Are you on the beta of SteamVR ? (1.13.2)

If so, you have probably been prompted to set SteamVR as the default OpenXR runtime on your system (the mechanism Blender and other applications will use to find it)

If it doesn't work yet, check in your registry. In `Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Khronos\OpenXR\1` you should see a value called "ActiveRuntime". It should be set to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SteamVR\steamxr_win64.json"

I am on beta and no I wasn't prompted nor was I able to find anything in the registry to what you've posted.

Try to create that key manually maybe?

what value though?

Open notepad, put that text in a file, and name it "activate_openxr_steamvr.reg"

Then right-click it, and click "merge". Say yes to administrator prompt.

OMG it works now! Thank you so much!

Anyone had success with Pimax? I tried but SteamVR just says 'waiting' forever and nothing shows up. It does indicate Blender is running in its status and Blender says connected to OpenXR successfully.

I think as of now, only "native" SteamVR hardware will work. If there's any software layer between SteamVR and the other headset it seems to do the same thing that @koochy_rat describe.

I had the same scenario trying to use OpenXR from SteamVR using Oculus Hardware (that's a pretty silly scenario considering Oculus do support OpenXR natively, but I was testing stuff...)

Originally posted by untmdsprt:

but I'm still getting an error message in Blender stating that it can't find a runtime of OpenXR.
Thanks.

In may case I just restated Windows and after this, when I started SteamVR I got a popup windows with the following message: "SteamVR isn't set as the default OpenXR runtime", so pressed the button 'Set as default' in this popup, and Blender was able to init VR successfully in the result.

Sadly Blender support became broken. Blender fails with:

Error: No format matching OpenXR runtime supported swapchain formats found.

Originally posted by Stoneface:

Sadly Blender support became broken. Blender fails with:

Error: No format matching OpenXR run time supported swapchain formats found.

It's a known problem with the OpenGL version of the SteamVR OpenXR runtime, see https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/app/250820/discussions/8/2448217320134601817/#c2523653167122752247

The short story is that Blender ask the runtime for texture in "GL_RGBA8" format, but SteamVR don't "support" that format. If you are willing to re-compile blender from source-code, this post contains a patch that adds the "GL_SRGB8_ALPHA8" in the list of pixel format Blender will attempt to initialize with, (and it will let it go past this error).

(This should work on AMD GPU on Linux, and on any GPU on Windows.)

has anyone got any updates on this? I'm trying to inspect my Blender scene in VR using Virtual Desktop through SteamVR... has anyone had any success with this? tried using both 2.91 and 2.83.6 but when i click Start VR Session it just shows "Blender - Waiting" little window and it gets stuck there.

It works fine with 2.90.0 using an Index at least. If you are using an Oculus Quest, maybe try using the Oculus software instead of SteamVR.

Edit: Apparently Virtual Desktop doesn't support OpenXR, so you'd have to use another method of connecting the Quest: https://www.reddit.com/r/OculusQuest/comments/i3vzt0/any_vr_devs_that_use_virtual_desktop_and_unity/g0ei4kd?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

Originally posted by Rectus:

It works fine with 2.90.0 using an Index at least. If you are using an Oculus Quest, maybe try using the Oculus software instead of SteamVR.

Edit: Apparently Virtual Desktop doesn't support OpenXR, so you'd have to use another method of connecting the Quest: https://www.reddit.com/r/OculusQuest/comments/i3vzt0/any_vr_devs_that_use_virtual_desktop_and_unity/g0ei4kd?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

ah dammit! i see. yeah I'm using a Quest. thanks for pointing that out, i may just ask VD developer what are his plans for OpenXR.

I used to be able to work with Quest + USB + blender 2.83 but now it doesn't work anymore. the registry key is C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SteamVR\steamxr_win64.json as it should. I think it all started when I set SteamVR as my OpenXR engine. Any ideas will be greatly appriciated!