Inside Meta Horizon Managed Services: A Simple Guide for Schools and Organisations

craig3033
Aug 25
4 min read

Meta Quest headsets ready for deployment. — One of our Work Window Headset Kits ready to go out to a school. All headsets are managed using Horizon Managed Services

Rolling out VR at scale can feel daunting. Whether it’s across classrooms, training centres, or multiple campuses, keeping headsets in line is a challenge. Meta Horizon Managed Services (HMS) takes away a lot of that pain. Here’s the plain-English guide to what it is, why it matters, and how we use it with our own customers.

What is Meta Horizon Managed Services?

Meta Horizon Managed Services (HMS) is Meta’s built-in device management system for Quest 2, Quest 3, and Quest 3S headsets. As of 2025, it’s the standard way to roll out Meta headsets in schools and organisations.

Overview of HMS: one dashboard controlling multiple headsets.

With HMS you can:

Provision headsets in bulk so setup isn’t one-by-one
Push apps and updates remotely
Lock down devices so people only see what they’re meant to
Apply settings and restrictions without touching each unit
Group devices by site or program for easier management

It’s built for schools, training providers, and workplaces where multiple people share the same fleet of headsets.

Why HMS Exists

Before HMS, you had two options:

Configure headsets by hand (slow, error-prone)
Use third-party tools like ArborXR or ManageXR (both excellent)

Manual setup compared with HMS remote management.

HMS is Meta’s native option. It keeps everything inside their ecosystem and is the path Meta now expects organisations to follow. Licences come through Horizon Managed Services, with education and workplace options depending on your context.

It’s not right for everyone. But if you’re using Meta headsets at scale, HMS is usually the first step, and often the only officially supported one.

Our Experience Using HMS

We’ve set up and managed hundreds of Meta Quest headsets for schools, universities, training providers and national roadshows, including one program targeting over 12,000 students.

VR kits prepared for schools and training providers. — VR kits prepared for schools, training providers, and other organisations.

What we like about HMS:

We can push apps to all headsets at once
Devices can be locked down so students stay on task
It’s straightforward enough for staff who aren’t IT experts
It’s quick for short-term or single-app programs

What HMS Can Do

Task	What it means	Why it helps
Provision devices	Enrol headsets in bulk and group them by site or program	Saves hours compared to one-by-one setup
Push apps remotely	Send APKs or manage visibility of experiences	Ensures every device runs the same version without manual installs
Kiosk Mode	Lock a headset to a single app	Keeps students and participants focused on the activity
Groups and controls	Apply settings to campuses, classes, or user groups	Allows flexible management without re-enrolling devices
Remote commands	Reboot, wipe, or reassign devices from the dashboard	Reduces IT time on-site and supports distributed programs

HMS vs Other Options

We’ve worked with ArborXR, ManageXR, and HMS. We like all three. They solve different problems.

Here’s how HMS stacks up:

Feature	HMS	ArborXR	ManageXR
Works only with Meta devices	✅	❌	❌
Free to use	✅	❌	❌
App pushing	✅	✅	✅
Mixed headset brand support	❌	✅	✅
Usage analytics	❌	✅	✅
Custom launcher	✅	✅	✅
Setup complexity	Low	Moderate	Moderate

When HMS fits best:

The fleet is all Meta Quest
There’s one main app or a fixed set of apps
Programs need a fast turnaround
Budgets don’t stretch to third-party subscriptions

How We Use HMS to Deliver Ready-to-Go Headsets

Preconfigured headset ready for classroom use. — The latest generation of Meta Quest devices. Quest 3S (Left) and Quest 3 (Right) Headsets

When we supply headsets, we can preload them with HMS so they arrive classroom ready. This ready to go model is designed for schools, employment consultants, universities, TAFEs, disability support providers, and training organisations.

We:

Enrol devices in HMS
Load the required experiences
Apply kiosk mode if needed
Ship in protective cases

When they arrive, you switch them on, and they’re good to go. This model works best for:

Schools without on-site IT staff
Training programs with a narrow content focus
Projects needing a simple, reliable setup

Is HMS Right for You?

HMS licensing comes in education and workplace flavours. Some licences are bundled with new Quest 3 or Quest Pro devices, while others are sold per device. Check what applies to your context before committing. HMS is a good fit if:

Your fleet is all Meta Quest
You’re budget-conscious or running short-term programs
You don’t need advanced analytics or mixed-device support
You have a partner to help with provisioning

For more complex needs, like analytics, or multi-brand fleets. ArborXR or ManageXR may be worth exploring.

Final Thoughts

HMS isn’t flashy. It’s not perfect. But it does the essentials really well. It reduces IT load, helps teachers and trainers focus on delivery, and gives students a smoother way into VR.

We use it. We trust it. And we’ll keep sharing what we learn as it evolves.