SteamVR is a platform for virtual reality programs/games on Steam. The platform is created by Valve, and is used to play virtual reality software. A compatible device is required in order to achieve this, such as the Oculus Rift or the Vive.

However, there may be times where an error occurs when using SteamVR. There are a few different errors that can show up, but a common one is the SteamVR 306 error code.

This error usually means that SteamVR encountered a problem when trying to start up. Here’s what to do if you have this Steam VR error on your device.

SteamVR 306 error – Four troubleshooting steps to follow

The truth is that there are a variety of different errors you can get when using Steam. However, if you’re using SteamVR, then the 306 error is definitely one of the most common.

There are various reasons that could be causing the error to occur, and various different fixes – this includes toggling the Beta option on, making sure that Natural Locomotion software is uninstalled, and ensuring that your graphics drivers are fully updated.

We’ll also go through ways in which you can solve the SteamVR 306 error in a little more detail, and go back to experiencing virtual reality content.

Fix #1 – SteamVR Beta

One possible cause for the 306 error is the SteamVR updates. In order to fix this issue, you can alter the properties settings for SteamVR.

Through these settings, you can choose to use SteamVR Beta. This can let you bypass any problems you may be having with the SteamVR updates.

Firstly, open up the Steam application and go to your library. You can access this by clicking the library tab.

Next, find SteamVR in your library. You can search for the program by typing ‘steam’ in the search bar.

Once you’ve found SteamVR, right-click it to open a set of options. Click ‘properties’ to open the properties settings for SteamVR.

In the properties settings, click on the Steam beta tab. Then, click the arrow under the ‘select the beta you would like to opt into’ section.

There should be a series of options to choose from. Select the ‘SteamVR Beta Update’ option, and wait until the update is complete.

Now, try launching SteamVR to see if the error still occurs. If you’re still getting the SteamVR error code when loading the client, run through the following methods to fix the issue.

Fix #2 – Natural Locomotion

Another possible reason for the 306 error is Natural Locomotion, which is a program that mimics the thumbstick input in controllers. It usually contains a driver that allows players to use it in SteamVR.

There are instances where this driver in Natural Locomotion is incompatible with SteamVR, which can cause errors to occur when launching SteamVR. To remedy this problem, you can uninstall Natural Locomotion.

Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. This will take you to a list of all the programs you currently have installed.

You can access the Control Panel by searching for it in the Start Menu.

Find Natural Locomotion and right click on it. Click ‘uninstall’ to uninstall the program. You can quickly locate Natural Locomotion by searching for it in the search bar.

Next, open File Explorer and open the Steam folder. You should be able to find it in This PC > Windows (C:) > Program Files (x86) > Steam.

Find the config folder and open it. Locate the folder for Locomotion and delete it.

Finally, try starting up SteamVR to see if the error is gone. If it does, then we know that the Natural Locomotion software has caused the problem.

Fix #3 – HDMI Cable

The cause for the 306 error could be due to the HDMI cable you’re using. In order to ensure that VR is working, you should use a primary port to connect your HDMI cable.

It’s best to connect the two directly as opposed to using any secondary devices as a go-between.

This ensures that the connection is secure. A faulty connection could cause the 306 error to occur when launching SteamVR.

Make sure that your device is connected to the primary HDMI port when you launch SteamVR. An old HDMI cable could also be an issue, so make sure that you’ve got a newer 1.4 HDMI cable too.

After reconnecting the HDMI cable, try relaunching SteamVR to see if the 306 error still occurs.

Fix #4 – Update Graphics Drivers

The 306 error could be occurring due to the graphics driver being outdated, which makes the driver incompatible with SteamVR. It could also be incorrectly installed GPU drivers, though this is a lot less likely.

The good news is that with outdated drivers, you can easily solve this issue by updating your graphics driver, or reinstalling the graphics driver if an update is not available.

In order to update your graphics driver, you need to first know what graphics driver you have. You can find out by going to the task manager. You can access the task manager by searching for it in the Start Menu.

Alternatively, you can press Windows-Key + ‘x’ and click ‘Task manager’.

In the task manager, click ‘more details’. This should open a larger window with more options. Click the ‘performance’ tab’, and click ‘GPU 0’.

This will show you what graphics card you’re using. The name of the graphics card should be in the top right.

Finally, go to the website for your graphics card and download the newest available update for it. If there’s no update available, try reinstalling the graphics driver instead.

Afterwards, try starting up SteamVR to see if the error is gone.

Keeping your software updated is a common solution to many computer problems – it’s one of the reasons why Steam is always updating on your device.

Customer Support

If you find that none of the solutions mentioned in this article helped in solving the 306 error, try seeking help with SteamVR’s customer support.

Go to https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/.

You can navigate the different sections in search for solutions. If it’s an issue with the game, then you cal also consider removing it from your Steam library, though this likely won’t help if the issue is specifically with SteamVR.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are several reasons for why the SteamVR 306 error could be occurring, such as outdated drivers or faulty connections.

These can cause SteamVR to fail in launching successfully. Fortunately, most of these issues can be remedied fairly easily, which will allow you to get playing your favourite games.

See Also: Why Steam Takes Forever to Open

You can update outdated software, reinsert cables, uninstall incompatible programs, or even alter SteamVR’s settings. If none of these solutions work in fixing the SteamVR error code, try contacting customer support.