One rule decides everything: the panels show whenever SteamVR is the program putting your sim's picture into the headset. SteamVR adds the panels on top of that picture. When something else does that job instead, such as Meta's own software, Virtual Desktop's own runtime or Pimax's, SteamVR is not involved and the panels do not appear. So what matters most is not which headset you own, but which of these your sim runs through.
How to read this page
Every row carries one of three statuses. Nothing is marked as working unless it has been seen working in a headset.
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Verified by us | Tested on our own hardware, inside the headset, on the date shown. |
| Should work, untested | Goes through SteamVR, so it follows the same rule as the verified setup, but nobody has confirmed it yet. If you try it, tell us how it went. |
| Does not work | Not supported today. The reason is given in the row. |
Headsets
Some headsets only ever run through SteamVR. Others can run through SteamVR or through their maker's own software, and for those the status depends on which one your sim is using.
| Headset | Running through | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlayStation VR2 | SteamVR, with Sony's PC adapter | Verified by us | 14 September 2026. Panels showed in SteamVR Home with no sim running, and inside iRacing in OpenXR mode with SteamVR as the OpenXR runtime. PSVR2 only runs through SteamVR on PC, so there is no other setup to get wrong. |
| Valve Index | SteamVR | Should work, untested | SteamVR is this headset's own software. |
| HTC Vive, Vive Pro, Vive Pro 2 | SteamVR | Should work, untested | SteamVR is these headsets' own software. |
| Bigscreen Beyond | SteamVR | Should work, untested | SteamVR is this headset's own software. |
| Meta Quest 2, 3, 3S, Pro | Steam Link, or Virtual Desktop set to SteamVR, or Quest Link / Air Link with SteamVR as the OpenXR runtime | Should work, untested | In all three, SteamVR is putting the picture into the headset. |
| Meta Quest 2, 3, 3S, Pro | Quest Link / Air Link with Meta's own runtime, or Virtual Desktop set to VDXR | Does not work | Meta's software or Virtual Desktop draws the picture itself and SteamVR never sees it. These are the defaults for many Quest owners. See switching to SteamVR. |
| Pimax | SteamVR as the OpenXR runtime | Should work, untested | SteamVR is putting the picture into the headset. |
| Pimax | Pimax OpenXR | Does not work | Pimax's own runtime draws the picture and SteamVR is never opened. |
| Varjo | Varjo's own OpenXR runtime | Does not work | Same reason: SteamVR is not involved. |
| Any other headset | SteamVR | Should work, untested | If SteamVR is putting the picture into the headset, the panels should show. Tell us if it does. |
Sim VR modes
Most sims can start in VR more than one way. The mode is chosen in the sim's own settings or launcher, and it matters as much as the headset.
| Mode | Status | Why |
|---|---|---|
| OpenXR, with SteamVR as the OpenXR runtime | Verified by us | iRacing on PSVR2, 14 September 2026. SteamVR is the runtime, so it adds the panels. |
| SteamVR (OpenVR) | Should work, untested | SteamVR runs the whole picture in this mode. Panels were verified in SteamVR Home with no sim running, but not yet inside a sim started in this mode. |
| OpenXR, with another runtime active | Does not work | Meta, Virtual Desktop VDXR, Pimax and Varjo runtimes draw the picture themselves. The only way to add panels there is code loaded into the sim itself, and Track Impulse does not put anything inside your sim. |
| Oculus | Does not work | The sim talks to Meta's software directly and SteamVR is not involved. No program outside the sim can add panels to that picture. Switch the sim to OpenXR or SteamVR mode. |
Sims
The panels are added by SteamVR, not by the sim, so the sim itself matters less than its VR mode. Only one sim has been tested in the headset so far.
| Sim | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| iRacing | Verified by us | OpenXR mode with SteamVR as the OpenXR runtime, on PSVR2, 14 September 2026. OpenVR mode is not tested yet. Oculus mode does not work. |
| Every other sim the overlays support | Should work, untested | Any sim whose VR picture goes through SteamVR should show the panels. None has been tested in the headset yet. |
Switching your sim to SteamVR
If your setup sits in a "Does not work" row, running the sim through SteamVR usually moves it to a "Should work" row.
- Open SteamVR. It is under Tools in your Steam library.
- Make SteamVR the OpenXR runtime. In SteamVR, open Settings, click OpenXR in the left column, then "Set SteamVR as OpenXR Runtime". The page confirms the current runtime at the top.
- Pick OpenXR or SteamVR mode in the sim. Not Oculus mode. Where the choice lives depends on the sim: its VR settings or its launcher.
- Check it in Track Impulse. With the sim running in VR, the VR page of App Settings shows SteamVR as Connected, how many panels are in the headset, and the sim's VR mode.
Reported by drivers
No reports yet. If you try a headset, connection or sim that is not marked "Verified by us", we want to hear how it went, whether the panels showed or not. A result that did not work is just as useful.
Tell us the headset, how it was connected, the sim and its VR mode, and what you saw. Send it through the feedback page or on Discord. Results go on this page, and you can say whether you want your name next to it.
Performance
Like any overlay in a headset, whichever app draws it, each panel uses a little graphics card time. Track Impulse only does that work when a panel's picture changes, not on every frame. We have not published a measured frame cost yet, so this page does not quote a number. If you notice a dip, show fewer panels in VR.
Ready to set it up?
The Overlays Manual covers turning VR on, choosing which panels show, and arranging them with the sim running so you can see each change in the headset.