Just got AR glasses? Do these 5 things first

Congrats on the new glasses! Before you binge a whole season, take ten minutes for these five steps. They head off most of the problems people hit in their first week.

1. Check that your device can send video

AR glasses need a USB-C port that carries video. The tech name is DisplayPort Alt Mode. Plenty of USB-C ports only charge and sync, and no setting changes that.

A few popular devices that can't do it over USB-C:

iPhone Air, 16e and 17e. Apple leaves them off its external display list.
Nintendo Switch 2. It needs a dock in between.
Galaxy Z Flip7 FE and older Flips. Samsung says they can't run DeX over a cable.

The fastest way to know for sure is our compatibility checker. Pick your glasses and your device, and it tells you what works. For the details, we have a guide for each popular device:

2. Update the firmware

Glasses get fixes and new features through firmware updates, just like your phone. Do it on day one, before you decide anything is broken.

On XREAL's One series, check your version from the menu. Double-click the X button, then go to Others and Version. To update, connect the glasses to a Windows PC or a Mac and open xreal.com/ota in Chrome. XREAL says it takes about five minutes.

Other brands do it differently, so check the support page from whoever made your pair.

3. Get the fit right

A blurry edge or a picture you can't quite see all of is usually a fit problem, not a broken screen.

Know your IPD. That's the distance between your pupils, in millimeters. It's often printed on your eye prescription. Some glasses come in sizes based on it. The ROG XREAL R1, for example, has one size for 57 to 66 mm and another for 66 to 75 mm.
Try every nose pad. If your pair came with extra nose pads, test each one. The right height puts the screen right in front of your eyes, sharp from edge to edge.
Use the IPD setting. XREAL's One series has an IPD Adjustment in its Spatial Screen menu to line the picture up with your eyes.

4. Sort out your prescription

If you wear glasses, you've got three ways to see clearly.

Focus dials. Some VITURE glasses have them. The Luma reaches -6.00, the Pro 2 reaches -5.00, and the Luma Pro and Luma Ultra reach -4.00. Dials only fix nearsightedness, not astigmatism.
Prescription inserts. These are custom lenses that fit inside your glasses. We cover the VITURE Beast, XREAL One Pro and RayNeo Air 4 Pro.
Contacts. They work with any pair, no extra parts needed.

Not sure which suits your prescription? Here are the best AR glasses if you wear glasses.

5. Learn your screen modes

Not all glasses handle the screen the same way. Here's what the terms mean.

Fixed. Glasses with no head tracking, like the RayNeo Air 4 Pro, keep the screen locked in the middle of your view. Turn your head and it comes with you.
Follow. The screen moves smoothly with your head, so it's always in front of you. Great on the move.
Anchor. The screen stays put in space, like a TV on a wall. Turn your head and you can look away from it.

On XREAL's One series, click the X button to switch between Follow and Anchor. In Follow mode, long-press X to recenter the screen.

One more tip from XREAL: if you see blur or trails when you move your head, lower the brightness a notch or two.

Something not working?

Black screen? Start with our XREAL black screen fix. It also covers why Netflix might go dark.
Screen sliding away? Here's our XREAL screen drift fix.
Switch 2 shows nothing? That's normal. Here's the setup that works.

Still picking a pair?

RayNeo Air 4 Pro vs XREAL 1S: budget pick or the step up?
VITURE Luma vs Luma Pro: is the Pro worth $100 more?
Best AR glasses for flights: our picks for a long trip
AR glasses deals: regular prices, so you can spot a real sale

Already have yours? Here's what's worth adding to the VITURE Beast and the XREAL One Pro.

Healthy habits

Take breaks. XREAL recommends a 10-minute break for every 45 to 60 minutes of use.
Stay aware. XREAL says to skip the glasses anywhere you need to keep an eye on your surroundings. Walking down a busy street is a no.