This is a detailed guide on how to uninstall SteamVR from your computer, and how to reinstall it. When you uninstall SteamVR using our guide, none of your settings will remain and you will be able to get a fresh reinstall (if you wish to).
You can uninstall SteamVR by using Steam’s delete local content option or by manually deleting all the files and saved data by going to program files, deleting SteamVR’s main folder and then deleting few folders within Steam config folder. All the steps have been explained in detail below.
If you are experiencing problems with SteamVR, reinstalling has high chances of fixing the problem. There can be other reasons for uninstalling it as well – You might simply no longer need SteamVR.
If you have a question related to SteamVR, headset or this guide, please feel free to leave a comment below.
What is SteamVR?
In March of 2016, Valve Corporation released their SteamVR technology to the world. This new platform allows users to experience virtual reality games and applications in a whole new way.
With SteamVR, players can put on a headset and be completely immersed in a virtual world. The platform is used to power virtual reality experiences on computers running the Steam client.
It provides support for the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift VR headsets, as well as controllers that allow users to interact with their environment.
Valve has also released a software development kit (SDK) for SteamVR, which allows developers to create new experiences for the platform.
SteamVR may not work properly if you have third party VR apps
In certain scenarios, like changing the SteamVR settings or having used 3rd Party VR softwares, SteamVR will start to behave unexpectedly.
For example, I had changed some of the settings in the SteamVR options, and then my virtual environment started to behave very strangely. I could see through the walls of my virtual world, and it was making it very difficult to play games.
Additionally, if you have used any 3rd party VR software on your computer, then there is a good chance that SteamVR will start to act up.
I had used a program called Trinus Virtual Reality to play some of my old PS1 games in VR, and after I uninstalled it, SteamVR was working perfectly again.
So if you are experiencing any problems with SteamVR, try checking to see if you have any other 3rd party software installed on your computer that might be conflicting with it.
Try uninstalling them and check if SteamVR works properly or not. If it still doesn’t, follow on with the methods that have been mentioned below to uninstall & reinstall SteamVR.
How do I uninstall SteamVR (So that no settings remain)?
Uninstalling SteamVR generally like you’d uninstall other programs from Control Panel doesn’t always help.
When you reinstall SteamVR after uninstalling it from Programs & Features within Control Panel, your settings are going to remain.
This defeats the purpose of reinstalling to an extent and might not fix your problem.
So here is how to uninstall SteamVR without leaving any remnants of it. Before you uninstall SteamVR, make sure that your Steam headset is disconnected from the computer.
Method 1: Using Steam’s “Delete local content” (Simple and easy)
Step 1: First, open the Steam client and click on the “Library” tab.
Step 2: Right-click on “SteamVR” and select “Delete Local Content” Finally, confirm your choice and SteamVR will be (mostly) uninstalled.
If for any reason “Delete Local Content” is not visible to you, you’ll have to delete all the files manually. You can follow method two for that.
Method 2: Delete all SteamVR files manually
This is the official method shared on a Steam community forum by Vive support team.
Step 1: Before we begin, completely close SteamVR, Steam, and unplug your Steam headset.
Step 2: Now, navigate to the following path:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SteamVR\resources\settings
And delete the file named “default.vrsettings“.
Step 3: Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\config
Delete “steamvr.vrsettings” inside that folder.
Step 4: Navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\config\lighthouse and finish by deleting “lighthousedb.json“.
Step 5: Now you have deleted all the necessary files that keep your settings. What’s left is to simply go to your Steam library and look for SteamVR.
Step 6: Hover over SteamVR, click on Manage and choose Uninstall. You might be prompted to confirm the uninstallation, do it.
Step 7: Finally, delete anything that remains within the following directory:
“%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Steam\steamapps\common\SteamVR”
If nothing is left in this directory or the directory isn’t available, then you can skip this step.
How to uninstall SteamVR and keep your settings?
If you want your settings to remain, then any of the usual methods that you use to uninstall programs will work. You can uninstall SteamVR through Control Panel, Steam, Start Menu etc.
To uninstall SteamVR through the control panel, you will need to open up the “Add or Remove Programs” menu by searching for it on Windows or via Control Panel.
Once this menu is open, you should be able to locate the “SteamVR” application and then uninstall it from your computer.
Keep in mind that uninstalling SteamVR will also remove any games or other software that you have installed through the Steam platform. If you are not sure if you want to uninstall SteamVR, you can always try uninstalling it in safe mode.
How do I reinstall SteamVR?
First of all, uninstall SteamVR by using any of our two methods above (which also delete your settings). After that, go Steam store and look for SteamVR and simply install it like any other game/application.
The difficult part of reinstalling SteamVR was uninstalling it so that no settings remain. As long as you have done that properly, reinstalling it is not difficult.
How do I remove SteamVR from home?
If you’re wondering how to delete the SteamVR icon from your desktop, it’s actually a pretty easy process.
Just open up your Steam client and click on the “VR” tab in the top left corner of the window.
From there, click on the “Delete Desktop Icon” button and you’re all done!
Keep in mind that this will also remove the SteamVR icon from your system tray, so if you want to keep using it you’ll need to add it back manually. That’s all there is to it!
How do I uninstall SteamVR drivers?
If your SteamVR drivers are outdated, you might be experiencing various problems with your virtual reality games. Here is how to uninstall them:
Step 1: Open the Start Menu and type “devmgmt.msc” into the search bar.
Step 2: Press Enter to open Device Manager.
Step 3: Expand the Display adapters section and right-click on the SteamVR adapter.
Step 4: Select “Uninstall device” from the menu.
Step 5: Click Yes to confirm that you want to uninstall the drivers.
Step 6: Restart your computer when prompted.
How do I reset my SteamVR?
In order to reset your SteamVR, you’ll need to complete the following steps:
Step 1: Disconnect your headset from your computer.
Step 2: Unplug all of the cables from your headset.
Step 3: Plug in the HDMI and USB cables back into your headset.
Step 4: Connect your headset back to your computer.
Step 5: Open the SteamVR app on your computer.
Step 6: Click on the “Settings” icon in the top-right corner of the window.
Step 7: Click on the “Reset” button in the bottom-left corner of the window.
How to fix “Failed to uninstall SteamVR”?
If you’re having trouble uninstalling SteamVR, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can take. First of all, try closing all of your open programs as well as restarting your computer.
If those don’t work, try disabling any antivirus or any security software you have installed. If you’re still having trouble, you can try the following steps:
Step 1: Open Control Panel and go to Programs and Features.
Step 2: Find SteamVR in the list and click Uninstall.
Step 3: Follow the prompts to uninstall SteamVR.
Step 4: Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SteamVR and delete the vrclient folder.
Step 5: Open Device Manager and find “Microsoft HoloLens” under “Other devices”.
Step 6: Right-click “Microsoft HoloLens” and select Update Driver Software…
Step 7: Browse your computer for the software drivers, select “Have Disk” and follow the on-screen instructions.
Step 8: Reboot your computer. If you’re still having trouble, please let us know.
Conclusion
In conclusion, uninstalling and reinstalling SteamVR is a fairly simple process.
However, it is important to make sure all of the necessary files are deleted before starting the reinstallation process.
By following the steps outlined in this article, users can have a smooth and successful installation of SteamVR.