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How to Set Up the Apple Vision Pro

Want to know what it's like to get started with Apple's Vision Pro headset? We're here to walk you through the setup process.

 & Will Greenwald Principal Writer, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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If you just got an Apple Vision Pro, you’re probably excited to try it out. And if you didn’t, you’re probably curious about what it’s like to set up a $3,500 virtual reality headset.

Before we get to the setup process, note that Apple only offers the Vision Pro directly from its website or its retail stores. That’s because there’s an entire fitting process required to make sure the headset sits snugly against your face. If you order online, you need an iPhone or an iPad with Face ID. The Apple site will show a QR code to scan with your device, after which it will scan your face.

If you buy the headset in a store, someone there will do the fitting for you. The custom fitting process adjusts—or at least mixes and matches—some aspects of the face mask on the device to best fit against your face. Once you've been fitted properly, it's time to complete the initial setup process.


More on the Vision Pro

This is obviously just scratching the surface of the Vision Pro experience. If you're still deciding whether Apple's spatial computing headset is worth the money, head over to our story on 7 things to know before you buy the Vision Pro. And be sure to check back soon for our full review.

About Our Expert

Will Greenwald

Will Greenwald

Principal Writer, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I’m PCMag’s home theater and AR/VR expert, and your go-to source of information and recommendations for game consoles and accessories, smart displays, smart glasses, smart speakers, soundbars, TVs, and VR headsets. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and THX-certified home theater technician, I've served as a CES Innovation Awards judge, and while Bandai hasn’t officially certified me, I’m also proficient at building Gundam plastic models up to MG-class. I also enjoy genre fiction writing, and my urban fantasy novel, Alex Norton, Paranormal Technical Support, is currently available on Amazon.

The Technology I Use

Where to start? I have a standard IT-issued Lenovo Thinkpad for writing and editing, supplemented with an iPad Air and an 8Bitdo Retro Keyboard when I want to write on the go. I also have a Lenovo Legion Go as a platform for running Portrait Displays’ Calman software and controlling the Klein K-10A colorimeter, Murideo SIX-G signal generator, and Leo Bodnar 4K Video Signal Lag Tester I use for testing TVs. 

For gaming, I use a Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X, and a GeForce 5080-equipped MSI gaming laptop. I like collecting retro games as well, and have an Analogue Pocket and a ton of classic consoles and portables. Photography is another interest, and I use a Sony A7 IV when I’m shooting products and events, and a Fujifilm X-Pro3 for my own attempts at visual creativity. And for reading and writing, I’ve become partial to the Kobo Sage for books and the ReMarkable 2 with Type Folio.

When it comes to phones and tablets, I’m pretty platform-agnostic. I use a Google Pixel 8 for my phone and an iPad Air for a tablet. Android, iOS, and iPadOS are all totally fine, but I need a Windows PC. MacOS just isn’t for me.

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