Adjust VOR, NDB and ILS identifier audio volume in MSFS, select the correct NAV or ADF source, and fix silent or overly loud Morse idents.
In Microsoft Flight Simulator, tune the navaid, select its receiver audio on the aircraft’s audio panel, then turn that receiver’s volume control: NAV1 or NAV2 for a VOR or ILS, and ADF for an NDB. There is no separate ILS-ident volume; it uses the tuned NAV receiver’s level.
How do I change the navaid identifier volume?
The volume must normally be adjusted through the simulated aircraft’s avionics rather than a dedicated MSFS identifier slider.
- Tune the active frequency. Enter the VOR or ILS frequency in
NAV1orNAV2, or the NDB frequency in the ADF receiver. Make sure it has been transferred from standby to active where applicable. - Select the receiver audio. On the audio panel, enable
NAV1,NAV2orADFto match the receiver you tuned. Selecting a NAV source for the CDI does not necessarily route its audio to the headset or speakers. - Enable identifier audio if required. Some avionics have a push function marked
IDorVOL/ID. Other installations play the ident as soon as the corresponding audio-panel source is selected. - Turn the receiver volume. Rotate the NAV or ADF volume knob while the signal is being received. Listen through at least one complete Morse cycle before deciding whether the level is suitable.
- Deselect it after identification. Once the Morse code agrees with the published identifier, switch off that audio-panel source if you do not want the repeating tone.
Our guide to tuning and identifying VOR and NDB stations explains what the code confirms and how the receiver relates to the displayed bearing.
| Signal | Audio source | Volume control | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| VOR | NAV1 or NAV2 | NAV volume or NAV VOL/ID | The frequency is still in standby |
| ILS localiser | NAV1 or NAV2 | The same NAV control used for VOR | Looking for a separate ILS volume setting |
| NDB | ADF | ADF receiver or audio-panel volume | The ADF bearing is displayed, but ADF audio is not selected |
Where is the volume control in different cockpits?
The control’s location depends on the aircraft and avionics package, and some simplified aircraft do not model independent receiver volume.
Garmin glass cockpits
Look for a knob labelled NAV VOL/ID and the NAV1/NAV2 buttons on the audio panel. Turning the knob adjusts NAV audio; pressing it commonly toggles identifier audio. Confirm which NAV receiver is selected before changing it.
Conventional radio stacks
A traditional NAV radio usually has its own power-and-volume knob, sometimes with a push or pull identifier function. The separate audio panel must still have the matching NAV receiver selected.
Airliners
Airliner audio control panels commonly provide receiver selectors and individual level controls for VOR, ILS or ADF reception. An FMS or radio-management panel may tune the station, but tuning it does not automatically mean its Morse audio is being monitored.
Can MSFS sound settings change ident volume?
MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 do not provide a universal per-station identifier slider that replaces the aircraft’s receiver controls. The simulator’s broad master, cockpit or avionics-related sound levels may affect the result, but they also change other sounds.
If the aircraft exposes suitable control assignments, search its control profile for terms such as NAV 1 volume, NAV 2 volume or ADF volume. The available names vary by aircraft and platform, and a generic assignment may do nothing when an add-on uses custom avionics logic.
Why is the VOR, NDB or ILS ident silent?
A silent identifier usually means the wrong audio source is selected, the station is not being received, or the aircraft does not model that receiver’s audio.
- Wrong receiver: A frequency tuned in NAV2 will not be heard when only NAV1 audio is selected.
- Standby frequency: The displayed frequency may not yet be active.
- ID function disabled: Press the applicable
IDorVOL/IDcontrol. - No usable signal: Range, terrain, altitude and station availability still matter. Our VOR reception and NAV-audio checks cover this failure in detail.
- No ADF installation: An aircraft without a functioning ADF receiver cannot reproduce an NDB ident merely because the station exists in the simulator.
- Add-on limitation: Some aircraft display a decoded identifier but omit, simplify or separately control the actual Morse audio.
For an ILS, the localiser identifier comes through the tuned NAV receiver. If the larger problem is tuning or capturing the approach rather than its volume, follow our ILS tuning and capture procedure for MSFS 2024.
Is the marker-beacon tone the ILS identifier?
No. The localiser’s Morse identifier is NAV audio, while outer, middle and inner marker tones use the marker-beacon receiver and a control usually marked MKR. Many approaches no longer use marker beacons, and their volume or mute state does not control the ILS identifier.
Why does the Morse tone keep repeating?
The repeating code is the station identifier, not normally a warning or avionics fault. Verify the code, then deselect the relevant NAV or ADF audio source or lower that receiver’s volume; using the master sound control will unnecessarily silence the rest of the cockpit.