What are the best iPad apps for Microsoft Flight Simulator?

The best iPad companion for Microsoft Flight Simulator depends on the job: Navigraph Charts is the strongest paid IFR choice, while Little Navmap provides the best free moving map through Safari. SimBrief handles airline planning, Air Manager adds touch instruments, and ForeFlight suits pilots already using its paid aviation service.

Does Little Navmap run natively on iPad?

No, Little Navmap is not a native iOS app. The full desktop application must run on a PC, normally the Windows computer running Microsoft Flight Simulator. The iPad accesses Little Navmap's browser-based web map through Safari.

The desktop application handles simulator connectivity, route editing, scenery databases and exports. Its iPad web page is a companion display rather than a complete replacement for the desktop interface.

How to use Little Navmap alongside an iPad

1. Open Microsoft Flight Simulator on the PC. Load a flight and wait until the aircraft is in the cockpit so that position data is available.
2. Run Little Navmap on the PC. Use its simulator connection control to connect to Microsoft Flight Simulator through SimConnect. Confirm that Little Navmap itself shows the aircraft position before testing the iPad.
3. Start the Little Navmap web server. Open the application's web-server control, start the server and note the complete local-network address it displays, including any port number.
4. Put both devices on the same network. The PC may use Ethernet while the iPad uses Wi-Fi, provided both connect through the same home router. Guest Wi-Fi often isolates devices and will prevent this from working.
5. Allow private-network access. If Windows Firewall asks, allow Little Navmap on trusted private networks. There is normally no reason to allow it on public networks.
6. Enter the displayed address in Safari. Type the full address exactly as Little Navmap shows it. Do not enter localhost or 127.0.0.1, because those addresses point back to the iPad rather than the PC.
7. Keep Little Navmap running. The desktop application, SimConnect connection and web server must remain active for the map and aircraft position to update.

If Safari cannot open the page, check that the address uses the displayed http or https form, that the port was included and that neither device is on guest Wi-Fi. Temporarily disconnect a VPN when testing local access; some VPN configurations block local-network traffic. Wireless client isolation, a public Windows network profile and third-party firewall software can cause the same symptom.

If the map opens but the aircraft does not appear, the web server is working and the fault is usually the PC-side SimConnect connection. Reconnect Little Navmap after the flight has loaded and confirm that the desktop map follows the aircraft.

Can I access Little Navmap remotely from another location?

Access over the same trusted home network is straightforward: use the private address displayed by Little Navmap while the PC and iPad are connected to that network.

An iPad on mobile data or another property's Wi-Fi is outside that network. For away-from-home access, use an authenticated, encrypted private-network or VPN connection back to the home network, then access Little Navmap through that private connection. The PC must remain awake with Little Navmap and its web server running.

Do not expose the Little Navmap web-server port directly to the public internet. Avoid router port forwarding for this purpose. Its web interface should be treated as a local companion service, not as a hardened public website.

Which iPad moving-map and chart option is best for MSFS?

Navigraph Charts offers the most complete paid combination of IFR planning, charts and live PC-simulator tracking, while Little Navmap is the strongest free moving-map choice.

Browser services can be saved to the iPad home screen, but that does not turn them into native apps or guarantee offline access. Chart coverage, downloads and simulator integration also vary by region and subscription level. Our guide to using an iPad as a simulator EFB explains how these roles fit together.

Which MSFS iPad options are free?

Little Navmap and SimBrief's core planner are free. Little Navmap can provide live PC-simulator tracking, while SimBrief creates airline flight plans but does not act as a moving map. Official aviation-authority charts are also often free, although coverage and access rules differ by country.

The MSFS 2024 browser Flight Planner does not require a separate iPad app, but it is not a live remote copy of the cockpit EFB. Navigraph Charts and ForeFlight use subscriptions, while Air Manager is a paid specialised instrument application.

For chart types, sources and the difference between airport diagrams, VFR charts and instrument procedures, see our practical explanation of getting and using charts with MSFS.

Can an iPad control MSFS cockpit instruments?

Air Manager can display and control supported gauges, switches, radios and avionics when MSFS runs on a PC. It requires the relevant PC connection and an instrument panel compatible with the exact aircraft.

A generic Airbus or Boeing panel will not automatically work with every third-party aircraft because add-ons expose different simulator variables and control events. Our iPad instrument-panel setup guide covers dedicated panel apps and ordinary second-display methods.

What is the best iPad flight-planning workflow?

The most practical workflow is to plan on the iPad, transfer or recreate the route in a compatible planner or aircraft, and use live tracking only where the PC connector supports it.

Free VFR and general-aviation workflow

1. Draft the flight on the iPad. Use the MSFS 2024 browser Flight Planner where applicable, or consult free official charts in Safari for airspace, terrain and airport information.
2. Create or import the route in Little Navmap. Use the desktop application to reproduce the iPad plan or import a supported route file. Route editing remains a PC-side task.
3. Connect Little Navmap to MSFS. Establish the SimConnect connection and start its web server.
4. Follow the flight in Safari. Open the displayed local address on the iPad for free moving-map tracking.
5. Check the route before departure. Confirm that waypoints, frequencies, runways and procedures agree with the simulator's scenery and navdata.

Paid IFR and airliner workflow

1. Build the route and operational flight plan on the iPad. SimBrief is suited to dispatch planning, fuel and aircraft profiles; Navigraph Charts adds route review and procedure charts.
2. Import the plan where supported. Send or load the SimBrief route into the exact aircraft EFB or FMS, or enter it manually when that aircraft lacks direct integration.
3. Run the tracking connector on the PC. Simlink supplies live position data to Navigraph Charts. Little Navmap can remain an alternative desktop planner and moving-map source.
4. Verify navdata and aircraft compatibility. Check that the planner, charts, simulator and aircraft recognise the intended waypoints, SID, STAR and approach. Also confirm that the aircraft's EFB supports the chosen import method.

Will these apps add or work with an A330-300?

Planning applications do not add an A330-300, or any other aircraft, to Microsoft Flight Simulator. They create routes, charts and flight-plan data for an aircraft that is already installed.

For example, SimBrief can prepare an A330-300 route and fuel plan, while Little Navmap or Navigraph can display and export route information. Direct route import depends on the exact A330 add-on and its EFB or FMS implementation. One A330 may support account-based import, while another requires manual entry.

The same limit applies to touch panels. An Air Manager MCDU or overhead panel must support the exact aircraft's variables and events; an Airbus-style panel is not automatically compatible with every A330.

What works on an iPad with MSFS 2024 and consoles?

On the PC edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Little Navmap, Simlink and Air Manager can use their Windows-side connectors. The official browser Flight Planner can also be opened on an iPad, but the in-simulator EFB is not mirrored as a live, touch-controlled remote display. Our guide to MSFS 2024 EFB and iPad compatibility explains that distinction.

Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro cannot run the Windows helper applications required by Little Navmap, Simlink or Air Manager. An iPad still works for independent planning, charts, checklists and reference material, and individual aircraft may support account-based route integration. Generic external moving maps and cockpit panels should be treated as PC features unless the specific aircraft documents console support.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 follows the same PC-versus-Xbox limitation and was never released on PlayStation.

Why is the aircraft not showing on the iPad map?

A stopped, blocked or incorrectly configured PC connector is the usual reason an iPad map does not show the MSFS aircraft.

• Check the desktop component: Little Navmap must be connected through SimConnect, Navigraph requires Simlink, and panel apps need their own PC software.
• Load into the cockpit: some connectors will not report a useful position while MSFS is still on a menu or loading screen.
• Select simulator data: ensure the app is using the simulator or external-device source rather than the iPad's physical GPS position.
• Check accounts: cloud-linked services normally require the same signed-in account on the PC and iPad.
• Inspect the local network: leave guest Wi-Fi, disable client isolation and test without a VPN. Allow the connector through the Windows firewall on private networks.
• Reopen a suspended app: an iPad that has slept or switched apps may need to re-establish its connection.
• Separate tracking from navdata: if the aircraft moves but a procedure or waypoint differs, the connection is working. The problem is a navdata-cycle or scenery mismatch.