Use these MSFS 2024 tips and tricks to fix controls, fly smoother approaches, improve FPS, manage Career Mode and avoid add-on errors.
The best MSFS 2024 tips are to build clean control profiles, trim instead of fighting the yoke, verify every EFB route in the aircraft’s avionics, learn the flight-mode annunciator, keep time acceleration under control, tune graphics by bottleneck, and test add-ons individually. These habits prevent most avoidable crashes, missed approaches and stutters.
Best MSFS 2024 tips and tricks
These practical habits make Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 easier to control without removing the depth that makes it rewarding.
- Remove duplicate control bindings. Check every connected device for assignments to the aileron, elevator, rudder, throttle, brakes and cockpit camera. Two devices controlling the same axis can cause twitching, unwanted throttle movement or an aircraft that will not remain trimmed. Apply only enough dead zone to stop genuine input noise; a large dead zone makes precise approaches harder. Our control-profile setup guide explains the full binding and calibration process.
- Learn in a simple trainer. A fixed-gear aircraft such as the Cessna 172 gives you time to understand trim, flap limits, mixture and navigation before adding retractable gear or turbine systems. Start on the runway when practising basic handling; choose a parking position when you want to learn the complete start-up procedure.
- Trim away control pressure. Establish the desired power and attitude, let the aircraft settle, then trim until you can relax the yoke or stick. Trim is not an altitude control: chasing the altimeter with repeated trim changes usually creates a slow oscillation.
- Verify the EFB route in the cockpit. EFB flight-plan transfer depends on the aircraft and its avionics implementation. Confirm the departure, arrival, runway, navigation source and first active waypoint in the GPS or FMS. Look for route discontinuities before take-off rather than discovering one during an approach.
- Read the flight-mode annunciator. Autopilot buttons show what you requested; the flight-mode annunciator shows what the aircraft is actually doing. An armed altitude or navigation mode is not yet captured. Engage the autopilot only after the aircraft is trimmed and stable, and disconnect it if the displayed modes do not match your intention.
- Manage energy before the approach. A useful starting estimate is about three nautical miles for every 1,000 feet of altitude to lose, plus extra distance to slow down. Aircraft type, wind and restrictions alter that figure, but it prevents the classic high-and-fast arrival. For the final stages, use our detailed approach, flare and touchdown techniques.
- Treat ATC instructions as information, not infallible commands. Check the wind, runway length, terrain and published procedure yourself. If ATC gives an unsuitable runway or a late descent, maintain safe operation rather than forcing the aircraft into an unstable approach.
- Use time acceleration cautiously. Higher simulation rates can make autopilots overshoot, destabilise complex systems and carry you past the top of descent before you notice. Return to normal speed well before changing altitude, entering busy airspace or starting an arrival.
- Create useful cockpit views. Set quick views for the primary instruments, radios, overhead panel and runway sightline. An exterior camera is useful for checking the aircraft, but flying solely from outside hides trim, speed and annunciator information that explains what the aeroplane is doing.
- Change one thing at a time. This applies to graphics settings, assistance options, peripherals and add-ons. When several variables change together, you cannot tell which one fixed—or caused—the problem.
Which assistance settings should beginners use?
Beginners should keep visual guidance and checklist help where useful, but disable any assistance that fights their physical controls.
Taxi ribbons, navigation markers and checklist guidance can reduce workload while you learn. Assisted steering, automatic trim, assisted take-off or landing, and AI control can interfere with a joystick, yoke or controller, however. If the throttle moves by itself or the aircraft resists your inputs, inspect both assistance settings and duplicate bindings before blaming the flight model.
Change assists individually rather than selecting a completely different preset. A controller user without pedals may benefit from rudder assistance; somebody using pedals or a twist-grip usually will not.
How do I improve MSFS 2024 performance?
Improve MSFS 2024 performance by identifying whether the limit is the CPU, GPU, video memory or streamed scenery before lowering settings.
| Symptom | Likely limitation | First changes to try |
|---|---|---|
| Frame rate falls mainly at large airports | CPU or main thread | Reduce terrain or object detail and lower traffic or airport activity |
| GPU remains fully loaded in most locations | GPU rendering load | Lower render scaling, clouds, reflections or other expensive visual effects |
| Stutters appear with detailed aircraft or scenery | Video memory or add-on load | Reduce texture demand and test without third-party scenery |
| Terrain is blurry despite acceptable frame rate | Data streaming or cache | Check online functionality and connection quality; rebuild the rolling cache only if corruption is suspected |
Test changes at the same airport, with the same aircraft, weather and camera view. Our step-by-step performance diagnosis covers CPU, GPU, VRAM and streaming bottlenecks in more depth. Console editions expose fewer graphics controls, so reducing traffic and removing unusually demanding add-ons may be more useful there.
What should I avoid in MSFS 2024 Career Mode?
Avoid buying aircraft or expanding a company before you have enough credits to absorb maintenance, fuel and repair costs.
Use employee missions to build reputation, certifications and experience without risking an owned aircraft. Read each mission briefing, inspect the fuel state, and do not rush take-offs, taxiing or landings merely to increase earnings per hour. Insurance reduces risk but does not make careless operation free.
Career-specific systems need a different strategy from Free Flight, so our Career Mode progression and cost-control advice covers mission selection, reputation, fuel, repairs and aircraft ownership.
Do MSFS 2020 add-ons work in MSFS 2024?
Some MSFS 2020 add-ons work in MSFS 2024, but compatibility should never be assumed simply because a package loads.
An older aircraft may appear in the selection screen while still having broken avionics, animations, sounds or flight-model behaviour. Prefer packages explicitly marked as compatible with MSFS 2024 and install one at a time.
On PC, troubleshoot by moving third-party packages out of the Community folder, restarting the simulator and testing the same flight with default content. Add packages back in small groups until the fault returns. The Community folder location varies by installation, while console users must manage add-ons through the simulator’s own content tools.