Meta accounts have been introduced for VR devices

Meta accounts, a new way to login to VR headsets, and Horizon Profiles have been rolled out and will roll out globally on a gradual basis.

If users do not have the option to create a Meta account and Meta Horizon profile presently, they would get the update soon. The new Meta account structure gives users more flexibility and control, letting users choose how they do and don’t show up, and whether Facebook or Instagram as part of the experience in VR and other surfaces where they use the Meta Horizon profile.

If users are new to Meta VR devices, they can create a Meta account using an email address, Facebook account, or Instagram account. When they first put on the headset, they’ll get a code that they can use to pair the headset with the Oculus mobile app (available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store). From there, they can continue with Facebook or Instagram or use an email address to create a Meta account.

If they use a Facebook or Instagram account to create the Meta account, both that social media account and Meta account will be added to the same Accounts Center, which lets them unlock connected experiences like finding Instagram followers to play with in VR and using Messenger in VR.

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If they create the Meta account using an email address, they’ll be asked to provide their name and birthday to be identified for the right experiences to the right age group. Users must be 13 years old or older (or 14 years old or older in Spain and South Korea) to create a Meta account. Once they finish creating the Meta account, it’s time to set up the Meta Horizon profile. Users can select a display name and a unique username and can also add a profile picture.

Next, users will find a menu with three privacy options to help guide them through which privacy settings are the best fit: Open to Everyone, Friends and Family, and Solo. After they make the selection, users have the opportunity to review and confirm that their individual privacy settings are set the way they want. If they choose to skip selecting the privacy options, Friends and Family will be selected by default. They can change these settings at any time.

As a part of these privacy settings, users have the option to set the Meta Horizon profile to private, which means they’ll be asked to review and approve follower requests. If they choose this option, only the followers can see who they follow and who follows them. Do keep in mind that non-followers will still be able to view profile picture, avatar, username, display name, follower count, and the number of people followed. People can also still search for the name or username and send follow requests. The privacy setting selections will apply to all surfaces where they use the Meta Horizon profile, including VR and the web.

People between the ages of 13 and 17 will have their Meta Horizon profiles set to private by default. Meta accounts let users log into Meta VR devices and similarly, the Meta Horizon profile would also enable VR experiences.