I Discovered The Secret Behind Some Apple Vision Pro Returns, and the Fix is Easy
One of the most innocent social media habits is quietly tanking spatial computing for some newbies
I, an avowed spatial computing veteran and fan of Apple products, have a confession: Wearing the Apple Vision Pro for the first couple of weeks after its release was painful. In the previous edition of the Hundred Year Lens, I detailed my decade-long experience with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), testing nearly every headset and smartglasses system available. Each had its benefits and challenges. Among the most impressive were the HoloLens 2 and the Magic Leap 1 and version 2. In particular, the marriage of AR and VR capabilities inherent in the Magic Leap 2 offered the promise of seamlessly switching between both immersive computing dynamics.
So when Apple finally released its rumored spatial computing device, which came with the added firepower of the mature Apple software ecosystem, I was excited. I wasn’t enthusiastic about the price, which matched the HoloLens 2, a device geared toward enterprise users at $3,500, but I was willing to give it a shot after waiting so long for the device to materialize.
I’d seen several demonstrations of the device’s capabilities before release, so I wasn’t expecting any major surprises and I was, mostly, right. If you’ve been rigorously testing the various VR and AR devices and systems available over the past ten years, you’ve probably experienced most of what Apple delivers with the Vision Pro. But, as usual, Apple added its own unique touch to these various spatial computing dynamics and made the experience far more cohesive, smooth, and user-friendly than any other VR/AR device I’ve ever used.
However, all the polish and slick immersiveness could not solve one nagging issue: the device felt heavy and tested my limits in terms of extended use. In my case, that’s a pretty significant accomplishment. I have used VR and AR devices weekly for personal use for many years, and spending four to five hours straight in VR using a device like the Oculus Rift or the Quest 2 has been a common occurrence in my home.
Similarly, while living with the Magic Leap 1 for a few years, it became normal to spend at least a couple of hours straight wearing the company’s uniquely crafted headset. I point these usage habits out to highlight the fact that, unlike most new Vision Pro users, I’m quite accustomed to being strapped into a spatial computing device for a good portion of the day. Historically, I “should” be the perfect Vision Pro user.
But something was off. After a couple of weeks of trying to ignore public complaints about the device’s weight and fit, I finally had to admit that my Vision Pro was heavy, uncomfortable, and a bit of a burden to wear for long periods—something I wasn’t used to experiencing with most high-end spatial computing devices. As I watched reports of people returning the Vision Pro units, I briefly wondered if I would need to join their ranks. If the Vision Pro couldn’t work for me, a veteran of spatial computing, it was likely doomed.
Fighting the "Return Apple Vision Pro” meme with logic and experience
It was then that I decided that $3,500, even if still within the refund window, was just too much to spend without first trying to see if there was a solution to my dilemma. I’ve been writing about and researching the Apple spatial computing device for years, I refused to let this story end with a whimper and a refund. So I trekked over to my local Apple Store and asked for a refitting. No appointment, I just walked in.
The staff was, as usual, incredibly nice and accommodating (whoever does the hiring and training at Apple Stores, keep up the good work, please). Within about 10 minutes I was seated at a table in a quiet part of the store where the Apple Store associate allowed me to re-scan my face using the Apple Store iPhone app and then try on the corresponding Light Seal attachment. But something went wrong. Instead of getting the 33W size I received when I first scanned my own face and pre-ordered it weeks ago, the new scan registered my face as needing a 21W-sized Light Seal. Confused, I asked to try the scan again. Same result. Well, okay, if that’s what the scan indicates, let’s try on the different-sized Light Seal.
I am not exaggerating when I say that I was overwhelmed with a sense of relief as the new 21W Light Seal not only felt more comfortable on my face but even made the device feel significantly lighter. Of course, the store was out of 21W Light Seal units, so I put in a hold request to swap my 33W unit out for a 21W as soon as they were available. It only took about a week and a half, but that was a long wait. In the meantime, the confusion surrounding the entire experience tickled my investigative muscle, so I decided to try to get to the root of the problem. Back at home, I scanned my face again: 33W! Now I was worried. How was this possible?
I’ve gone through elaborate spatial computing device headset fittings before. When North (later acquired by Google) debuted in 2018, the company devised an incredibly detailed sizing program at their brick-and-mortar stores to make sure your smart glasses were the correct size and fit. Similarly, when Magic Leap 1 was first released in 2018, the company required each buyer to allow an Enjoy sales representative (a now-defunct company founded by former Apple retail executive Ron Johnson) to visit their home or office to conduct an in-person sizing to ensure that the buyer was receiving the correct size.
These are challenges unique to spatial computing wearables, but hurdles I assumed Apple would traverse easily given its broad hardware, software, and wearable (Apple Watch) expertise. But with Vision Pro, something was off. Something was missing from the usual Apple polish and precision.
Your selfie habit is killing your Apple Vision Pro experience
While re-doing my home scan I changed my lighting environment from a warm living room glow to a stark bright white bathroom glare. Again: 33W. Then I decided to get a bit experimental. Instead of holding my iPhone in front of me as though I was taking a selfie, I moved it as close to my face as possible until I received the “too close” warning from the iPhone app. After the warning, I moved the iPhone just a bit farther away to avoid the warning and proceeded to turn my head in the four directions indicated for measurement. Surprise: 21W!
Through sheer trial and error, I discovered that the distance you hold the iPhone away from your face when scanning will actually change the measurement number you receive, and thus completely determine whether or not the Vision Pro feels like a claustrophobic face weight or a comfy and snug fitting next-generation computing device.
It turns out that the now natural motion of taking a selfie, that is, extending your arm in front of you and positioning your face in the photo frame, is exactly the wrong way to measure your face for the Apple Vision Pro. The problem is that the vast majority of smartphone users, when prompted to scan their face, will likely use this familiar selfie-taking approach, and as a result, receive an ill-fitting Light Seal that makes the Vision Pro hard to use for anything more than brief periods.
Nearly two weeks later, when I went to pick up my 21W Light Seal at one of the most high-traffic and best-known Apple Stores in New York, I asked the store associate if he had heard of this distance-from-face selfie glitch that resulted in incorrect sizing. He said it was the first he’d heard of such a thing. This can’t be, I thought. So I asked if I could speak with the most experienced Vision Pro sales associate in the store. A few minutes later, the more experienced Vision Pro sales associate confirmed that he had heard of no such glitch, but acknowledged that a noticeable portion of Vision Pro buyers seemed to need new Light Seal sizes.
Although it is a bit surprising that a company as large and as experienced as Apple either isn’t aware of this scanning glitch or has opted not to share it with the public via online support documentation, it is understandable that Apple’s foray into entirely new territory would have a least a couple of hiccups. Nevertheless, this underreported (never before reported?) face scanning issue has probably resulted in far too many returns from consumers and reviewers alike who didn’t have the time, patience, or experience to go the extra mile to find their correct Light Seal size.
For the cohort of buyers who have to wait until March to receive their Vision Pro, and for the international buyers preparing for the device’s wide release, knowing that the Light Seal sizing is the most important part of the process will be vital. Now, I “want” to wear and work in my Vision Pro, it doesn’t matter how long. I wrote and did research for this newsletter over many hours and a couple of weeks, all while wearing the Vision Pro. It doesn’t hurt, and it’s not heavy. It’s an amazing device that is now the only way I want to watch 3D films, and as this writing session at the nighttime lakeside of Oregon’s Mount Hood (virtually) proved, this may become the way I write from now on.
Once more for the lazy readers:
When scanning your face for the Apple Vision Pro, do NOT hold it at a selfie-taking distance. Instead, move the smartphone’s camera as close to your face as possible before getting the “too close” warning, and then take the scan at that distance. Disclaimer: This is my anecdotal solution that has not been rigorously tested in a lab. But given the widespread reports of discomfort, and Apple’s store staff being seemingly unaware of the scanning distance issue, the solution that ultimately worked for me—and saved me from opting out of the future of Apple computing—may also work for you.
Bonus Tips:
Battery won’t charge issue
The Apple Vision Pro is expensive and, in some ways, exotic for those unfamiliar with virtual reality and augmented reality wearables. So when something seemingly goes wrong, it’s normal to panic. But like most hardware and software issues, no matter how obscure, there’s almost always an answer, and I have one for a battery issue some Vision Pro users may encounter.
If the battery has depleted to somewhere around 10% or lower, you’ve already been given audible low-power warnings from the visionOS system. At that point, you’ve probably become accustomed to connecting the battery to the device’s USB-C charger and plugging it into an electrical outlet. Normally, that will result in a charging lightning bolt symbol appearing on the device’s battery indicator located in the visionOS Control Center. However, some users (myself included) have gone through this process and noticed that the battery isn’t charging.
I checked Apple’s official support documentation regarding batteries and couldn’t find a fix, but thanks to some experimentation, I discovered how to remedy this glitch. (Note: I am using the visionOS 1.1 beta, so your experience may vary if you’re not using the beta update.)
This is what worked for me: First, allow the Vision Pro to deplete its battery down to zero. Then, disconnect the battery cable from the Vision Pro. This part is important. Do not attempt to charge the battery while it is connected to the Vision Pro. For some reason, it will not charge when experiencing this battery issue. Give the disconnected battery about 30 minutes to charge. If you see a pulsing amber battery indicator, let it continue to charge. If you see a solid amber indicator, that means the battery is now successfully charging, and you can reconnect it to the Vision Pro and check the percentage charge, or continue your work or play on the device.
So far, this has only happened to me once.
Yes you CAN watch YouTube on the Vision Pro
Most Vision Pro users agree that, so far, the killer app on the device is the movie and television video-watching experience. This is not hype. I’ve always avoided 3D films, but after experiencing them on the Vision Pro, I wish every major film was shot in the 3D format.
If you’re not a film nerd, and prefer YouTube for all your video-watching needs, the fact that the streaming platform hasn’t released a YouTube app for Vision Pro may have seemed like a major downside in terms of adopting the device. Sure, you can view YouTube on the Vision Pro via the Safari web browser, but the experience is tricky and filled with accidental interface triggers that make the process a hassle.
Enter, Juno, an app developed by Christian Selig that makes watching YouTube on Vision Pro slick and easy. And unlike some Vision Pro apps that are a bit high-priced, Juno is affordably priced at just $4.99.
Use Siri! It’s better in Vision Pro
Apple’s digital assistant Siri has been around since 2011, but even some of the most die-hard Apple customers avoid using it. Among the issues that have plagued the digital assistant are latency (we need quick answers!), limited information that often just points you to the internet to search (which you could have done in the first place), and the need to either press a button or say “Hey, Siri” in the middle of multitasking. Personally, it hasn’t been a practical tool for me when I’m looking for an answer to a question or even an interface shortcut. That has changed with Siri on Vision Pro.
Many Vision Pro users have agreed that Siri seems a bit more responsive in the headset than when used on other Apple hardware. Also, because typing can be slow in Vision Pro, many users opt to use voice dictation for things like website addresses or taking quick notes. This verbal interface habit suddenly makes issuing verbal commands to Siri a lot more natural. You can now also just say “Siri, tell me [insert question]” instead of “Hey, Siri.” The three-dimensional Siri orb that appears when interacting with it offers an additional sense that you’re working with an entity of some sort rather than just speaking into the void.
The other reason to embrace Siri is that it may soon have even better answers thanks to artificial intelligence (AI). According to a report from 9to5 Mac, Apple may be about to imbue Siri with generative AI capabilities. The announcement is expected to happen at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which usually takes place in June.