Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. How tos

How to charge Meta Quest 3 controllers

Add as a preferred source on Google
A hand holding a controller for the Meta Quest 3.
Fionna Agomuoh / Digital Trends
A hand holding a controller for the Meta Quest 3.
Fionna Agomuoh / Digital Trends

VR has come a long way, and the Meta Quest 3 continues to move the needle in the right direction for the platform. But while using the Meta Quest 3 is a wireless affair, you’ll still need wires to keep the headset charged up.

As such, you may be wondering why you don’t have an option to plug in your controllers. Here’s what you need to know about keeping your Meta Quest 3 controllers powered up.

Recommended Videos

How to charge Meta Quest 3 controllers

Meta Quest 3 Charging Dock
Meta / Meta

The Meta Quest 3 controllers come out of the box using AA batteries for power, which means that you won’t be able to charge them in their original state. If they run out of power, you’ll simply need to swap out the old AA batteries for some new ones to continue playing games. Of course, you can opt for rechargeable batteries, which is the most sustainable and affordable method.

But if you’re absolutely positive you’d like to charge your Meta Quest 3 controllers rather than swap out AA batteries, you can invest in a charging station from Meta. This Buy at GameStop, Inc. provides a tidy place to dock the headset itself, as well as the controllers.

The charging dock doesn’t get you around batteries themselves, of course — it simply provides a way to swap the original AA batteries with the rechargeable batteries included with the Charging Dock. These batteries are “genuine Meta batteries” that the company claims will last “hundreds of charging cycles” and even allow you to view the battery level of the controller.

If you don’t want to shell out the $130 required to purchase the official Meta Quest 3 Charging Dock, you can .

So, while there’s no way to directly charge the controllers, there are a few different options for keeping your Quest 3 controllers powered up when you need them.

Billy Givens
Billy Givens is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience writing gaming, film, and tech content. He started as a…
Apple’s M6 chip isn’t even here yet, but you’ll see M7 Macs early in 2027
Apple is reportedly already accelerating its next-generation silicon roadmap, even before the M6 has launched.
Apple MacBook

The M6 chip is still expected to debut later this year, but Apple may already be preparing for what comes next. According to Mark Gurman's latest report for Bloomberg, the company is aiming to introduce its first M7-powered devices as early as the first half of 2027, hinting at a much faster silicon refresh than many expected.

M7 could arrive alongside new Macs and iPads

Read more
The entry-level MacBook Pro could get a design refresh in 2027, and it’s about time
Five years on the same chassis, and now both tiers of the MacBook Pro are getting a new look at once.
MacBook Pro in space grey sitting on a desk.

Apple has a new MacBook Pro lined up for launch early next year, according to Bloomberg. The company will introduce a 14-inch laptop in the first half of 2027. 

The biggest surprise, however, will be a brand-new design language. The outlet describes it as "a revamped entry-level MacBook Pro, code-named K104."

Read more
Study finds humans will talk to AI ghosts of the dead as reincarnations, and it’s pretty grim
The first AI ghost study is in. The results are about as complicated as you'd expect.
VR Headset, Person, Face

A new study from the University of Colorado Boulder confirms something that sounds both impressive and concerning. People find interacting with AI simulations of their dead loved ones deeply meaningful, and most will come away wanting to do it again.

The researchers call it a "generative ghost," which is a clear reference to generative AI, but I’d still prefer to call it unsettling.

Read more