Vuzix Z100 Apps: What Works in 2026 and What to Buy Instead

Vuzix Z100 apps come in three kinds: Vuzix Connect, the free companion app that mirrors notifications and shows directions; the Mentra app (formerly AugmentOS), which adds live captions, translation, a teleprompter and more; and ordinary phone apps built with Vuzix's free Ultralite SDK. All of them run on your phone and send text to the green display in the right lens.

One thing changed this fall, and it matters if you're about to buy. On its earnings call on November 12, 2026, Vuzix said the Z100 was moved "from a standard product to an OEM platform device," supplied "only to committed customers with volume orders" (call transcript). In plain words: as of November 2026 you can't order a new Z100 from Vuzix as a consumer. If you already own a pair, the apps still work, and this guide shows you how. If you don't, skip to the section on what to buy instead.

Is the Vuzix Z100 still sold?

No, not as a retail product. Vuzix's CFO said on the November 12, 2026 call that there were no revenues from the "Blade 2, Shield and Z100 products, which were discontinued at the end of 2025," and the CEO explained that the Z100 now goes only to business customers with volume orders. Since the summer of 2026, Vuzix's own online store hasn't listed the Z100.

What that means for owners:

Support and software stay up for now. Vuzix Connect for Android was updated on September 29, 2026, and the Ultralite SDK is still published on Vuzix's GitHub.

No new features are likely. The SDK hasn't had a new release since version 1.9 in March 2025.

Used and leftover stock exists, but check the return policy. The Z100 launched at $499.99 in November 2024 (Vuzix press release); we couldn't confirm a current new-in-box price at any US retailer.

What Vuzix Z100 apps are there?

There are three ways to put something on the Z100 display. Only one app controls the display at a time, so the app you start last takes over the lens.

Vuzix Connect: the official app

Vuzix Connect pairs the glasses and shows "notifications and navigation instructions from your mobile device," in Vuzix's words on Google Play. On iPhone, version 1.10.1 added Vuzix Maps, with step-by-step directions in your line of sight; it's an in-app purchase at $0.99 a month (App Store, as of November 2026). The iOS app needs iOS 15.6 or later.

On Android, third-party apps reach the glasses through Vuzix Connect, so keep it installed.

The Mentra app (formerly AugmentOS)

Vuzix and Mentra announced AugmentOS together in February 2025 with the Z100 as a launch device, and the app, now called MentraOS, still lists the Z100 as supported. Version 3.3 on the App Store (updated October 31, 2026) includes these mini apps:

Live Captions: subtitles of the conversation around you.

Live Translation: speech in another language, shown in yours.

Teleprompter: your notes or script in the lens.

Notes: a note taker that listens and saves key points.

MemCards: flashcards on the display.

Calendar Reminders and Dash (running and cycling stats).

Streamer and Mentra Call need Mentra's camera glasses and do nothing on a Z100. MentraOS 3.0 moved apps from the cloud to the phone in 2026, so the third-party mini app list keeps changing.

Third-party apps built with the Ultralite SDK

Any developer can build a Z100 app. The Ultralite SDK is free for Android and iOS, needs no registration and no fee, and apps ship through Google Play and the App Store like normal phone apps, with no review by Vuzix. The best known example is TranscribeGlass, a captioning service for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, which has placed several orders for Z100 units for its product.

There's no central Z100 app store: search Google Play or the App Store for "Z100."

How to install Vuzix Z100 apps

Setup takes about five minutes, and you do it once.

Install Vuzix Connect from Google Play or the App Store.

Pair the glasses: hold the power button on the Z100 for 8 seconds until the light turns blue, then tap Connect next to the glasses' name in Vuzix Connect.

Choose your notifications in Vuzix Connect, so the lens doesn't fill with every alert from your phone.

Install the extra app you want, like Mentra or an SDK app.

On iPhone, link the glasses inside the new app. iOS SDK apps connect over Bluetooth on their own, so each app asks you to pick your Z100 once.

Open the app and take over the display. Only one app shows on the glasses at a time.

Why Vuzix Z100 apps are not working

The most common causes, from what we've seen in the SDK and in user reports:

Vuzix Connect is missing or outdated (Android). SDK apps can't reach the glasses without it.

Another app holds the display. Close the other app, or start the one you want again.

The iPhone app went to the background before it took control. On iOS an app can only claim the display while it's open on screen.

Your phone is too old. The Android SDK needs Android 12 or later.

What the Z100 can't do

The Z100 is a display, not a computer. It leaves almost everything to your phone:

No camera. Nothing can see what you see.

No microphone. Captions and translation use your phone's microphone.

No speaker. For audio, you need earbuds or a Bluetooth headset.

One eye, one color. Monochrome green text, 640x480, in the right lens only.

Simple controls. One, two or three taps on the temple, plus the power button. No swipes.

Phone only. There's no Windows or Mac app. You can't connect the Z100 to a PC and use it as a monitor.

What to buy instead of the Vuzix Z100

If you wanted the Z100 for text in your lens during the day, these are the closest options you can actually order in the US in November 2026:

Even Realities G2 is the most similar: light, no camera, green text, and a working app store. Built-in Conversate gives captions and AI cues during a conversation. Our Even Hub apps guide shows what's in the store.

Meta Ray-Ban Display is the most popular glasses with a display in the West, with a camera and speakers, but you can't install third-party apps the normal way yet. See Meta Ray-Ban Display apps.

Rokid Glasses have a camera, speakers and an SDK that developers can use without a store review.

For the full comparison, read our guide to smart glasses with display.

Live hints on the Vuzix Z100 with Hinty

Hinty Voice Assistant hears a question in a conversation and, one to two seconds later, shows a short suggested answer, built from your own documents like a resume, notes or PDFs. We built Z100 support with Vuzix's own SDK, for Android and iPhone:

Your phone listens, because the Z100 has no microphone.

The hint appears in the right lens as two short lines.

One tap on the glasses repeats the hint, two taps skip it.

Want it in your ear too? Connect a Bluetooth headset, since the Z100 has no speaker.

Smart glasses support is in testing, and we don't have a release date. Testers get it first, and testing is free. The step-by-step setup is on our Vuzix Z100 setup page, and you can sign up on the smart glasses page.

You don't need glasses to try it. Hinty already works today in Chrome with Google Meet, Zoom and Teams:

In a client meeting, a customer asks about pricing for 50 seats, and a short answer from your price sheet shows up under the video.

After a presentation, someone asks a question about slide 12, and you get the key number from your notes.

In a job interview, the hint pulls the right example from your resume.

If you use a live assistant in a conversation, tell the other person. In some US states, everyone in a conversation has to agree.

Hinty is not affiliated with or endorsed by Vuzix or Mentra.

FAQ

Does the Vuzix Z100 have a camera?

No. The Z100 has no camera, no microphone and no speaker. It's a display that shows text from apps on your phone.

Are Vuzix Z100 apps free?

Mostly. Vuzix Connect and the Mentra app are free. On iPhone, Vuzix Maps costs $0.99 a month inside Vuzix Connect, and some third-party apps charge a subscription.

Do Vuzix Z100 apps work on iPhone?

Yes. Vuzix Connect needs iOS 15.6 or later, the Mentra app is on the App Store, and the Ultralite SDK supports iOS, so developers can ship iPhone apps.

Can I use the Vuzix Z100 with a PC or Windows?

No. The Z100 pairs with an Android phone or an iPhone. There's no Windows or Mac app, and it doesn't work as a computer monitor.

Is the Vuzix Z100 discontinued?

For consumers, yes. Vuzix said in November 2026 that the Z100 is now an OEM platform supplied only to business customers with volume orders. Vuzix Connect and the SDK are still available.

Is the Vuzix Z100 worth it in 2026?

Only if you find a pair cheap and want notifications, captions or a teleprompter in one lens. With no new retail units and no SDK update since March 2025, most buyers are better off with Even Realities G2.

Keep reading

Smart Glasses With Display in 2026: 7 Models Compared

Even Hub Apps: How to Install G2 Plugins, the Best Ones and What's Missing

Meta Ray-Ban Display Apps: What's Built In, How Web Apps Work and What's Still Closed

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