Testing VR apps is not just about running the app and looking for bugs. There are common mistakes that can severely impact the final user experience. Avoiding them can save time, reduce costs, and prevent user frustration. Below, we break down the top 5 most frequent mistakes made during VR app testing, and how to avoid them for a smoother development and launch experience.

1. Developers Testing Their Own Build

One of the most common mistakes in VR app development is having the same developers test the builds they created. When you’re too close to the product, it becomes incredibly easy to miss bugs, usability issues, and performance glitches.

 Why?

• Familiarity bias
  •  Developers know how it’s “supposed” to work, so they may unconsciously avoid exploring edge cases or broken paths.
• Skipped steps
  • Developers might skip thorough walkthroughs because they “already know” how to use the features.
• Blind spots:
  • Repeated exposure dulls the eye to visual or functional issues.

Solution: 

Engage a dedicated QA team that brings a fresh perspective and a methodical approach. Outsourcing to professional VR QA testers ensures that your app is reviewed from a user-centric lens and technical depth.

2. Ignoring Real User Behavior

Many VR apps are tested along the “happy path” — the ideal scenario where users follow every instruction perfectly. But real users don’t behave that way.

Common user behaviors that often go untested:

• Skipping onboarding instructions
• Walking away from interaction zones
• Holding controllers incorrectly
• Using the app while seated, standing, or in small spaces

Why it matters:

•  Ignoring these use cases can lead to bugs and user frustration in the real world. For example, an interaction that works when standing might be unusable when seated.

Solution:

•  Conduct exploratory testing with diverse user scenarios.  Include edge cases like low lighting, controller battery drops, and users with limited mobility.

3. No Clear Understanding of App Functionality

Even experienced QA testers can fall short if they don’t fully understand the application’s goals, features, and user flow.

Common issues:

• Misreporting features as bugs (or vice versa)
• Missing mission-critical functions
• Incomplete coverage during regression cycles

 Solution:

• Before testing starts, ensure testers are fully onboarded with clear documentation, user journey maps, and functional specs. A walkthrough with the product owner can dramatically improve QA accuracy. 

• Also, align on the key metrics of success: Is comfort more important than graphical fidelity? Is responsiveness prioritized over detail? Knowing these trade-offs improves QA focus.

4. Poor Testing Environment

VR relies heavily on hardware, sensors, and environment tracking. A flawed testing environment can :

• Cause false positives (tracking errors labeled as bugs)
• Miss spatial design issues
• Provide inaccurate performance results

Common setup issues:

• Reflective floors or walls
• Uneven lighting
• Small play areas
• Noisy background (which can interfere with voice commands or tracking)

Solution:

• Standardize your test environments. Use physical spaces that mimic real user conditions (home, hospital, office). Also test in sub-optimal conditions to simulate real-world variability.

5. Lack of a Testing Plan

Ad-hoc testing often leads to inconsistent results, missed bugs, and unrepeatable test cases. Without a formal test plan, teams can’t:

• Track regressions
• Measure progress
• Validate new builds effectively

Key components of a good VR test plan include:

• Device compatibility matrix
• Functional, exploratory, and performance test cases
• Real-device and cloud-based testing schedules
• Logs and video capture protocols

Solution:

• Create and maintain a structured test plan that covers all major flows, edge cases, performance benchmarks, and interaction scenarios. Ensure it’s updated alongside development milestones.

Bonus: Additional Testing Mistakes to Watch Out For

While the top 5 are crucial, here are a few more subtle mistakes teams often make:

• Not testing across multiple VR headsets (Quest, Pico, HTC Vive, etc.)
• Ignoring user comfort & ergonomics (weight balance, UI placement)
• Skipping accessibility checks (visual/auditory impairments)
• Lack of cross-functional feedback loop (QA, UX, Dev, Product)

Why It Matters

Avoiding these mistakes leads to:

• Smoother user experiences
• Higher retention rates
• Faster approvals on app stores
• Better reviews & reputation
• Fewer post-launch hotfixes

At MixedRealityTech, we’ve tested over 22,000 hours of VR/XR content across gaming, healthcare, and enterprise sectors. From multiplayer apps like Pickleball One (4.4★ on Meta Store) to enterprise simulations for Boston Scientific, our QA team helps clients avoid these pitfalls and launch with confidence.

Want to see how we test?  Try our 2-week free trial and receive real-device test reports with video evidence, bug logs, and comfort insights