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Troubleshooting Windows Mixed Reality
Installation and Setup
I get a message that says my PC can't run Windows Mixed Reality
If you get this message, your PC doesn't meet the minimum requirements needed to run Windows Mixed Reality. This could be because the computer's hardware setup isn't compatible with Windows Mixed Reality, or because you need to update to the latest version of Windows.
Notes on graphics cards:
- If Windows Mixed Reality setup says your graphics card doesn't meet the requirements and you think it does, make sure your headset is plugged into the correct card.
- Check with your graphics card manufacturer for the latest driver update. Windows Mixed Reality requires a graphics card driver that supports at least WDDM 2.2.
I get a message that says, "You're nearly there—this PC doesn't meet the minimum requirements needed to run Windows Mixed Reality"
If you get this message, your PC doesn't meet the minimum requirements needed for the best experience in Windows Mixed Reality. Your PC may be able to run an immersive headset, but may not be able to run certain apps or might have problems with performance.
I get a message that says, "Before we can set up Windows Mixed Reality, your administrator will need to enable it for your organization. Learn More"
If you get this message, you are likely on an Enterprise managed network and your organization is using Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) or has other policies that may block the download. You will need to contact your organizations IT department or system administrator to enable Windows Mixed Reality
I get a message that says, "We couldn't download the mixed reality software"
If you get this message, try the following troubleshooting steps:
Are you connected to the internet? Your PC must be connected to the Internet to download Windows Mixed Reality. To check try this:
- Make sure that you are connected to the internet by going to: Settings > Network & Internet > Status and check your network status.
- If you are having problems connecting to the internet go here for help.
Are you on a Metered Network?
Metered Networks can limit how much you download. To check, try this:
- Make sure your internet is not set as a Metered Connection by going to: Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Change connection properties > Set as metered connection > Off.
- To see more details on Metered Connections here.
Do you have pending updates?
Sometimes a pending update can block the Mixed Reality Software from successfully downloading. To check, try this:
- Make sure you don't have any pending update by running Settings > Windows Update > Check for Update.
- Make sure you have Windows Update enabled.
- Restart your PC and try again.
- If you get an error with Windows Update when attempting these steps go here for help.
Did you recently install an update? We don't recommend that you remove any installed updates. However, sometimes an update can cause problems and removing the most recent update can help determine the source of the problem. To do this:
- Go to Settings > Update & Security > View Installed Update History > Uninstall Updates
- Click on last update installed and then click Uninstall.
- When prompted "Are you sure you want to uninstall this update?" click Yes. If you get an error with Windows Update when attempting these steps go here for help.
- Restart your PC and try again.
- If Windows Mixed Reality installs correctly reinstall the latest update Settings > Windows Update > Check for Update and see if Windows Mixed Reality continues to work.
- If it doesn't contact Windows Support for more help.
IMPORTANT: While we are providing guidance that uninstalling a Windows Update can be used as a Troubleshooting step we do not recommend that you leave any update uninstalled after troubleshooting, especially Security Updates. Security Updates are critical to keeping your PC safe and secure so if you do uninstall them when troubleshooting we suggest reinstalling them even if it fixes the problem and contacting Windows Support for additional help.
Note: If you are on Enterprise managed network, and having issues downloading Mixed Reality Portal, it could be because your organization is using Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) or has other policies that may block the download. You will need to contact your organizations IT department or system administrator to enable Windows Mixed Reality
Setup is stuck on the "Hang tight while we do some downloading" page
Follow the guidance above in We couldn't download the mixed reality software.
I get an error message when I try to create a boundary
Here are some guidelines for creating a boundary:
- Don't get too close to a wall or other obstruction
- Make sure to hold your headset at waist height, and face toward your computer while you trace the boundary
- Make sure the sensor isn't blocked and there's enough light
- The space you're tracing should be larger than 3 square meters
- The space should not be too large or too complicated—stick to a simple geometric shape without a lot of twists and turns
- Don't cross back over your own path as you're tracing
- If you get stuck in a corner, start over
My Xbox controller isn't working with Windows Mixed Reality
Try the following:
- Make sure your controller is turned on, fully charged, and connected to the PC.
- Replace the controller's batteries.
- If you're using a Bluetooth controller, go to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices on your PC and make sure it's paired (you should see it listed on the page).
I cannot direct input (controllers, gamepad, mouse/keyboard) into mixed reality
When you put on your headset, input should automatically get toggled to your mixed reality experience via your headset's presence sensor. You will know input is being directed to your headset because a blue bar will appear on your desktop like so:
If input doesn't get toggled automatically, you will need to manually toggle input to your headset. You can do this by typing Windows Key + Y on your keyboard (and the same to toggle input back to the Desktop)
Learn Mixed Reality didn't run on first launch, and I went right into the Windows Mixed Reality home
You can re-run the learning experience by following the re-run steps.
During start up of Mixed Reality, I'm stuck at the step "Turn your head side to side, and then at the floor"
You are asked to turn your head side to side so your headset can recognizing your space and restore the virtual floor and boundary you set up previously. When you put on your headset, this scanning process can take up to 10 seconds. After it is complete, you will either be in the Mixed Reality Home or you will be prompted to set up your boundary again.
If the scanning process takes longer than 10 seconds, there could be a problem with the proximity sensor in the headset:
- Check that the sticker has been removed from the proximity sensor (the proximity sensor is located inside the headset roughly where the center of your forehead would be)
- Check that your proximity sensor is toggling input to your headset: with your finger, cover and uncover the proximity sensor a few times to verify input is switching to the headset. You should see the Windows Key + Y banner at the top of your PC. You can manually switch input to the headset at any time by typing Windows Key + Y on your keyboard
Windows Mixed Reality Home
My controllers aren't showing in my Windows Mixed Reality Home
Make sure your controllers have full batteries and that they are paired correctly using Bluetooth. Try powering the controllers off and on using the Windows Button. If you still cannot see your controllers, try in-pairing and re-pairing each controller in the Settings menu under Devices > Bluetooth.
The floor of my Windows Mixed Reality Home doesn't appear to be at the correct height, or it is slanted
If the floor of your Windows Mixed Reality Home doesn't feel like it's at the right height, open the Room Adjustment app from the start menu. This app will be launched once you place the app in the world. In this app, you will be directed to use the touch pad (motion controller) or direction pad (gamepad) to adjust the floor height. When the floor feels correct, use the Windows button to exit back to your Home.
My headset has stopped tracking
Make sure the lights are turned on and that there isn't anything obstructing the inside-out tracking cameras on the front of your headset. If tracking is lost, it can take a few seconds for tracking to resume. If tracking does not resume, try restarting the Windows Mixed Reality Portal. See Tracking Troubleshooting for more details.
I cannot show a preview of what I'm seeing in my headset on my Desktop's screen?
Mixed Reality Portal has a Play button at the bottom of the screen that allows you to show a preview of what you're seeing in your headset on your desktop's screen. However, for performance reasons, this feature is only available on PCs running at Windows Mixed Reality Ultra (90Hz).
HMD Connectivity
My computer does not have an HDMI port
If your computer does not have an HDMI port, but it does have a DisplayPort (DP), mini DisplayPort (miniDP) or USB Type-C (USB-C) port for outputting video, you may need to use a supported adapter.
Can I use USB or HDMI extension cables with Windows Mixed Reality headsets?
The use of USB or HDMI extension cables is not officially supported with Windows Mixed Reality headsets. Due to varying resulting signal integrity and bus power between your PC's USB controller and the Mixed Reality headset, the use of such cables may significantly impact your Mixed Reality experience.
If you're running into any of the following symptoms while using Windows Mixed Reality, please try your headset without any extension cables to see if the symptoms persist:
- Headset de-enumerates during use (headset displays briefly show a blue screen and then turn black and Mixed Reality Portal restarts, or completely de-enumerates)
- Headset audio cuts out during use or becomes glitchy
- Headset displays flicker between black and working
I am getting a "Check your display cable" error
- If you are using any adapters to connect your headset to your PC, please make sure they support Windows Mixed Reality. Also try connecting the adapter to the PC, before connecting the HMD to the adapter.
- If your PC has both integrated and discrete graphics, make sure you're using the HDMI port on your active graphics card. In some cases, this may mean that you'll need to connect your PC display to a non HDMI port.
- If your PC has both integrated and discrete graphics, and the integrated graphics is older and does not support Windows Mixed Reality, try disabling the integrated GPU.
- Make sure your PC's HDMI port is working by trying to connect a PC monitor to it. Make sure your graphics drivers are up to date. Download and install the ones from AMD, Nvidia or Intel directly as they will likely be newer than what's published to Windows Update.
- Make sure that you plugged your headset's HDMI cable into an HDMI out port on your PC, not an HDMI in port.
- In some cases, Windows is unable to detect the display cable connection. Open device manager and see if the headset is listed under "Monitors". If not, click on "Action"->"Scan for hardware changes". This may resolve the issue.
I get a message that says "Connect your headset" even though I've plugged in my headset
Make sure your headset's USB and HDMI cables are securely connected to your PC.
Try unplugging both the USB and HDMI cables from your headset, and then plugging them back in. When plugging in the USB cable, try to do so quickly (try not to pause during insertion of the USB cable)
Open Device Manager and confirm that your headset is listed under "Mixed Reality devices". Double click on your headset under "Mixed Reality devices" and confirm that the device status indicates "This device is working properly."
Look for any yellow exclamation marks on devices listed in Device Manager. Yellow exclamation marks indicate any errors reported by the devices connected to your PC:
Ensure that the headset driver is installed: If you see "Hololens Sensors" listed with a yellow exclamation mark, double click on the device. If you see a "Code 10: The drivers for this device are not installed. There are no compatible drivers for this device", follow the instructions below to manually install the headset driver.
Note for Surface users: Earlier versions of the Surface Dock and Surface Book USB Hub firmware update software are incompatible with Mixed Reality headsets. If you get a "Connect your headset" message on a Surface PC, check to see if any devices are reporting a "Code 10: The device cannot start" error in Device Manager. If so, follow the instructions in this Support Article to remove the conflicting driver. You should only need to do this once.
Note for Windows 10 N users: If your PC is running Windows 10 N, you'll see a "Code 28: The install class is not present or is invalid" error in Device Manager after plugging in your Mixed Reality headset. Unfortunately, N-editions of Windows 10 are not supported by Windows Mixed Reality. Follow the instructions in this section for more information.
If you alternate between multiple headsets on your PC: If you have and use multiple Mixed Reality headsets on your PC, and have manually installed the Mixed Reality headset driver before, in some circumstances, the manual driver update may only apply to the headset connected at the time, and not to your other headsets. In this case, you'll see "Code 31: This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31). The ALPC message requested is no longer available." To resolve this, in Device Manager, right click on your headset under "Mixed Reality devices", and click "Uninstall device". Click OK to confirm, and then unplug and replug your headset.
Other useful troubleshooting steps: Make sure your headset is connected to the correct ports on your computer:
- Your headset's USB cable should be plugged into a USB 3.0 port. Try another USB 3.0 port if possible.
- Your headset's HDMI cable should be plugged into your PC's discrete graphics card.
- If you're seeing partial enumeration of the headset (a series of USB devices enumerate, but nothing under "Mixed Reality headsets" in Device Manager), consider trying an externally powered USB 3.0 hub.
Lastly, try connecting your headset to another PC, and open up Device Manager. Even if that PC is not fully compatible with Windows Mixed Reality, you can check to see if your headset enumerates. If your headset does not enumerate on multiple PCs, it could have a hardware issue.
I get a message that says "Check your USB cable" or "Insufficient USB speed"
Make sure that you're using a supported USB 3.0 port on your PC:
- Make sure that your headset's USB cable is plugged in all the way.
- Run the Windows Mixed Reality PC Check app to make sure your PC's USB 3.0 controller is supported.
- Try each of the other USB 3.0 ports on your PC. Some PCs may have more than one USB 3.0 controller.
- Try temporarily disconnecting all of your USB devices attached to your PC, and connecting just your headset.
Other troubleshooting steps:
- Check that the headset is connected through a USB 3.0 (XHCI) controller. On custom-built PCs, even though a port may be marked as a USB 3.0 port, it may be connected to a USB 2.0 controller. To do this, with your headset connected, open Device Manager, locate and single click any of the devices enumerated from your headset, then go to View > Devices by connection.
- Try your headset on another PC. If that other PC is not fully compatible with Windows Mixed Reality, check in Device Manager to see if you see the "insufficient USB speed" message. If your headset does not enumerate properly on multiple PCs, your headset could be defective.
Mixed Reality portal did not launch automatically after I plugged in my headset
If Mixed Reality Portal did not launch automatically, there could be an underlying issue causing the headset to not be detected properly. Try launching Mixed Reality Portal manually, and look for any error messages that appear.
My headset stopped working after putting my PC to sleep, hibernate, or restarting my PC with my headset attached
- Open Device Manager and confirm that your headset is listed under "Mixed Reality devices".
- Double click on your headset under "Mixed Reality devices" and confirm that the device status indicates "This device is working properly."
- If you see a "Code 43" error indicating that the device has stopped working, or if you don't see your headset listed under "Mixed Reality devices", try unplugging and replugging in your headset's USB cable.
Note: Microsoft is investigating a potential software/driver interoperability issue which may result in the "Code 43" error above, after putting your PC to sleep or hibernate. The workaround is to unplug and replug your headset's USB cable. This issue affects a small number of PCs, and is expected to be resolved in a future update to the Mixed Reality headset driver.
My headset causes my PC to generate a Bug Check (blue screen) when I put my PC to sleep or hibernate
Note: Microsoft is investigating a potential software/driver interoperability issue which may result in a small number of PCs potentially generating a "9F" Bug Check (blue screen) when the PC is put to sleep or hibernate with the headset attached. This issue is expected to be resolved in a future update to the Mixed Reality headset driver.
Manually installing the headset driver
You may need to install the driver for your headset manually if Windows 10 does not install the driver automatically when you plug your headset in. For example, on new PCs or PCs with a newly installed copy of Windows 10, the headset driver could be queued behind other Windows Updates and not install right away.
Open up Device Manager (Start > Device Manager), look under Other devices for a HoloLens Sensors device with a yellow exclamation mark:
Right Click on the device and select properties. If the device's properties read The drivers for this device are not installed (Code 28), close the window and proceed. If there is another message, follow troubleshooting steps on the rest of this page.
Right click on the device again and click Update Drivers... and then click Search automatically for updated driver software
After the device updates, you should see your headset listed under "Mixed Reality devices" in Device Manager:
Note:If you have an "N"-edition of Windows, you will need to switch to a regular edition of Windows 10 to use Windows Mixed Reality.
If manually installing the driver didn't work, or you don't find it under Other Devices, then you probably need to uninstall the existing driver and reinstall it.
- Open up Device Manager (Start > Device Manager), look under Mixed Reality devices for your headset. The device status should indicate that "The device is working properly."
- Right Click on the device and select Uninstall Device.
- In the new popup that appears, select the check box Delete the driver software for this device and this click Uninstall.
- When that completes, unplug the headset from your PC, and plug it back in. Windows Update will now download and install a new driver.
Troubleshooting Flowchart
Mixed Reality headset displays
My headset displays are black
If your Mixed Reality headset displays are showing black, here are a few of the most common causes and how to troubleshoot them:
|Common causes
|Troubleshooting steps
|PC performance and stability
|App and game stability
|HDMI adapter compatibility
|Graphics card and driver compatibility
|Mixed Reality headset hardware issue
|To confirm or rule out hardware issues with your Mixed Reality headset, please try connecting and trying your Mixed Reality headset to another PC.
Other helpful tips:
- Check to make sure the USB cable is plugged into a USB 3.0 or faster port. USB 3.0 ports have SS (Super Speed) written next to them. They are often (but not always) colored blue.
Also consult the headset black screen troubleshooting flow chart below.
One of the displays on my headset are black
- If you're using an HDMI adapter, make sure it supports HDMI 2.0
- Remove any USB and HDMI extension cables if you're using any
- Make sure your graphics driver is up-to-date
- If possible, try the Mixed Reality headset on another PC
My headset displays turn blue for a moment, and then Mixed Reality Portal reinitializes
This typically indicates an occasional USB controller reliability issue on your PC:
- Try another USB port. Your PC may have multiple USB 3.0 controllers
- Remove any extension cables (if applicable)
- Try unplugging all other USB devices from your PC
- Try connecting an externally-powered USB 3.0 hub to your PC, and connecting your headset to the hub
- If you're using a Desktop PC, consider purchasing a USB 3.0 PCIe card to add another USB controller to your PC
My headset causes my PC to hang or show a black screen while starting up
On some PCs, leaving your headset plugged in before turning on your PC or while rebooting your PC may interfere with the PC's startup process:
- Your PC could select the headset displays as the "primary monitor" to show PC startup progress
- Your PC could be prevented from starting up properly and may 'hang' and/or produce a beeping error code
The exact behavior depends largely on the PC make and model, and/or the make and model of the graphics card. While this is not an issue with Windows, you may be able to work around this:
- Try connecting your headset to a different port on your graphics card. In some cases, you may need to use an adapter to use the other ports.
- Make sure your PC's BIOS / UEFI firmware is up-to-date (note: only update your PC's BIOS / UEFI firmware if you're comfortable with doing so)
My PC or headset displays flicker, flash or remain black when using a Surface PC
- Make sure you're using a compatible HDMI adapter. Specifically, make sure the HDMI adapter supports HDMI 2.0. Many older HDMI adapters only support 1080p resolution, which is insufficient for Mixed Reality headsets
- Make sure your graphics driver is up-to-date. In addition to checking Windows Update, you may wish to check the PC manufacturer's website for an updated graphics driver
Note: Not all Surface devices are compatible with Windows Mixed Reality. Learn more about Surface compatiblity and requirements
My headset displays are very choppy, but Mixed Reality Portal's preview window appears fine
- Make sure your PC's system resources (CPU, memory and hard drive) are available and not pegged or maxed out by another app or process.
- Try updating your graphics driver.
Troubleshooting Flowchart
I am getting a "Something Went Wrong" error code
|Error Code
(Windows 10 Version 1809)
|Error Code
(Windows 10 Versions 1709, 1803)
|Troubleshooting steps
|Check your display cable: Make sure your headset's display cable is plugged in correctly.
|Check your display cable: Your headset displays failed to initialize properly. Try restarting your PC and reconnecting your headset.
Windows sees your headset monitor, but Windows Mixed Reality is having trouble communicating with the displays on your Mixed Reality headset.
|Windows Mixed Reality is having trouble connecting to your headset. Try unplugging your headset and plugging it back in.
The Mixed Reality headset failed to completely initialize.
|Windows Mixed Reality is having trouble connecting to your headset. Try unplugging your headset and plugging it back in.
The Mixed Reality headset driver failed to initialize the tracking cameras on your headset.
|Windows Mixed Reality is having trouble connecting to your headset. Try plugging your headset into a different USB port and temporarily unplugging any other USB devices connected to your PC.
Windows Mixed Reality lost synchronization between the Mixed Reality camera frame timestamps and your PC timestamps.
|There is a problem with your headset firmware. Try unplugging your headset and plugging it back in.
|Windows Mixed Reality is having trouble connecting to your headset. Try plugging your headset into a different USB port and temporarily unplugging any other USB devices connected to your PC.
The Mixed Reality headset driver failed to initialize the firmware on your headset.
|Your headset is connected to an incompatible USB controller. Try plugging your headset into a different USB port, if available. Or, try installing a Microsoft USB driver in place of any incompatible drivers.
More information:
|Your headset is connected to an incompatible USB controller. Try plugging your headset into a different USB port, if available. If not, you'll need to install a new USB 3.0 controller.
More information:
|Windows Mixed Reality is having trouble connecting to your headset. Try unplugging your headset and plugging it back in.
This error code typically indicates that Windows Mixed Reality is having trouble initializing the presence sensor on your Mixed Reality headset. In Device Manager, the headset will show the error message "PoseThread failed to initialize presence sensor".
|Windows Mixed Reality has detected an incompatible WinUSB driver installed.
|Likely reason for the error code: Mixed Reality Portal has encountered an app registration issue with Windows.
|Likely reason for the error code: Mixed Reality Portal is having trouble initializing the graphics and composition stack.
|We ran into a problem connecting to your headset. Try removing any extension cables you might be using, and make sure you've connected the headset to the correct port for your graphics card. If you're using any adapters, make sure they're compatible with Mixed Reality. If you're still having problems, try updating your graphics driver.
Likely reason for the error code: The Mixed Reality display and composition stack failed to initialize. Your PC's graphics card or graphics card driver may not be compatible with Windows Mixed Reality.
Dell Inspiron 5577 PCs on Windows 10, version 1809, or newer: You may see this error due to a conflict with Dell's TrueColor graphics post-processing functionality. To work around this issue, use Dell's TrueColor app to turn off the TrueColor capability, then try running Mixed Reality Portal again.
|We ran into a problem connecting to your headset. Try removing any extension cables you might be using, and make sure you've connected the headset to the correct port for your graphics card. If you're using any adapters, make sure they're compatible with Mixed Reality. If you're still having problems, try updating your graphics driver.
|We ran into a problem connecting to your headset. Try removing any extension cables you might be using, and make sure you've connected the headset to the correct port for your graphics card. If you're using any adapters, make sure they're compatible with Mixed Reality. If you're still having problems, try updating your graphics driver.
|Mixed Reality Portal has lost synchronization with core Mixed Reality and Windows components it depends on.
I'm getting a "The install class is not present or is invalid" error in Device Manager
If you see "HoloLens Sensors" with a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager, double click on the device for additional details. If you see a message saying "The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28) -- The install class is not present or is invalid", this is typically because your PC is running Windows 10 N. Please note that N-editions of Windows 10 do not support Windows Mixed Reality, and you'll need to install a non-N version of Windows 10.
For more information on Windows 10 N, please visit this page.
Firmware update issues
My Samsung Odyssey or Odyssey+ headset firmware update is getting stuck
Samsung owns and publishes headset firmware updates delivered via their "Samsung HMD Odyssey Setup" and "Samsung HMD Odyssey+ Setup" Device Companion Apps. For more details and for help with Samsung firmware update issues, please reach out to Samsung Customer Service.
If the firmware update process is getting stuck, and there has been no progress for more than about 5 minutes, here are some general things to try:
- Unplug all of your other USB devices temporarily, and retry the firmware update
- Connect your Samsung headset to a different USB 3.0 port on your PC
- If you have any software installed that may interfere with firmware updates, for example, Gigabyte's AORUS App Center, please try disabling and/or uninstalling them first
- Try using a different PC to perform the Samsung headset firmware update
Motion Controllers
My controller is stuck in an infinite reboot (buzzing after LEDs cycle) OR the controller doesn't turn on at all
Verify you have fresh batteries in the device. Controller buzzing 3 times and shutting down indicates critical battery. If the issue persists, perform device recovery to reset the controller back to factory settings.
I'm trying to pair my controllers, but they never show up in the "Add a new device menu" in Bluetooth Settings
Check that you do not have controllers paired already, remove them and try again. If problem persists reboot PC and try again.'' If that fails, consult the Bluetooth Best Practices section
Wi-Fi speeds becomes slow on my notebook when motion controllers are turned on
Your notebook may share its Wi-Fi antenna with Bluetooth when connected to 2.4GHz access point. Check from device manager if you can switch band preference to 5GHz. If 5GHz network is not available and performance is severely impacts consider using Bluetooth dongle.
My second controller takes a long time to re-connect
Some older Intel radios experience this issue if motion controllers are powered on at the same time. To workaround this, do not power on controllers at the same time.
Qualcomm Bluetooth radio cannot pair controllers after PC crash
Some Qualcomm (QCA) Bluetooth radios have issue where the device may end up in bad state after Windows crash. Workaround until driver fix is available is to power off the PC completely. This issue is fixed in QCA Bluetooth radio driver 10.0.0.448 or later.
Poor controller tracking with Marvell radio
Please ensure you have driver 15.68.9210.47 or later in use (device manager->Bluetooth->Marvell AVASTAR Bluetooth Radio Adapter->Properties->Driver)
Mixed Reality Portal is working, but motion controllers are tracking poorly (controllers keep flying away, shaking etc.)
- Verify you are not exposed to direct sunlight and that you don't have a lot of point light sources visible to your HMD (e.g. strings of lights like a christmas tree). Some environments with unusual lighting conditions can affect tracking.
- Check the Bluetooth Best Practices section below. These symptoms are generally caused by failures to communicate between the controller and the host PC, which is indicative of poor Bluetooth link quality.
Mixed Reality Portal is working, but motion controllers do not appear
Check the Bluetooth Best Practices section below. These symptoms are generally caused by poor Bluetooth link quality.
Motion Controller LEDs are not lit, but buttons and thumbstick still work in Mixed Reality Portal
It is possible that the Motion Controller calibration cache has become corrupt. To delete the Motion Controller calibration cache, run the following command in an Administrator Command Prompt:
rmdir /S /Q C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\MotionController\Calibration
This folder is not accessible in Windows Explorer, and can only be modified from an Administrator Command Prompt. After you have deleted the folder, restart your PC and reconnect your Motion Controllers to restore the calibration files.
Motion controllers do not appear in SteamVR apps/games
If you're able to see your Motion Controllers in the cliff house, but not in SteamVR apps and games, the Motion Controller model driver may not be installed properly. This driver is typically automatically downloaded and installed via Windows Update, but if you're on a PC that has enterprise policies or if Windows Update is otherwise restricted, you may need to install this manually.
To check that the Motion Controller model driver is correctly installed:
- Turn on both of your motion controllers, and make sure both of them show up as "Connected" in the Settings app under Devices > Bluetooth & other devices. If they do not show up or show up as "Paired", follow the instructions above to properly pair your motion controllers.
- Open Device Manager and look for "Motion controller - Left" and "Motion controller - Right" under "Bluetooth"
- Single click either of the two devices, and then go to View > Devices by Connection.
- You will now see a view of the Motion Controller Bluetooth devices roll up to your Bluetooth radio. Under the same node as the two Motion Controllers should be two Bluetooth HID Device devices, and under each Bluetooth HID Device should be devices named Motion Controller (with gray icons).
- Double click each of the "Motion Controller" devices and go to the Driver tab. Confirm that the Driver Version listed corresponds to the Motion Controller model driver versions listed on this page
To manually download and install the Motion Controller model driver, please visit this page and look for the driver version corresponding to your version of Windows 10. Installation instructions are available on the download page.
Motion controllers firmware update takes significantly longer than 2 minutes
Check the Bluetooth Best Practices section below. These symptoms are generally caused by poor Bluetooth link quality.
I just inserted fresh batteries but controller virtual battery level does not indicate full level
Motion controller battery level is tuned for AA batteries, some low voltage rechargeable batteries may not report full although being fully charged.
My controller does not vibrate when battery is low
Haptics is disabled when battery level gets low, replace with fresh batteries to get rumble back.
My device vibrated 3 times and then shutdown
Your batteries are running low and hitting cut-off threshold. Replace with fresh batteries.
My Samsung Motion Controller's touchpad is off center or has a dead spot
This is most likely a hardware defect and you should go back to your retailer or OEM for a replacement or exchange.
Device recovery
If the controller isn't working correctly and you're unable to update the device, you can always restore the device to factory conditions. To recover your device:
- Unplug and power off the controllers.
- Open the battery cover.
- Insert batteries (ensure you have good batteries when performing device recovery).
- Press and hold pairing button (tab at the bottom under the batteries).
- While holding pairing button, power on the controller by pressing and holding the Windows button for 5 seconds (keep both buttons held).
- Release buttons and wait for controller to power on. This takes up to 15 seconds and there are no indicators when device recovery is happening. If device powers on immediately on button release, recovery button sequence did not get registered and you need to try again.
- Remove old controller associations from Bluetooth settings (Settings->Bluetooth>other devices, select "Motion controller - Left" or "Motion controller - Right" and Remove device. After that pair controller with PC again.
- After connecting with host and HMD, device will update firmware to latest available.
Lights and indicators
Motion controller uses LED constellation ring and haptics for indicating about its state.
|Motion controller state
|How you get into this state
|Motion controller light and vibration behavior associated with state
|Power on
|Press and hold Windows button on controller for 2s to turn on controller.
|LEDs turn on and controller vibrates once.
|Power off
|Press and hold Windows button on controller for 4s to turn off controller.
|LEDs turn off and controller vibrates twice.
|Controller enters sleeping state automatically when it's motionless for 30s.
Controller automatically wakes when it detects motion (except when device is not paired with host PC, button press will be required to wake-up).
|LEDs turn off, blink every 3 seconds while in sleeping state.
|Press and hold pairing button inside battery case for 3s.
|LEDs slowly pulse while in pairing mode.
LEDs go solid when exiting pairing mode. Controller vibrates once if pairing was successful or vibrates 3 times if pairing is unsuccessful and times out.
|Controller connects to/disconnects from PC
|Controller successfully connects to PC after you turned it on.
Controller disconnects from PC during use for some reason.
|Controller vibrates once on PC connection or disconnection.
|Low Battery Level
|When battery level is low.
|No LED or vibration indication when battery is low. If you look at the representation of the controller in headset, there is a battery indicator icon on the handle. When battery is low, the indicator icon will show 1/4 full.
|Critical Battery Level
|During power on when battery level is "Critical". "Critical" battery level means there is insufficient power for controller to stay on and the controller will turn off automatically.
|Controller vibrates 3 times when you turn it on, then automatically turns off. As you approach this state, the battery indicator icon will display red.
Bluetooth best practices
Motion Controllers use the same Bluetooth technology found in many consumer devices. Motion Controllers are designed to work with Bluetooth capability included in any recent PC.
First verify that your PC has a Bluetooth radio. If the device passed the Mixed Reality Compatibility Checker then it should. Right click on the Windows Start Menu and select Device Manager. Expand the Bluetooth section and look for an adapter. If your PC doesn't have Bluetooth, one recommended dongle is the Plugable USB Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy Micro Adapter.
If your computer has Bluetooth already, but you are still having problems with the Motion Controllers, consider replacing your Bluetooth radio with the Plugable external Bluetooth Adapter plugged into USB.
Note: you can only have one Bluetooth radio adapter active at a time. if you plug in an external radio in addition to an existing radio you need to disable your existing Bluetooth radio in Device Manager (right click on the adapter and click Disable Device) and un-pair / re-pair all of your previous Bluetooth devices.
Motion Controllers should work with other Bluetooth keyboards, mice and game controllers, but the experience will vary depending on the model of keyboard, mouse or game controller you use.
If you're using a USB Bluetooth Adapter:
- Please ensure the USB Bluetooth Adapter is connected to a USB 2.0 port (black and doesn't say SS) if available
- Please plug the USB Bluetooth Adapter into a port that is physically separated from:
- the HMD USB connector,
- flash drives,
- hard drives,
- or wireless USB receivers like those for keyboards/mice.
- Plugging the USB Bluetooth Adapter into the opposite side of the computer as far as possible from these other connectors is ideal.
Do not install any 3rd party software.
Close the Bluetooth settings window if it's open. Leaving it open in the background means that a lot of extra calls are made to the Bluetooth protocol.
Disable "Show notification to connect using Swift Pair" setting under Bluetooth & other devices, this will reduce host radio scanning activity.
If you are using an internal Bluetooth card, please ensure you are using an external Bluetooth antenna.
- Lack of external Bluetooth antenna in this case is known to cause tracking issues.
- If this doesn't work, please use an external Bluetooth dongle (USB) after disabling the internal Bluetooth.
It is important that the device appears under Mouse, Keyboard & Pen category in the Bluetooth settings. If under Other devices then unpair/pair.
Please remove, un-pair and power off Bluetooth headphones and speakers. These are not supported with Windows Mixed Reality. You can use the headphone jack or built-in speakers on your Mixed Reality headset for the best audio experience.
Motion Controller Troubleshooting Flowchart
Motion Controllers Troubleshooting Steps:
Step A: Make sure the motion controllers show up as 'Connected'. Just 'Paired' does not necessarily mean the controllers are connected to the PC. Controllers should appear under "Mouse, keyboard & pen" category. Motion controllers under "Other devices" have failed pairing process and is not functional.
Step B: If you're using an external USB Bluetooth Adapter:
- Please ensure the USB Bluetooth Adapter is connected to a USB 2.0 port (black) if available
- Please plug the USB Bluetooth Adapter into a port that is physically separated from:
- the headset USB connector,
- flash drives,
- hard drives,
- or wireless USB receivers like those for keyboards/mice.
- Plugging the USB Bluetooth Adapter into the opposite side of the computer as far as possible from these other connectors is ideal.
Step C: Verify there's only one Bluetooth radio in the PC. Right click on the Windows Start Menu and select Device Manager. Expand the Bluetooth section and look for one Adapter. If you are using the desktop PC configuration with built-in radio, check if an external antenna is connected. If there isn't an external antenna connected, it is expected to issues with tracking. Another option would be to use an external bluetooth dongle (USB), disable the internal Bluetooth capability and retry pairing and connecting.
Step D & E: Close the Bluetooth settings window if it's open. Leaving it open in the background means that a lot of extra calls are made to the Bluetooth protocol.
Step F: Check the virtual battery level on the motion controller - in mixed reality, turn the controllers over, and you'll be able to see a battery icon. If it is red, please go ahead and replace the batteries. Battery reporting typically reports higher than the actual level immediately after connecting a controller. Please wait around 15 seconds to let battery level to stabilize and then read the level.
Step G: Please power off Bluetooth headphones and speakers. These are not supported with Windows Mixed Reality. You can use the headphone jack or built-in speakers on your Mixed Reality headset for the best audio experience.
You can try a one-time workaround of unplugging the USB cable on your headset and plugging it back into the PC. This will restart the controller functionality on the PC.
Step H: Check if the motion controllers LEDs are brightly lit or dimly lit - brightly lit means that they are paired and connected. Dimly lit means that they aren't connected.
Step I: If the controller lights are flashing, they are undergoing a firmware update. Wait for the firmware update to complete and the controllers appear in Mixed Reality.
For laptops check if they are connected to 2.4GHz or 5GHz Wifi network. Laptops connected to 2.4GHz Wifi are typically sharing the same antenna with the Bluetooth connection. This may impact negatively either Wifi or Bluetooth performance, depending on product design. Options to resolve this include:
- Network adapter settings typically allow to change preferred band to 5Ghz
- If the user's network does not support 5GHz then a Bluetooth dongle can be used instead of the internal Bluetooth capability
Need to take account if user has paired earlier and Bluetooth settings have motion controllers already paired. Windows won't discover new devices before those are removed. If those have been added using a specific dongle, they can be only removed with that dongle in place.
Motion controllers (headsets with built-in Bluetooth)
Some Windows Mixed Reality headsets, including the Acer OJO 500 and Samsung Odyssey+, have built-in Bluetooth radios for use with motion controllers.
- The motion controllers that come with these headsets are pre-paired to the headset from the factory, and do not require your PC to have a separate Bluetooth radio.
- These motion controllers can be manually paired to your PC's Bluetooth radio, for example, for use with Windows Mixed Reality headsets that do not have built-in Bluetooth radios.
- To return the motion controllers to their factory pairing, or to pair them with a Windows Mixed Reality headset with built-in Bluetooth radio, simply run the headset's device companion app (for example, the "Acer OJO 500" app or the "Samsung HMD Odyssey+ Setup" app, automatically installed the first time the headset is plugged in) and follow the instructions for motion controller pairing.
Graphics Drivers
Windows Mixed Reality requires a WDDM 2.2 or later graphics driver in order to complete Mixed Reality setup.
If your PC does not already have a compatible graphics driver, please try these sources:
- Check for the latest critical driver updates using Windows Update (Start -> Windows Settings -> Update and Security -> Check for Updates)
- Check for the latest optional driver updates using Device Manager (Right-click Start -> Device Manager -> expand Display Adapters -> right-click on the graphics card, choose Update Driver -> Search automatically for updated driver software)
- The website for the manufacturer (OEM) of your PC
- The website for the manufacturer of the graphics card in your PC (e.g., AMD, Intel, NVIDIA)
Note: Recent graphics drivers tend to have performance and quality fixes for the latest content and experiences. If you are encountering performance problems with Mixed Reality, consider updating the graphics driver to the most recent version available for the graphics card in your PC.
Graphics Driver Troubleshooting Flowchart
This flow chart below helps further explain the best steps to acquire a WDDM 2.2 or later graphics driver.
How do I tell if the Windows Mixed Reality headset is rendering at 60Hz or 90Hz framerate?
The easiest way to check if Windows Mixed Reality is running at 60 Hz or 90 Hz is to use the Device Portal -> Performance tab. The Headset display -> visual quality settings only affect the rendering of the Windows Mixed Reality Home experience.
- If you have a discrete GPU with HDMI 2.0 ports and a CPU with 4+ physical cores, you should be getting 90 Hz.
- If your GPU only has a HDMI 1.4 output, you can use a DisplayPort to HDMI 2.0 adapter as a workaround. View the full list of recommended adapters here
What do I do if my PC appears to be running sluggish?
There are many reasons for the system to be sluggish. In most cases this will subside after a few seconds. However, if you are experiencing this over long periods of time, please ensure the following:
- Close all un-used application on the Desktop.
- Ensure that you have proper graphics drivers on our PC. (Please look at the Graphics drivers section.)
- Ensure that your laptop is plugged into a power source.
- Ensure that the PC is not warming up.
- Lower visual quality in your Windows Mixed Reality Home.
What do I do if my PC is warming up as I run MR experiences?
There are many reasons that a PC might warm up. Below are a few mechanisms to keep the PC running cool:
- Ensure that the battery is charged and power source is plugged in.
- Make sure that the fans that blow air into / out of PC are not blocked.
- Use the PC in a relatively cool environment.
- Make sure there are no heat sources (i.e. Sun, Heat vents, etc...) pointed at the PC.
Tracking System
The system cannot find the boundary and I'm being presented with setup UI
This means that the tracking system was unable to recognize your environment. If you are in a new environment, this is to be expected, please set up a bounds. If you have used the device in this environment in the past, and have previously set up a bounds here, then check the following:
- Make sure the room has enough light.
- Make sure you have worn the device and looked around the room. The device must observe your environment to know where it is. It will not find your bounds when it is sitting on a desk or table.
- Try unplugging the device, closing Windows Mixed Reality, and plugging the device back in.
- Something may have changed in your environment and the device no longer recognizes it. Try setting up a new boundary.
If these steps do not resolve the problem, then delete your environment data and re-setup your bounds.
The system is presenting me with UI that asks me to choose setup for all experiences or seated/standing, and I see my bounds
This is caused by the device taking too long to find the bounds. You can bypass this message by choosing the option to use a boundary and you will be taken to your Windows Mixed Reality Home with your bounds present.
I frequently see a message saying "I've lost my bounds"
This means that the tracking system is having a hard time tracking and identifying your environment. In this state, the device can no longer show you your bounds and to encourage you to not move around and accidently bump into things in the real world, you will be in 3DOF in the headset until the device can find your bounds again. Check the following:
- Make sure the room has enough light.
- If you have recently redecorated or remodeled the room, re-run setup.
- Try unplugging the device, closing Windows Mixed Reality, and plugging the device back in.
- Try clearing your environment data and re-setting up the device.
- If this message persists, contact customer support.
I can look around but I can't translate (stuck in 3DOF)
This means that the tracking system cannot generate pose, or the application has stopped using new pose data to render. Check the following:
- Make sure the room has enough light.
- Make sure the room has enough details to track
- Try unplugging the device, closing Windows Mixed Reality, and plugging the device back in.
If this message persists, contact customer support
The view in the HMD is completely frozen
Typically, this means the application or a system level component has failed. Try the following.
- Press the "home" button to leave the application.
- Unplug the device, close MRP and plug the device back in.
- Reboot the PC.
I frequently see a black border around the edges of the view in the HMD. Sometimes it looks like I'm looking down a tunnel
This means that the application is not able to hit frame rate on your PC and the system is having to use old frames to render the view in the HMD. Since applications only render the part of the world you are looking at, if they do not consistently hit their frame rates, then the system will attempt to continue to render the world from a previous point of view and will fill in the missing details with black. If this happens frequently, Check the following:
- Close or terminate all unneeded programs to free up memory and CPU.
- Reduce detail settings in your application.
- Reduce detail settings in Windows Mixed Reality settings.
The view in the HMD is jittering and stuttering a lot
There are several reasons this may happen. The primary causes are the system not being able to render content to the headset, or the tracking system is experiencing problems. Check the following:
- Make sure your PC is not under resource contention. Open Task Manager and ensure your compute resources are free (e.g. 80% CPU free, 400MB of ram and disk IO is below 80%).
- Make sure you have the latest graphics drivers for your hardware. See the graphics drive section for more info.
- Make sure the room has enough light.
- Try unplugging the device, closing Windows Mixed Reality, and plugging the device back in.
- Try rebooting your PC.
If this problem persists, contact customer support.
The world briefly froze and perhaps tilted or flipped upside before returning to normal
This could be caused by an app or system level component hitting a fatal error, or a temporary lack of memory or CPU resources. Check the following:
- Open task manager and ensure you have at least 20% CPU free and 400MB memory free (e.g. 80% CPU free, 400MB of ram and disk IO is below 80%).
- Check to see if any processes crashed. Open event viewer, navigate to Windows Logs -> Application and Error level event entries around the time of the brief freeze that would indicate a process crashed.
- Try rebooting the PC if this problem persists.
The world flipped upside down momentarily and returned to normal
This is typically caused by errors in obtaining sensor data from the headset to inform the tracking algorithms. If this happens frequently, try the following:
- Plug the headset into a different USB 3.0 port.
- Plug the headset directly into the PC rather than a USB 3.0 hub.
If this problem persists, contact customer support.
The world is tilted but I can navigate and walk around fine in Windows Mixed Reality
This is typically caused by errors in sensor data being recorded into the environment data that is stored on your PC. This can cause the Windows Mixed Reality to appear tilted, sometimes permanently. Try the following:
- Unplug the HMD, close Windows Mixed Reality and plug the headset back in.
- Reboot the PC.
- Clear your environment data.
Why can't I see my controllers when viewing VR content from Edge?
Not all WebVR content is authored to support motion controllers. WebVR allows developers of content to support different types of input, such as game controllers or motion controllers. If you do not see your controllers on a site, it likely doesn't have motion controller support.
Why can't I use the mouse in an immersive WebVR view?
Not all WebVR content is authored to support mouse input.
This is an optional feature of the WebVR specification; not all browsers support this feature.
WebVR allows developers of content to support different types of input, such as mouse, keyboard, game controllers or motion controllers. Mouse input behavior varies per browser. Within Microsoft Edge, website authors must ensure they take 'pointerlock' when presenting to the headset for mouse input to work.
Why does my controller look like a Vive/Oculus, has strange orientation, or the buttons are incorrectly mapped?
This website likely doesn't have full motion controller support.
Why can't I view 360 degree videos from Youtube/Facebook/Vimeo/The Guardian/New York Times etc. from Edge in VR?
Just like any other web specification or standard, the author has the choice about whether or not they implement it. There is a WebVR specification that allows websites to launch VR experiences directly from the browser; these authors of these websites have not implemented this specification at this time. There may be downloadable apps on some platforms that enable viewing of VR content from these vendors.
Why can't I enter VR from Firefox or Chrome?
WebVR is only supported by Windows Mixed Reality devices in Edge at this time.
When I enter VR from a website, why do I see a blank screen in my headset?
It is possible that the website has not implemented support for Multi GPU machines (including Hybrid GPU laptops). Things to try:
- Reloading the page may help.
- On desktop machines, try plugging the headset in to the same graphics adapter as the monitor that is displaying Microsoft Edge. (Try to plug both into the higher powered graphics card, not the integrated graphics adapter)
When I exit VR when watching a video from Edge, the sound continues playing but the Edge window is grayed out
This is a known issue when running WebVR from Edge in the Mixed Reality cliffhouse. The workaround is as follows:
- Rather than pressing the windows button to exit the WebVR experience, press escape on the keyboard.
- Alternatively, activate the greyed out Edge window by selecting it, then stop the video playing.
Can I use WebVR on the HoloLens?
Microsoft has not announced anything about WebVR on the HoloLens at this point.
Why is my view at floor level when viewing WebVR content from Edge?
This website does not properly support Windows Mixed Reality headsets. To work around this:
- Place the headset on the floor of your space.
- Navigate to the WebVR page using Microsoft Edge on your desktop (not within Mixed Reality).
- Click the button on the webpage to Enter VR.
- Wait 5-10 seconds (for the experience to fully enter immersive mode).
- Pick up the headset, and place on your head.
The display is very low resolution in some WebVR experiences
This website does not properly support high resolution headsets. To workaround this, some things that may work:
- If launching WebVR from the desktop (as opposed to from within the Mixed Reality cliffhouse), ensure the window is maximized prior to Entering VR.
- Avoid resizing the Microsoft Edge window after you have entered VR.
Why does the WebVR immersive view exit when I change browser tabs?
This is expected behavior. For security reasons, only the active browser tab can access connected headsets.
Why can't I hear audio on a particular WebVR experience?
The website may be using the OGG audio file format, which Microsoft Edge does not currently support.
You can report broken sites directly to the Microsoft Edge browser team in the issue tracker, or via twitter using #EdgeBug hashtag.
Why does Haptic feedback not work in WebVR with motion controllers?
Microsoft Edge does not currently support haptics on the WebVR gamepad API extensions.
I get a message that says "To use SteamVR with Windows Mixed Reality, you need to install the latest Windows Update." or "Windows Developer Mode Required"
- Make sure your PC is running the latest version of Windows 10. To check this, go to Settings > System > About. Under Windows specifications, make sure OS Build is 16299.64 or greater.
- Make sure you don't have any updates waiting to download or install. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and select Check for updates. You may have to check for updates multiple times so keep checking for updates until no further updates are available and then restart your PC.
SteamVR is crashing after updating Windows
Some older versions of Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR are no longer compatible with Windows. If SteamVR is crashing it's possible that you have an old version of Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR. To ensure that you are up to date:
- In your Steam library, locate Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR, under Software
- Right click it, go to properties, select the update tab, select "Always keep this application up to date"
- Force the update by going to the Local Files tab and selecting "Verify integrity of application files"
- Restart Steam and SteamVR
If SteamVR is still crashing after updating its possible you have 2 installations of Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR on your machine. To confirm if this is the case:
Locate the following file and open it in notepad %localappdata%\openvr\openvrpaths.vrpath
Under the external drivers sections look for multiple entries for "MixedRealityVRDriver"
"external_drivers" : [ "D:\\Steam\\steamapps\\common\\MixedRealityVRDriver", "E:\\Steam\\steamapps\\common\\MixedRealityVRDriver" ],
If you see multiple entries remove the older of the two entries. Note that once you have only one entry there should no longer be a comma at the end of the line, for example:
"external_drivers" : [ "D:\\Steam\\steamapps\\common\\MixedRealityVRDriver" ],
Save the file and close it
Restart Steam and SteamVR
My controllers aren't working as expected
- Close SteamVR.
- Return to the Mixed Reality Home and confirm that your controllers are working as expected.
- Launch the SteamVR experience again and your controllers should be back to normal.
- If issues persist please file feedback using the Windows Feedback Hub under the Mixed Reality category and include SteamVR in the summary.
My left and right controllers are reversed
If you encounter a game that reverses your controllers, try starting the game with your controllers off and then turning the left one on, followed by the right one.
My games are running slowly
- Confirm that your PC meets the specifications for SteamVR in Windows Mixed Reality
- Confirm that your PC meets the specifications for the SteamVR game you are playing.
- In Mixed Reality Portal on your desktop, select Pause to stop desktop preview.
- Follow the instructions above to make sure you are running Windows 10 build 16299.64 or later.
- Make sure your PC has the latest graphics drivers.
- Check Task Manager to see what other processes might be running on your PC and consuming resources.
- Check to see if Steam is downloading a game in the background. This can consume resources and make games run poorly.
- There is a known performance issue that affects a small class of apps that do not have a visible window. The primary example of this is SteamVR Home. While the vast majority of apps do not fall into this category, a fix will be available in a future update.
If you're still running into unexpected performance issues, please send us feedback using the Windows Feedback Hub. Make sure to follow the instructions to include a SteamVR Performance Trace.
SteamVR is showing a compositor error (e.g. Shared IPC Compositor Connect Failed (400))
There is a known issue where this can happen if your HMD and primary monitor are on two different video adapters. To work around, attach your monitor to the same adapter as your headset and configure that monitor to be the primary using Settings app -> System -> Display
SteamVR content appears in the wrong place (e.g., beneath the floor or above my head)
Try this to reset your position:
- Click the left controller's thumbstick to bring up the SteamVR Dashboard
- Click the Settings button
- Click Reset Seated Position
Speech and Audio
I can't hear any sound in my headset, or sound is playing through my computer
If your immersive headset doesn't include built-in headphones, you'll need to connect headphones to the audio jack on the headset. (The jack is often located just behind or under the headset visor or lenses; check with your headset manufacturer if you have trouble finding it.)
Some audio headsets have physical buttons to control the volume. If audio isn't working, check to see whether the volume is turned down or muted.
Windows Mixed Reality is designed to play sound through your immersive headset when the Mixed Reality Portal is running and you have headphones connected to it. When you close the Mixed Reality Portal application or when that app has not been used for 15 minutes, audio will switch to your default Windows playback device. You can change this setting in Settings > Mixed reality > Audio and speech.
Other troubleshooting steps:
- Make sure your audio headset is plugged into the audio jack completely - the Acer headset in particular may require more care to ensure the audio headset is plugged in all the way.
- Check that the audio headset/mic is plugged into the headset and not the PC.
- The Windows Sound Control Panel shows a list of enabled audio endpoints. It does not by default show disabled endpoints. The headset audio device will be disabled when you're not wearing the headset, so you have to right-click in the sound control panel and choose "Show disabled devices" to see it; the device name is "Realtek USB2.0 Audio". Once you do this, you can change the friendly name in the "Properties" page to something you'll recognize more easily. You can do this for both the playback and recording tabs.
- If your audio is not working in Mixed Reality apps (for example Netflix), this may be caused by a known issue where Windows Mixed Reality is not be automatically updated to match the OS version. To fix this issue and get the best Mixed Reality experience, go to Settings -> Update & Security -> Windows Update -> Check for Updates.
I'm experiencing sudden volume changes, lost audio, or buzzing
Some applications, including many of those launched through SteamVR, can lose audio or hang when the audio device changes as you start or stop the Mixed Reality Portal. Restart the app after you have opened the Mixed Reality Portal app to correct this.
When another multimedia USB device (such as a web cam) shares the same USB hub (either external or inside your PC) with the Windows Mixed Reality headset, in rare cases the headset's audio jack/headphones may either have a buzzing sound or no audio at all. You can fix this by plugging your headset into a USB port that does not share the same hub as the other device, or disconnect/disable your other USB multimedia device.
In very rare cases, the host PC's USB hub cannot provide enough power to the Windows Mixed Reality headset and you may notice a loud burst of noise from the headphones connected to the headset. If this occurs please file a Feedback Hub bug immediately. Workarounds that have helped some users include not using extension cables, using a dedicated, external powered USB 3.0 HUB or trying a different USB port on the PC.
My Bluetooth audio headset isn't working as expected
Bluetooth audio peripherals do not work well with Windows Mixed Reality voice and spatial sound experiences. BT Audio headsets cannot support mic input and stereo output at the same time so when using it for gamechat or other voice input, you won't hear stereo or spatialized sound. BT Audio headsets can also negatively affect your motion controller experience. Microsoft does not recommend using Bluetooth Audio headsets with Windows Mixed Reality.
Sound is or isn't coming from expected directions
The Windows Mixed Reality home includes spatial sound simulation, where audio from apps you've placed in your home sounds like it's coming from the location of those apps. As you turn around, and move closer or farther from each app, the sound direction and level will change, just like in real life. This change in audio isn't a bug, it's designed to further the sense of realism.
Additionally, when you open and play music from a background-capable music app (like Groove Music) in your Windows Mixed Reality home and then open an immersive VR experience (like a game) the sound from the music app will crossfade from spatial sound to stereo. It may appear louder than before because the distance between you and the sound is now zero.
If you have Cortana enabled on your host PC prior to using your Windows Mixed Reality headset, you may lose the spatial sound simulation applied to the apps you place around the Windows Mixed Reality home. The work around is to enable "Windows Sonic for Headphones" on all the audio devices attached to your PC, even your headset-connected audio device:
- Left-click the speaker icon on the desktop taskbar and select from list of audio devices.
- Right-click the speaker icon on the desktop taskbar and select "Windows Sonic for Headphones" in the "Speaker setup" menu.
- Repeat these steps for all of your audio devices (endpoints).
- Note: Because the headphones/speakers connected to your headset won't appear unless you're wearing it, you have to do this from within the Desktop app window in the Windows Mixed Reality home to apply this setting to the audio device connected to your headset (or integrated into your headset).
- Note: Another option is to turn off "Let Cortana respond to Hey Cortana" in Settings > Cortana on your desktop prior to launching Windows Mixed Reality.
Speech commands are not working as expected
To use speech commands, your PC's speech and language settings must be set to one of the languages supported in Windows Mixed Reality. To check this, go to Settings > Time & language > Region & language and Settings > Time & language > Speech. Dictation will not work correctly if your system keyboard language does not match the language you've selected for Windows Mixed Reality.
If your headset doesn't have a built-in mic, you'll need to attach headphones with a mic to the headset or to your PC. To have mic input switch automatically to your headset when you wear it, go to Settings > Mixed reality > Audio and speech, and make sure that "When I wear my headset, switch to headset mic" is turned on.
Audio headsets with a microphone that dangles from the earbud cable do not perform well for voice commands in environments with ambient noise.
Some audio headsets have a physical button to mute and unmute the microphone. If speech commands aren't working, check to see whether your mic is muted.
Cortana can be slow the first time she is invoked in a Mixed Reality Portal session. You can work around this by making sure "Let Cortana respond to Hey Cortana" under Settings > Cortana > Talk to Cortana is enabled.
On some PCs, the default voice capture gain for your headset-connected microphone may be set too low. If you experience unreliable speech commands or dictation, you can try running the Microphone Setup troubleshooter. You can reach this troubleshooter through the Settings > Time & Language > Speech, then click "Get Started" in the "Microphone" section. To affect the microphone you use for Windows Mixed Reality, you have to do this through the Desktop app in the Windows Mixed Reality home while wearing the headset. Select the appropriate endpoint in the troubleshooter wizard.
I only have one audio headset and I want to use it for both Desktop and my headset
If you only have one audio headset and not an headset with built in headphones, you may want to connect the audio headset to the host PC instead of the headset. Then you must turn off "switch to headset audio" in the MRP settings.
Dolby Atmos for Headphones
Windows Mixed Reality environments and the applications within, such as placing a web browser on the wall of the Cliff House or the Sky Loft use the Windows Sonic for Headphones spatial audio technology. This technology differs from others in that it is customized for mixed reality experiences. Other spatial audio technologies can be applied for full screen applications like SteamVR games but not for the Windows Mixed Reality shell environments which have been specially designed using Windows Sonic for Headphones spatial sound and acoustics. So trying to switch Dolby Atmos for Headphones on the endpoint used for Windows Mixed Reality is not supported.
Accessing your Desktop in Mixed Reality
Desktop App
You can access your PC desktop in Mixed Reality using the Desktop app. You can launch Desktop app in the headset from Windows Button > All apps > Desktop
Using Desktop app with Multiple Monitors
By default, Desktop app automatically switch to display the monitor with focus. If you wish to see all of your monitors in Mixed Reality, follow steps below:
- Click the monitor icon on the top left corner of the app
- Disable "Automatically Switch Monitor"
- Pick the monitor you wish to see
- Launch another instance of the Desktop app
- Pick the monitor you wish to see on that instance
- Repeat for as many physical monitors as you have. Please note that you will have to re-pick which monitor to show on each Desktop app every time you restart Mixed Reality.
Desktop apps showing Black Screen
If the Desktop app shows only a black screen, and your PC has Nvidia hybrid GPU, the issue may be caused by Nvidia device running the runtimebroker.exe on the discrete GPU instead of the integrated one. To fix this issue, follow these instructions under "How do I create Optimus settings for a new program?" to add C:\windows\system32\runtimebroker.exe and force it to run on the "Integrated graphics" processor.
Uninstalling Mixed Reality
You can uninstall Windows Mixed Reality from Settings -> Mixed Reality -> Uninstall. If you uninstall Windows Mixed Reality and then see a message that says "We couldn't finish uninstalling Windows Mixed Reality," here's what to do. Note: This section is intended for advanced users. It involves modifying the registry and using Windows PowerShell to run commands. If you modify the registry incorrectly, serious problems might occur. Make sure to follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up your registry before you modify it. Then, you can restory the registry if a problem occurrs. For more info, see How to back up and restory the registry in Windows.
Restart your PC.
In the Search box, type "regedit" and then select Yes.
Remove the following registry values:
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Holographic, then delete FirstRunSucceeded.
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Holographic\SpeechAndAudio, then delete PreferDesktopSpeaker and PreferDesktopMic.
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore> Settings\Holographic, then delete DisableSpeechInput. Note:the registry items in HHKEY_CURRENT_USER must be deleted for every user account on the PC that has used Windows Mixed Reality.
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PerceptionSimulationExtensions, then delete DeviceID and Mode.
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Holographic, then delete OnDeviceLearningCompleted.
Remove the following registry keys:
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\HoloSI
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\HoloSI
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Settings\HolographicPreferences
Close Registry Editor.
Navigate to C:\Users\user name\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.HolographicFirstRun_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState, and then delete RoomBounds.json. Repeat this for each user who has used Windows Mixed Reality.
Open admin cmd prompt and navigate to C:\ProgramData\WindowsHolographicDevices\SpatialStore\HoloLensSensors. Then delete the contents of the HeadTracking data folder (but not the folder itself).
Type "powershell" in the Search box, right-click Windows PowerShell, and then select Run as administrator.
In Windows PowerShell, do the following:
- Copy and paste the following at the command prompt, then press Enter: Dism /online /Get-Capabilities
- Copy the Capability Identity that begins with Analog.Holographic.Desktop (if it isn't there, that means this item isn't installed. In that case, skip to step 10 ).
- Copy and paste the following command prompt, then press Enter: Dism /online /Remove-Capability /CapabilityName:the Capability Identity copied in the last step
Restart your PC.
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Hi all!
Well this is more of a thumb of the day, lol.
Love it! I only have one of the Mirrorball polishes but definitely need to get hold of the others :)ReplyDelete
I know. I've got the green one as well so must nab the others xoDelete
Wow I actually own this one! I love freak out, I haven't tried it over black but that looks fab!ReplyDelete
You'll have to try it out then, it really pops!! XoDelete
My name is Armacinda, I am a cat person from Russia. I am 33 years old but I left the mother land when I was 7 years old to attend a L...


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AceShowbiz - Matthew McConaughey saved his infant son from a mountain ram by tossing him off a ledge to his wife Camila Alves.
Around the time of his 40th birthday the "Dallas Buyers Club" star and Camila took their then six-month-old son Levi and their dog B.J. on vacation to the Grand Canyon in Arizona. However, their family day out was interrupted by an angry male sheep.
Recalling the tale as part of a 'True Confessions' game with U.S. late night host Jimmy Fallon and The Roots frontman Black Thought, Matthew said he was "charged" by a "mountain ram" and had to throw little Levi off a ledge to Camila.
The Texan actor was then quizzed by Jimmy and Tarik on the details of his story as they tried to establish whether he was telling the truth.
Confirming the story was "100 per cent true", Matthew said that while Camila managed to "scatter" and escape, he, his dog, and Levi were left trapped - meaning he had to throw the dog and his son to safety while taking on the woolly menace himself.
"I had already got rid of the dog, I had to launch Levi through the air for my wife to catch so we didn't get rammed off the edge," he said, adding that he then tried to cower behind a small cherry blossom bush as the animal readied itself to attack.
Realising he had to face up to the "alpha" male sheep or it would attack him, the star tried a different method, as he explained: "I squared off and tried to go as Yoda as I could with this ram and just say, 'Not me, whatever it is.' "
The 48-year-old went on to say that he later realised the terrifying incident happened because he had come between the ram and his herd of ewes.
"So we were between him and all his ladies and he didn't want any other male scent on his mountain," the actor added, going on to reveal that he politely told the ram: "Your mountain, sir" before making his escape.


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Côte d'Ivoire: Simone Gbagbo upsets 'Gbagbo or nothing' faction
Simone Gbagbo broke a taboo on Saturday when she questioned the 'Gbagbo or nothing' stance championed by the loyalist wing of the Front Populaire Ivoirien (FPI).
DON'T MISS : Talking Africa New Podcast – Angola's dream deferred, plus the promise of Nigerian Fintech
By Taimour Lay in Libreville
Posted on Friday, 13 January 2017 10:08
Group A
Co-hosting in 2012 inspired Les Panthères, as they won all three group games in Libreville before squeezing past Tunisia on penalties to make the quarter-finals. They should fancy their chances in a weak group this time round but, even with talisman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabon were underwhelming at Afcon 2015, losing to Equatorial Guinea to ensure an early end to their tournament. Juve's Mario Lemina has been added to midfield and the hosts have pace to spare. Much will depend on whether Jose Antonio Camacho, appointed manager in December, can create a structure in which Aubameyang flourishes – and the degree to which the home fans choose to embrace a competition many Gabonese feel isn't a national priority at a time of economic stress and political flux.
Player to watch: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Burkina Faso
A spectacular run to the final in 2013 proved a peak from which Les Étalons have since gently declined. They managed just a point in the group stage in Equatorial Guinea two years ago, including a 2-0 defeat to Gabon. Jonathan Pitropia was shackled and failed to respond. Nonetheless, the potential for progress remains, not least because it's still largely the same group of players who stunned the tournament four years ago. Coach Paolo Duarte will be at his third Cup of Nations and should Gabon freeze and Cameroon falter, Burkina Faso will be well placed to take advantage. The pressure's off for a squad who know the ropes.
Player to watch: Jonathan Pitroipa
Preparations have been defined by dropouts and retirements, including Schalke striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. Ironically, despite an unspectacular squad, Cameroon won't need to do much to improve on their dismal showing in 2015 when they finished bottom of an admittedly tough group. Recent form is decent but this is not a vintage generation. Any advance will be more grind than great.
Player to watch: Benjamin Moukandjo
There's something to be said for arriving as an underdog with form and momentum, unburdened by expectation. The fittingly nicknamed Djurtus, whose memorable 3-2 win over Zambia secured qualification, are not expected to advance above Gabon and Cameroon but midfielders Zezinho and Toni Silva may take the chance to shine. At their country's first Cup of Nations, Guinea-Bissau's management have productively scoured the world for eligible talent, unsurprisingly in the lower reaches of the Portuguese leagues. An injury to leading striker Cicero has come as a blow, however. A heavy defeat in the opening game against hosts Gabon on 14 January would prove fatal.
Player to watch: Zezinho
Group B
For the second tournament running, Algeria arrive boasting Africa's leading footballer. In 2015, it was Yacine Brahimi, who flitted and flirted in Equatorial Guinea but couldn't ultimately drag his country beyond their perennial status as quarter-finalists. This year, Riyad Mahrez returns with enhanced credentials and the team's ever-attractive, intricate passing style will require the higher gear only he provides. Leicester team-mate Islam Slimani will lead the line and, with talent liberally strewn elsewhere, the challenge of winning their first Afcon since 1990 may rest on shaking off the psychological shackles. Preparations have not been ideal, with two managers falling by the wayside last year amid player unrest and patchy World Cup qualifier results. Georges Leekens is now seeking to restore stability.
Player to watch: Riyad Mahrez
One of the least edifying sights of Afcon 2015 was defensive Tunisia taking the darker arts of football to new extremes – although Les Aigles de Carthage had decent cause to be upset during their controversial quarter-final defeat to Equatorial Guinea, when a series of extraordinary refereeing decisions led to clashes on and off the pitch. Tunisia can once again be expected to bring more caution than flair but – in a difficult group – it's unlikely to be enough.
Player to watch: Wahbi Khazri
Second favourites to win Afcon, Les Lions will need to ally their usual defensive solidity with the ability to penetrate the leading teams. Sadio Mane has pace and trickery but deep backlines and a more constrained team system will pose challenges. A 2-1 defeat to South Africa in World Cup qualifying at the end of 2016 marred an unblemished competitive record for the year but manager (and former captain) Aliou Cisse will need to show his side can step up against better sides. As in 2015, Senegal are in a tricky group and need to make sure Tunisia don't edge them out.
Player to watch: Sadio Mane
They are rank outsiders even if they hadn't landed in the toughest group. Zimbabwe will do well to stay competitive. Preparations have been marred by embarrassing disputes between players and the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa). The team boycotted a send-off dinner in Harare, complaining of unpaid bonuses and demanding $5,000 per appearance in Gabon. Knowledge Musona and Khama Billiat provide the firepower but what happens behind them is cause for pessimism.
Player to watch: Knowledge Musona
Group C
Ivory Coast
After finally ending their long wait for the title in the most dramatic of circumstances, Ivory Coast may proceed as confident champions or find their hunger for success a little diminished. Without the retired Touré brothers, Gervinho injured and Herve Renard now managing Morocco, leadership will need to come from elsewhere. Wilfried Zaha will look to make the sort of impact Yannick Bolasie had for DRC in 2015 while Manchester United's Eric Bailly should be fit to anchor the defence. Nice's Jean-Michael Seri will pull strings from midfield. The tag of favourites is predictable but, with goals hardly flowing recently, there is a sense that Les Éléphants need a positive opening to keep doubts at bay.
Player to watch: Wilfried Zaha
Democratic Republic of Congo
Last time out, DRC embarked on a wonderful journey to third place, including a hard-to-fathom, topsy-turvy 4-2 win over Congo in the quarter-finals. But the long-term injury suffered by winger Yannick Bolasie will force manager Florent Ibenge to modify his attacking options. Dieumerci Mbokani may labour upfront without sufficient support but DRC will have pace in their ranks to ensure that doesn't happen. Second spot is there for the taking.
Player to watch: Cedric Bakambu
The last-minute decision to withdraw from hosting the 2015 tournament, citing concerns over Ebola, was met with predictable wrath by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) who banned the Atlas Lions from the next three Africa Cup of Nations. The Court of Arbitration for Sport, however, allowed Morocco's appeal – and, to add insult to CAF's injury, dramatically reduced the fine too. So Morocco return to Afcon action, this time managed by Hervė Renard, the Frenchman who led both Zambia and Ivory Coast to the title. Even his powers of charm and motivation may be tested by a limited Moroccan playing squad. Nordin Amrabat and Younes Belhanda should offer some thrust but the loss of Sofiane Boufal to injury is significant.
Player to watch: Nordin Amrabat
Claude Le Roy, the grand old man of Afcon, is managing at his ninth tournament. After taking unfancied Congo to the quarter-finals in 2015, he will need all his wiles to negotiate Togo's passage from Group C. Emmanuel Adebayor, despite not having a club side, has been enticed back into the fold. Kossi Agassa will be between the sticks once more. Experience, on and off the pitch, will be their biggest asset.
Player to watch: Emmanuel Adebayor
Group D
A defining image of Afcon 2015 was Andre Ayew inconsolably weeping after the 9-8 penalty shoot-out defeat to Ivory Coast. There was some history there: not just his country's three-and-a-half decade wait for another title but his father, the legendary Abedi Pele, missing out through suspension on the final in 1992, also a defeat to Les Elephants. The Black Stars are among the favourites again. But there is ongoing domestic discontent with manager Avram Grant's cautious approach and a forward line which looks strong on paper has been short on actual goals.
Player to watch: Andre Ayew
An Afcon squad without Seydou Keita means Mali's next generation need to step up. A strong recent record is unlikely to be bettered in Gabon, although there is quality in the squad through Kalifa Coulibaly, Bakary Sako and Moussa Marega. Monaco's Adama Traore will need to run things in the middle of the park.
Player to watch: Adama Traore
Having beaten Nigeria to top spot in qualifying, seven-time winners Egypt are back after a seven year absence. The Pharoahs will look to Roma winger Mohamed Salah for creativity and Arsenal's Mohamed Elneny for midfield balance. Domestic football has been through chaos and crisis since the Arab Spring – this tournament may be an opportunity to relive past glories. But question marks remain over whether this side can cope in the latter stages.
Player to watch: Mohamed Salah
It's been 38 years since the Cranes graced an Afcon finals, with many a qualification cliff-edge trauma, not least when failure to beat Kenya at home meant missing out in 2015. Serbian manager Milutin Sredojevic's challenge is to mould the young talent of Farouk Miya alongside older heads likes Tony Mawejje. Goalkeeper Dennis Onyango was voted CAF's Africa-based player of the year in 2016. There's enough obduracy and spirit for the Cranes to at least make a play for second place.
Player to watch: Farouk Miya
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In my role of leading Product Management and Presales at Opera Solutions, I am constantly exposed to direct customer interactions, most often in the early stages of the sales cycle. In these meetings, part of my job is to assess our prospective customer's pain points and needs as much as they are assessing our products, technology, and capabilities. Thus, given the exposure we get at Opera Solutions, I am in a good position to understand real-world business needs around analytics across industries.
We often talk about corporate cultures, but the experience with hundreds of customers led me to think of corporate psychology, and juxtaposing Maslow's hierarchy of needs to the current state of data science adoption and readiness in the industry. Companies need to recognize the stage they are in and not be seduced by the hype or promise of the technology. Data science adoption needs not follow a sequential maturity process; dynamic corporations can certainly accelerate things when the need and will exist. So for fun, here's a take on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs adapted to data science.


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November 28, 2019
Mutant Stimutant Review
If you've already got the muscle, but it's hibernating under a few too many layers of fat, Mutant Stimutant wants to make you a customer.
A supplement advertised to offer "freaky peeled-to-the-bone definition," Mutant Stimutant is a fat burner meant for dedicated athletes and bodybuilders. With natural ingredients, Stimutant is said to give you the push you need to shed extra fat and improve body composition.
Is Stimutant really the best solution to your fat loss needs? I intend to find out by looking into this supplement further.
Who Makes Mutant Stimutant
One thing you always want to consider with a prospective supplement is who makes it. Learning about the manufacturers prepares you for what business practices to expect, and even gives you a clue about the quality of the company's products.
The Mutant line is manufactured and sold by Fit Foods Ltd., a supplement company based in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. One nice thing about dealing with international companies is that they usually tell us more about themselves than companies based in the U.S., and that's certainly the case with Fit Foods.
Fit Foods was founded in 1996 by CEO Jim McMahon and now owns 7 brand names, including Mutant. Other popular brands include PVL Essentials, North Coast Naturals, and Whey 2Good. These supplement lines sell in more than 70 countries.
According to the company website, Fit Foods also runs events and programs designed to encourage positive eating behaviors and teach people about alternatives to fast food.
The Fit Foods manufacturing plant is licensed by Canada's Natural Health Products (NHP) legislation, and has a license from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
Another good thing about Canadian companies is that the CFIA inspects NHPs before they're sold. This doesn't guarantee effectiveness, but it does guarantee that supplements aren't harmful. Conversely, in the U.S., the FDA only takes action against dangerous supplements after many complaints have been received.
Judging by the long and successful history of Fit Foods, I'd say this company is an honest, efficient, and safe one. However, I can't yet say if their products are just as impressive. To judge that, we have to take a look at the Mutant Stimutant formula.
What's in Stimutant?
Stimutant is sold in 2 formulas: a U.S. version and an international version. You can purchase either version, but you'll need to go through another retailer as IAmMutant.com doesn't sell U.S. versions to Canadians or vice versa.
The difference between each version is 5 ingredients. The U.S. version contains ingredients that can't be sold in Canada and other parts of the world, so the international version substitutes these ingredients for others.
As you can imagine, there are benefits and drawbacks to each approach. The U.S. version is likely stronger, but is also more likely to cause side effects. Conversely, the international version is safer but may not perform as well.
I'll go over the U.S. version in its entirety, and then highlight the changes in the international version. Each version is based on a 399 mg proprietary blend.
U.S. Version
Caffeine Anhydrous
The most common stimulant, caffeine anhydrous is caffeine with excess water removed to enhance potency. It improves metabolism and triggers fat burning by stimulating the central nervous system. This produces heat and speeds metabolic function to increase caloric expenditure. In a 1994 study, caffeine helped overweight and obese women decrease their BMI and improve their metabolism [1].
DiCaffeine Malate
Dicaffeine malate is caffeine fused with malic acid. This increases absorption, which speeds the rate at which dicaffeine malate takes effect. It also decreases side effects associated with caffeine.
Beta-Phenylethylamine (PEA)
Known as PEA, this ingredient is an organic compound that not only builds muscle but improves mood. PEA improves serotonin production, which decreases stress and anxiety. This ingredient is great for overweight people who struggle with feelings of depression and low self-esteem, but seems unnecessary in a fat-burning supplement for bodybuilders.
This ingredient is directly related to PEA. An alkaloid linked with PEA, hordenine is believed to trigger greater action in the central nervous system. However, there are no human trials verifying this effect. Animal studies also show an increase in blood pressure, which may be worrying.
Yohimbe is yet another powerful stimulant. It works much like caffeine anhydrous and dicaffeine malate, raising the body's internal temperature and burning fat. In a 1991 study, subjects taking yohimbe lost an average 7.82 pounds [2].
Nicotinic Acid
A form of vitamin B3, nicotinic acid regulates fats and sugars in the body to maintain healthy cells. With more vitamin B3, your body should be better able to keep fat levels and cholesterol in check.
Piperine is the combination of black and white pepper. It primarily fights nausea and stomach pain. This may combat some side effects associated with other ingredients in Stimutant, but it doesn't seem like a necessary extract to include.
International Version
Coffee Arabica Extract
The weight loss benefits associated with coffee are actually the same benefits associated with caffeine. As a stimulant, coffee increases the metabolic rate and accelerates fat burning. However, unlike your morning coffee, this extract doesn't come with the unwanted calorie increase.
Green Coffee Bean
Green coffee contains 4 times more caffeine than coffee extracts like coffee. This makes its stimulant powers even stronger. In one study, green coffee helped test subjects lose an average of 17 pounds over 12 weeks [3].
A favorite of diabetics and dieters alike, grapefruit controls blood sugar levels and suppresses appetite. These effects were tested in a 2006 study in which subjects who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost .3 more pounds than subjects who did not [4]. However, these results were very modest and barely statistically significant.
Theobroma Cacao
You know this ingredient better as cocoa. Cocoa contains several antioxidants that lower blood pressure and fight free radicals that cause disease and other health conditions. Cocoa also has weight loss properties. In a study involving rats, cocoa lowered body and fatty tissue weight in rats fed cocoa [5].
Sprouted Barley
While the other ingredients in Stimutant burn fat, barley suppresses appetite. The fiber in barley delays gastric emptying, which keeps you feeling full and less likely to overeat. This prevents you from undoing your good work by eating too much.
The international version, like the American version, also contains piperine and nicotinic acid.
These are powerful ingredients, and many are proven to trigger fat burning. However, with such a small proprietary blend, I'm not convinced they're included in their proper doses. This could seriously compromise Stimutant's effectiveness.
Can Stimutant Cause Side Effects?
As you can imagine, the U.S. version has a higher risk of side effects than does the international version. However, the side effects of each are similar.
Because each formula relies on stimulants, Stimutant could cause:
• Headache
• Stress/anxiety
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
These side effects are more likely and more likely to be severe in the U.S. version due to its inclusion of yohimbe. This ingredient is considered "possibly unsafe" by WebMD and is linked to reports of heart attack, seizure, and kidney failure.
The most common side effect, however, is anxiety. In fact, many scientists studying this condition give yohimbe to study subjects to induce anxiety.
If you are stimulant-sensitive, I'd recommend avoiding the U.S. version of Stimutant for these reasons.
How Much Does Stimutant Cost?
If you're buying in the U.S., a 90-capsule bottle of Stimutant costs $49.99. Because each serving is just 1 capsule, this bottle lasts a month and a half. This is a pretty good deal for a muscle-building supplement.
The international version, however, may be more difficult to find. It looks like the product is sold out on IAmMutant.com, and none of the third-party retailers on the website sell Stimutant.
If you're interested in the international version of Stimutant, you may want to contact Fit Foods and ask about its availability.
Should You Try Mutant Stimutant?
If you're not sensitive to stimulants and can find a retailer for Mutant Stimutant, it might not be a bad choice. However, given the small size of the proprietary blend, I'm not sure this supplement delivers results as intense as those they describe. Keep that in mind when trying Mutant Stimutant.
[1] Yoshida, T., N. Sakane, T. Umekawa, and M. Kondo. 1994. Relationship between basal metabolic rate, thermogenic response to caffeine, and body weight loss following combined low calorie and exercise treatment in obese women. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders: Vol. 18, Issue 5.
[2]Fujioka, K., F. Greenway, J. Sheard, and Y. Ying. 2006. The effects of grapefruit on weight and insulin resistance: relationship to the metabolic syndrome. Journal of Medicinal Food: Vol. 9, Issue 1.
[3] Kuehne, Martin and Randy Muth. 1991. Total syntheses of yohimbe alkaloid, with stereoselection for the normal, allo, and 3-epiallo series, based on annelations of 4-methoxy-1,2-dihydropyridones. Journal of Organic Chemistry: Vol. 56, Issue 8.
[4] Vinson, Joe, Bryan Burnham, and Mysore Nagendra. 2012. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, linear dose, crossover study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a green coffee bean extract in overweight subjects. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, and Obesity: Targets and Therapy: Vol. 5, Issue 1.
[5] Matsui, N., R. Ito, E. Nishimura, M. Yoshikawa, M. Kato, M. Kamei, H. Shibata, I. Matsumoto, K. Abe, and S. Hashizume. 2005. Ingested cocoa can prevent high-fat diet-induced obesity by regulating the expression of genes for fatty acid metabolism. Nutrition: Vol. 21, Issue 5.