VR: The exit button

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It is widely accepted in the VR community and among ethicists that users should be able to exit a virtual reality experience easily and immediately if they become frightened or uncomfortable. While a user can physically remove their headset, relying solely on this action as the primary safety mechanism is considered inadequate for ethical design.

Here’s why, from an ethical and design perspective:


Physiological Response

When a person is genuinely frightened or panicking, their fine motor skills and ability to think rationally are often impaired. Fumbling to find a headset strap release or power button can be difficult in a state of distress.


  • Accessibility and Immediate Action

  • An easily accessible, intuitive, and consistent "exit button" (often a specific controller button press, like holding down the menu button) provides a quick, reliable way to instantly stop the frightening stimuli. This is a fundamental accessibility and safety feature, much like an emergency stop button on machinery. 

  • Ethical Obligation of Developers

  • VR developers have an ethical obligation to prioritise user safety and well-being. This includes designing experiences with clear safety mechanisms and warnings, especially for intense, scary and highly traumatic content. 
  • Most modern VR systems and well-designed VR experiences include software-based "exit" mechanisms to return to a safe home environment precisely because relying on the physical act of removing the headset is not a reliable or immediate solution in a moment of panic.
In the next post, we are introduced to the research project, written by Sarra Shepherd, situated in the triangulation between Human Computer Interaction (HCI), Mental Health and Wellbeing and Women's studies. The methodology is mixed methods that deploys action research methods, ethnography and autoethnography. The proposal draws on previous posts outlined in this journal, and is entitled: 

Shepherd's Shield: Beyond the exit button (2026)


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