HomeHTC ViveHTC Vive: Adjusting the interpupillary distance between lenses.

HTC Vive: Adjusting the interpupillary distance between lenses.

How to adjust interpupillary distance or IPD in HTC Vive headset using steamvr, special adjustment knob and regular ruler.


For virtual reality to be comfortable and immersive, the motion tracking beacons and the headset itself must be calibrated with maximum accuracy. If these aspects are not tuned properly, the overall experience may suffer.

If you’re an HTC Vive owner, you’ve most likely noticed the small handle located in the lower right corner of the headset. Barely mentioned in HTC’s manual, this adjustment is often left untouched by most headset users.

What is the knob-style controller on the HTC Vive for?

This adjustment, called Interpupillary Distance or IPD, changes the distance between two HTC Vive lenses. The optimal position of headset lenses varies greatly from person to person, and if not properly adjusted, may result in inaccurate images.

This is due to the two separate screens that render different images to create a sense of three-dimensionality of the picture. If the distance between the lenses differs from your interpupillary distance, the resulting image will be somewhat distorted. This can lead not only to image deterioration, but also to a feeling of disorientation and nausea.

How to properly adjust lens spacing on HTC Vive?

Ensuring that your HTC Vive has the correct IPD is an important part of the setup process. And although only an ophthalmologist can tell you the exact value of your interpupillary distance, a rough estimate of this parameter can also be found at home using a regular ruler.

Hold the ruler against your forehead while standing in front of a mirror or with the help of a friend and measure the distance between the center of your pupils. The method is artisanal, but quite working. After estimating the approximate distance, apply it to HTC Vive using the following steps:

  • Open SteamVR
  • Turn the IPD knob located in the lower right corner of the headset.
  • An IPD screen popup will appear in SteamVR, displaying the value in millimeters. Adjust it to match the previously measured value.

After that, the distance between the HTC Vive lenses will be adjusted according to your individual value! Be sure to write down your IPD so you can quickly adjust lens spacing later.

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1 COMMENT
  1. The data from all three sensors is combined through a process called sensor fusion to enable fast and accurate tracking of your head orientation and synchronization with what you are viewing.

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