VR Setup Overview

This page gives a clear overview of how RaceLab works with VR headsets and desktop displays (single screen, ultrawide, triples). It is the starting point for setting up your VR overlays and making sure overlays behave properly on your monitors.

Important: VR support (RaceLabVR) is a Pro feature and requires a separate installation. All information here is based on the official RaceLab VR and display documentation. Always check the RaceLab Garage “Virtual Reality” and sim-specific guides for the latest details.

1. Desktop displays – general rules

For almost every supported sim, RaceLab overlays need the game to run as a normal desktop window. That usually means:

  • Use Windowed or Borderless Windowed mode.
  • Avoid true “exclusive fullscreen” modes that block external overlays.
  • Restart the sim after changing display mode so the new setting sticks.
Simulator Recommended display mode for overlays
iRacing Borderless windowed – in iRacing this is Fullscreen = Off, Border = Off.
ACC Disable fullscreen, use borderless / windowed mode for overlays to appear.
AMS2 Window Mode = Borderless in Graphics & Performance.
F1 series Display Mode = Windowed (Fullscreen) in Video/Graphics settings.
LMU Window Mode = Borderless with VSync configured per the official guide.
rFactor 2 Window Mode = Borderless in the graphics settings.

2. Triple screens & ultrawide displays

Triple screens and ultrawide setups work well with RaceLab, but they make overlay placement a bit more sensitive. A few golden rules:

  • Configure your triples first, overlays second. Always get FOV, bezel and alignment correct in the sim before turning on RaceLab overlays or layouts.
  • Make the centre display your primary monitor in Windows. Overlays generally anchor relative to the primary display.
  • Keep your desktop and in-game resolution consistent (for example 7680×1440 for 3×2560×1440).
  • Avoid changing resolution or switching between fullscreen/windowed while the sim is running with overlays active – restart after major changes.

If overlays appear on the wrong screen or are partially off-screen, see the Troubleshooting Overlay Issues page on this site for a dedicated checklist.

3. RaceLabVR – what it is and who it’s for

RaceLabVR is an additional component that brings RaceLab overlays into your VR headset. It supports popular VR platforms via OpenXR, OpenVR / SteamVR, and related APIs, with head-locked and world-locked overlay options.

  • RaceLabVR is currently a Pro-only feature and requires a separate installer.
  • You install RaceLabVR alongside the main RaceLab app, then manage VR overlays from within the app.
  • There are separate Garage docs for VR Installation, Usage, Advanced Settings, Compatibility and Known Issues.

4. Basic RaceLabVR usage flow

  1. Install RaceLabVR.
    Follow the official VR Installation guide, including any notes on supported GPUs and VR APIs.
  2. Start your sim in VR mode.
    Launch your sim as normal in VR (OpenXR, SteamVR, etc.) and join a session.
  3. Toggle VR overlays on.
    Use the Toggle VR keybinding or the VR button in the RaceLab footer to start RaceLabVR. A welcome/indicator overlay should appear in your headset if everything is working.
  4. Add and position overlays.
    In the VR Settings page, add overlays to your VR overlay set. In-headset, use the documented key bindings to enter edit mode, move, rotate and resize overlays until they sit comfortably in your field of view.
  5. Re-center before fine tuning.
    Always re-center your VR view before doing careful overlay placement; this avoids “drifting” positions that feel wrong later.

5. VR performance & clarity tips

  • Resolution Scale: The VR settings include a resolution scale for overlays. Higher values can make text sharper but increase VRAM usage significantly. On most headsets, leaving this at the default value is recommended.
  • API choice: Where possible, using modern OpenXR paths tends to give more predictable overlay behaviour than older OpenVR setups.
  • OpenVR “floatiness”: Some floaty world-locked behaviour in OpenVR/SteamVR is caused by how the underlying API mixes head-locked and world-locked layers, not by RaceLab itself.
  • Re-use keybinds: Using the same button for in-game recenter and RaceLabVR recenter can make it easier to keep overlays pinned where you expect them to be.

6. When to use desktop overlays vs VR overlays

Some users prefer to keep overlays on a monitor even when racing in VR (for example on a “spotter screen”), while others want fully in-headset overlays only. As a very rough guide:

  • Use desktop overlays if you mainly stream or have a second monitor for timing and don’t need data directly in the headset.
  • Use RaceLabVR overlays if you want live timing, relative, fuel or other tools visible inside the headset without looking away from the track.

The exact choice is personal. This site will gradually add more VR-specific tips and layouts based on real Discord questions and bug reports, always aiming to present RaceLab in a fair and positive way while helping users solve practical issues.