A method for aligning an image on a mobile device disposed within a head-mounted display (HMD) housing includes: detecting a request to align an image on a touchscreen of a mobile device; detecting, on the touchscreen, a first detected location corresponding to a first touchscreen input event; determining a first displacement of the first detected location with respect to a first target location of the first touchscreen input event; and transposing the image on the touchscreen based on the first displacement. A virtual reality system includes: a mobile device having a touchscreen configured to display an image; and a HMD housing having a first contact configured to generate a first input event at a first location on the touchscreen when the mobile device is disposed within the HMD housing.