Get Started

• Windows 10 version 2004 or later (Windows 11 recommended)
• A tracked 3D display supported by DisplayXR — currently Leia SR displays (Lume Pad, Leia 3D laptops). See the compatibility matrix for the full list.
• Admin rights to run the installers (each registers under HKLM\Software\DisplayXR)

No 3D display? You can still install everything — the runtime ships a simulated display driver (sim_display) for development on a regular monitor with WASD + mouse eye-position control.

The runtime is the OpenXR layer every DisplayXR app talks to. It includes the native compositors (D3D11, D3D12, Vulkan, OpenGL) and the Windows service.

1. Download DisplayXRSetup-*.exe from the runtime releases page.
2. Run the installer and accept the defaults.
3. On first install, the DisplayXR Service is registered and started, and HKLM\Software\Khronos\OpenXR\1\ActiveRuntime is set to the DisplayXR runtime JSON.

After this step, any OpenXR app on the system will route through DisplayXR. If you only want OpenXR for your own 3D-display app, you can stop here.

The shell is the reference spatial workspace UX — a 3D window manager that runs multiple OpenXR apps and captured 2D apps in a single head-tracked workspace. Optional; install it if you want a spatial-desktop experience.

1. Download DisplayXRShellSetup-*.exe from the shell releases page.
2. Run the installer. It reads HKLM\Software\DisplayXR\Runtime\InstallPath and will refuse to install if the runtime is missing — finish step 2 first.
3. The shell installs into the runtime's tree and registers itself at HKLM\Software\DisplayXR\WorkspaceControllers\shell so the runtime's service orchestrator can discover it.

OEMs and vertical integrators can ship their own workspace controllers using the same XR_EXT_spatial_workspace contract; the shell is just the reference implementation.

Enables AI-agent and voice control of your spatial workspace. Optional; install it if you want Claude, ChatGPT, or other MCP clients to introspect and drive your spatial workspace.

1. Download DisplayXRMCPSetup-*.exe from the MCP releases page.
2. Run the installer. It writes HKLM\Software\DisplayXR\Capabilities\MCP\Enabled = 1.
3. On next launch, the runtime and shell each spawn an MCP server thread. Phase A (per-app introspection) is exposed by the runtime; Phase B (workspace control) by the shell.

Per-process opt-out: set DISPLAYXR_MCP=0 before launching an app.

• Service running: open services.msc and confirm DisplayXR Service shows as Running.
• Active OpenXR runtime: from a command prompt, reg query HKLM\Software\Khronos\OpenXR\1 /v ActiveRuntime should return the DisplayXR JSON path.
• Shell installed (if step 3): reg query HKLM\Software\DisplayXR\WorkspaceControllers\shell returns its install path. DisplayXR Shell appears in the Start menu.
• MCP installed (if step 4): reg query HKLM\Software\DisplayXR\Capabilities\MCP /v Enabled returns 0x1.

Launch DisplayXR Shell from the Start menu (or Ctrl+Space from the tray icon). The shell auto-starts the service if it isn't running, then activates the spatial workspace on your tracked 3D display.

Try the basics:

• Open a few apps — they auto-adopt as 3D-positioned windows
• Ctrl+1…Ctrl+8 — cycle layout presets (side-by-side, theater, carousel, helix, …)
• TAB — cycle focus; V — toggle 2D/3D display mode
• Ctrl+Shift+C — capture a stereo screenshot
• ESC — dismiss the shell and restore your normal desktop

Full keyboard reference and feature catalog: shell README.