in shared mode.
While you can configure devices from ArborXR Home, ArborXR Kiosk Mode, or In-House Launcher back to Device Home Environment in the ArborXR portal, in order for these changes to take effect on devices you will need to factory reset and re-enroll them. This is because certain system components, such as the managed Meta account and the Meta Horizon Store are removed from the device after configuring ArborXR Home, ArborXR Kiosk Mode, or In-House Launcher which puts devices into shared mode. A factory reset and re-enrollment is required to set devices back to individual mode, which brings back the managed Meta account and Meta Horizon Store system components.
Can I use a Configuration Package to enroll and provision Quest devices with content and settings?
No. Starting with Meta OS v74, Meta made a change that affects how you enroll Quest devices into ArborXR. Specifically, Meta now prevents the sideloading of third-party MDMs. This means that Quest devices on OS v74 or higher cannot be enrolled into ArborXR using the Device Setup App.
What are sessions and session passcodes in shared mode and can session passcodes be disabled?
ArborXR Home, ArborXR Kiosk Mode, and In-House Launcher use Meta Quest's shared mode. This mode is designed for multiple users sharing a device without needing separate accounts.
When devices are configured to shared mode, new users must complete a series of in-headset session intro steps before getting to ArborXR Home or the kiosk app. By default, this includes setting a session passcode which is a 4 digit numeric passcode that must be set as part of the in-headset session intro steps.
💡 The session passcode cannot be disabled in Meta's Shared Mode. However, ArborXR is working on a solution to disable the session passcode in a future release.
Watch the video below and see this help article from Meta to learn more about what to expect when devices are in shared mode.
What should I expect when devices are set to ArborXR Home or ArborXR Kiosk Mode and I press the home button?
When devices are configured to ArborXR Home, ArborXR Kiosk Mode, or In-House Launcher, pressing the home button will open Meta's pause menu with options to Resume (to return to ArborXR Home or to the kiosk app) or Quit (which will restart ArborXR Home or the kiosk app).
From Meta's pause menu click on the Wi-Fi and battery icon in the bottom left to open a quick settings menu.
On some devices, you might see a Settings button in the bottom right hand corner and will need to click on this instead.
This menu provides access to useful settings such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Casting, and USB Debugging. Meta's quick settings menu is locked down and does not let users escape to the Meta Home environment.
What should I expect when I exit ArborXR Home or ArborXR Kiosk Mode?
On Horizon managed services devices, it is not possible to access the native home environment when devices are configured to ArborXR Home, ArborXR Kiosk Mode, or In-House Launcher (i.e. shared mode).
Instead, exiting ArborXR Home, ArborXR Kiosk Mode, or In-House Launcher gives access to additional system settings.
