HoloLens 2 headsets bricked by troubled Insider build, according to reports

The Insider life is a risky one.

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What you need to know

What you need to know

If you have aHoloLens 2 headsetrunning on Insider build 20346.1466, you may be on a crash course with trouble. As called out byHoloLens owners on Redditand verified by someone claiming to be a Microsoft employee as well as official Microsoft documentation, it seems Redmond released a potentially dangerous Insider build to owners of the ultra-expensive AR headset (viaThe Register).

In short, the build may brick HoloLens. You can read more about the intricacies of the issue over onMicrosoft’s documentdiscussing the build. Here are the official steps provided to check if you’re affected:

If you are stuck with a bricked HoloLens 2 as a result of the above information, you’ll need toreflash the device. Microsoft has an Advanced Recovery Companion (ARC) app for this sort of situation.

Remember thatInsider buildsdo carry more risk than retail builds, and this scenario is just one example of that. Also remember that Microsoft is building a variant of HoloLens for the U.S. Army, though that dealhas seen a delay.

If you have a HoloLens 2 and need to reflash your device, this app can come in handy.

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Robert Carnevale is the News Editor for Windows Central. He’s a big fan of Kinect (it lives on in his heart), Sonic the Hedgehog, and the legendary intersection of those two titans, Sonic Free Riders. He is the author ofCold War 2395. Have a useful tip? Send it to robert.carnevale@futurenet.com.