Change MSFS keyboard controls in 2020 or 2024, resolve duplicate key bindings, save the right preset and restore defaults without losing your setup.
To change keyboard controls in Microsoft Flight Simulator, open Controls from the main or pause menu, select Keyboard, create or duplicate a custom preset, search for the command, assign the new key or combination, clear any unwanted old binding, then apply and save the preset. Check every conflict warning before flying.
How do I change an MSFS keyboard binding?
- Open the controls screen. In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, select Options and then Controls Options. In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, open Settings and then Controls. The route from the pause menu may be labelled slightly differently.
- Select Keyboard and the correct preset. If the default preset is read-only or the simulator asks where to save the change, duplicate it or create a custom preset. Give it a recognisable name rather than overwriting another layout.
- Find the command. Search by command name and change the filter to All if necessary. The Assigned filter hides commands that do not yet have a key. Search by input instead when you need to discover what a particular key already controls.
- Enter the new key binding. Select the assignment field, use the input-scanning option if shown, and press the complete key combination together. Confirm or validate the input using the on-screen control.
- Review conflicts. If MSFS reports that the input is already assigned, inspect every listed command. Remove the duplicate when both actions could operate in the same context; otherwise, decide whether the overlap is intentional.
- Apply and save. Confirm that your custom keyboard preset remains active, close the controls screen and test the command in the cockpit. Do not rely on simply backing out of the menu, because unsaved edits can be discarded.
MSFS 2024 uses a redesigned control system, so readers who need the exact preset workflow can follow our detailed MSFS 2024 custom-preset walkthrough. If the keyboard is part of a larger yoke, throttle or HOTAS configuration, our device-profile setup for PC controls explains how to keep each controller separate.
What is different between MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024?
| Simulator | Profile behaviour | Main trap |
|---|---|---|
| MSFS 2020 | The keyboard uses its own device profile, normally shared across aircraft. | The Assigned filter can hide the unbound command you need. |
| MSFS 2024 | The control screen can separate general, aircraft and aircraft-specific preset contexts. | A valid binding may appear not to work because a different preset or aircraft context is active. |
The command labels can also differ slightly between simulator generations and aircraft. Search for the function rather than assuming an older command name will be identical.
Why is my new keyboard binding not working?
A saved binding usually fails because the wrong preset, command variant or input context is active.
- Wrong preset: return to Controls and confirm that your named custom keyboard preset is selected. In MSFS 2024, also check the relevant general or aircraft control category.
- Wrong command type: commands such as toggle, set, increase and decrease are not interchangeable. A single key usually suits a toggle or incremental command better than an axis-style input.
- Input conflict: search by input and press the troublesome key. This reveals every command using it, including assignments hidden in another category.
- Panel or text focus: an EFB field, search box or other text-entry area can consume keyboard input. Click back into the cockpit or close the panel before testing.
- Aircraft-specific systems: some add-on aircraft use custom system logic and may not respond to a generic simulator command. Test the same binding in a default aircraft to separate an aircraft issue from a control-profile issue.
- Keyboard behaviour: Num Lock, laptop Fn layers and operating-system shortcuts can change or intercept an input. Use the simulator’s input scanner to confirm that MSFS receives the intended key combination.
Should I remove every duplicate key assignment?
No. A duplicate is harmless when the commands belong to mutually exclusive contexts, but it should be removed when both actions can run during normal flight. A conflict warning tells you that an overlap exists; it does not prove that the layout is broken.
A mistake we see often is adding a new key without clearing the old assignment. That leaves both keys active, which can be useful, but it also causes confusion when the old key continues to operate the command. Remove the original binding explicitly if you intend to replace it.
How do I restore the default keyboard controls?
Switch the active keyboard preset back to Default to restore the complete standard layout. If you want to preserve your customised setup, keep that preset and duplicate the default under a new name rather than resetting or deleting your existing profile.
For one command, compare its original assignment against our MSFS 2020 default-key reference or the corresponding MSFS 2024 default-key reference, then change only that command. This avoids wiping unrelated custom bindings.