Learn how to export, back up and restore MSFS controller profiles, what cloud sync protects, where PC save data lives and why profiles disappear.
Microsoft Flight Simulator has no dependable built-in file export for controller profiles. Custom presets are normally saved to the account’s cloud data and restored by signing into the same account. On PC, you can also copy the simulator’s complete local cloud-save container, but that is an unofficial backup and must be restored carefully.
Can MSFS export a controller profile as a file?
No. MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 do not provide a supported, portable file format for exporting and importing individual controller profiles. The Duplicate command in Controls options creates another preset inside the same account; it does not produce a downloadable backup.
Cloud synchronisation is useful when reinstalling MSFS or moving to another PC, but it is not an archive. Deleting or corrupting a profile can synchronise that change to the cloud as well.
| Backup method | Best used for | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Account cloud sync | Reinstalling or using another PC with the same account | Synchronises deletions and unwanted changes |
| Duplicate preset | Protecting a working setup before remapping controls | Remains inside the same cloud save |
| PC save-container copy | Keeping a rollback snapshot | Unsupported and may restore other settings too |
| Screenshots or a binding list | Moving between versions, accounts or replacement devices | Requires manual rebuilding |
How should I back up MSFS controller profiles?
The safest practical backup combines an in-simulator duplicate, a record of important assignments and, on PC, a copy of the complete save container.
- Duplicate the working preset. Give the copy a clear name identifying the device and purpose. For MSFS 2024, our guide to creating and retaining device-specific controller presets explains how to make sure the intended profile is actually saved and applied.
- Record the assignments that matter. Capture the assigned-command list, axis direction, sensitivity, dead zones and any modifier combinations. This is the only reliably portable record if the cloud profile becomes unusable.
- Close the simulator completely. Wait for the launcher or platform client to finish synchronising before copying anything.
- Copy the complete PC save container.
- For Microsoft Store or Xbox app installations, look under
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\<simulator package>\SystemAppData\wgs. Copy the wholewgsfolder if it exists, including its metadata and opaque subfolders. - For Steam, look beneath the Steam installation’s
userdatadirectory. MSFS 2020 uses the app directory1250410, while MSFS 2024 uses2537590. Copy the complete app-specific directory rather than selecting individual files.
- For Microsoft Store or Xbox app installations, look under
- Label the snapshot. Record the MSFS edition, store or launcher, account, controller model and backup date. Keep it outside the active simulator folders.
Save layouts can differ between platforms and may change after a reinstall. If the expected folder is absent, do not create one and assume it will work; some data may be held only in the account service. The MSFS installation folder, Community folder and UserCfg.opt are not controller-profile backups.
Xbox consoles do not expose the local save container. MSFS 2024 players on PS5 or PS5 Pro likewise depend on platform cloud storage and a manual record of their bindings.
How do I restore a missing controller profile?
Try the normal account-cloud restoration first, because it is the only supported recovery method.
- Connect the original controller before starting MSFS. Use the same simulator, platform account and hardware setup where possible.
- Allow cloud synchronisation to finish. Do not cancel it or start changing bindings while it is still processing.
- Check the selected device and preset. A recovered profile may be present but not active. In MSFS 2024, also verify the General Controls, aircraft controls and aircraft-specific preset assignments.
- Stop if the profile is still absent. Close MSFS before attempting a local rollback so that another empty or altered state is not written.
- Protect the present save. Copy the existing save container elsewhere, then suspend cloud synchronisation where the platform provides that option. Replace the complete local container with the backup rather than mixing individual opaque files.
- Resolve any cloud conflict deliberately. If the launcher asks which copy to retain, choose the copy known to contain the recovered profile. Do not select one merely because it has the newest timestamp; the newer cloud copy may contain the deletion.
- Verify before resuming normal sync. Open Controls options, activate the recovered preset and test the axes. Exit normally, restore cloud synchronisation and retain the untouched backup until the corrected profile has synchronised.
A save-container rollback is not an official profile importer. It can also roll back logbook data, assistance settings and other account state, and the cloud service may overwrite it immediately. If that happens, there is no supported way to force an individual profile file back into the account.
Can profiles transfer between MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024?
No reliable automatic transfer exists between MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024. Their control commands, preset structures and aircraft-specific assignments differ, so a 2020 save-container copy should never be placed over a 2024 save.
A different account cannot import the original account’s profile either. Replacement hardware may also appear as a new device, even when it is the same model, particularly after firmware or Windows device-identity changes. In these cases, use the recorded assignments and follow our guidance for rebuilding and testing MSFS PC controls.
Why is the restored profile not showing or working?
Most apparently failed restores are caused by profile selection, hardware identification or cloud persistence rather than missing bindings.
- Wrong account: confirm the Microsoft, Xbox, Steam or PlayStation identity used when the profile was created.
- Wrong device preset: select the physical controller first, then its custom preset. MSFS stores profiles separately for each device.
- Wrong MSFS 2024 context: check whether the preset is assigned globally, to an aircraft category or only to a specific aircraft.
- Changed hardware identity: reconnect the original device directly and check whether MSFS now displays a second instance of it.
- Cloud overwrite: a synchronised deletion can replace an older local snapshot before the Controls screen opens.
- Changes do not persist: work through the checks for MSFS 2024 settings that refuse to save before rebuilding the profile again.
- Damaged or conflicting preset: preserve screenshots first, then use the safe options for clearing or replacing controller bindings rather than deleting cloud data indiscriminately.