How do I set up joystick or Xbox throttle controls in MSFS?

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, throttle up by moving a lever bound to Throttle Axis (0–100%) or holding A on the standard Xbox profile; use B to decrease throttle. If those buttons were changed, bind Increase Throttle and Decrease Throttle in Controls. Remove duplicate assignments, save the preset, and test idle and full power.

Which throttle binding should you choose?

Use an axis command for a physical lever and increase/decrease commands for keyboard or controller buttons. MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 present their control screens differently, and command capitalisation may vary, but the underlying choices are the same.

For one ordinary lever, Throttle Axis (0–100%) is the safest starting choice. Do not bind an analogue lever to Increase Throttle or Decrease Throttle: these are digital commands, so cockpit power will move in steps instead of following the lever.

How do you bind a joystick throttle axis?

Select the throttle device itself, assign the axis matching its physical travel, and remove any other device that is trying to control power.

1. Connect the hardware. Connecting it before launching MSFS gives the simulator the best chance of recognising it as a separate device. On Xbox, a PC-only USB quadrant will not become console-compatible through control assignments.
2. Select the correct device and create a preset. In MSFS 2020, open Options > Controls Options; in MSFS 2024, open its Controls screen. Select the joystick or quadrant rather than the keyboard or gamepad, then duplicate the default preset or create a custom one.
3. Find existing assignments. Set the filter to show all controls, search for throttle, and use Search by Input while moving the lever. Clear any incorrect assignment it reveals.
4. Assign the axis. Use Throttle Axis (0–100%) for one lever controlling every engine. With independent levers, assign Throttle 1 Axis, Throttle 2 Axis and any corresponding additional engine axes.
5. Check the direction. Advance the hardware while watching the input indicator. If the value falls, enable Reverse Axis on the binding. Do not reverse the same input in both MSFS and the hardware utility.
6. Remove competing inputs. Check the joystick, yoke, gamepad and quadrant presets for unwanted throttle axes. Duplicate bindings commonly cause jumping or fighting cockpit levers.
7. Save and test. Apply the preset, load a simple aircraft on the ground and check idle, intermediate power and maximum power with autothrottle and throttle-related assistance disabled.

If you are configuring several peripherals together, our joystick and throttle-quadrant setup workflow covers device profiles, axis mapping and conflict removal.

How do you increase or decrease throttle on Xbox?

On the standard Xbox controller profile, hold A to increase throttle and B to decrease it; tap either button for a smaller adjustment. If these controls do not respond, inspect the active controller preset rather than changing the aircraft’s throttle axis.

1. Select the Xbox controller in Controls and create or copy a custom preset before editing it.
2. Search for throttle and confirm that A and B, or your preferred alternatives, are assigned to Increase Throttle and Decrease Throttle.
3. Avoid conflicting combinations. Do not reuse inputs required for primary flight controls, rudder or another essential aircraft function.
4. Test and save. Check both taps and holds, apply the changes, and verify that the intended preset remains selected after changing aircraft.

A trigger or stick can technically be assigned as an absolute throttle axis, but its spring return makes it awkward: releasing the control can send the throttle towards idle or the centre of its range. Buttons are more predictable. If other bindings have also changed, compare them with the standard Xbox control layout for MSFS 2024.

Why does the throttle move backwards, jump or ignore the lever?

Most MSFS throttle faults come from inversion, the wrong command type, duplicate bindings or aircraft-specific calibration.

• The lever works backwards: enable Reverse Axis once. If that fails, inspect the hardware utility for another inversion setting.
• The throttle jumps between fixed values: replace Increase/Decrease Throttle or preset-percentage commands with a throttle axis command.
• The cockpit lever fights your input or moves alone: remove duplicate axes, disengage autothrottle, and disable AI piloting or throttle assistance while diagnosing it.
• Only one engine responds: use the combined Throttle Axis command, or assign every engine to its corresponding numbered axis.
• The lever cannot reach idle or full power: on PC, open joy.cpl and inspect the device’s raw travel. Calibrate the hardware before altering endpoints or sensitivity. MSFS 2024 users can follow our axis calibration and incomplete-travel fixes.
• Physical and cockpit detents disagree: use the aircraft’s internal throttle calibration and save a separate preset for that aircraft family.
• The fix disappears next flight: select the intended device preset and use Apply and Save before leaving Controls.

What throttle sensitivity should you use?

Start with a linear response, centred sensitivity controls and no dead zone. Add only enough dead zone to stop input jitter, and change endpoint settings only when a calibrated lever cannot reach idle or maximum. Do not distort the global response curve merely to force aircraft-specific detents into place.

Should twin-engine aircraft use separate throttle axes?

Use separate axes when your hardware has independent levers and you want individual engine control. A combined throttle axis is simpler for a joystick with one slider and moves all engines together.

Never assign both the combined Throttle Axis and numbered engine axes to the same lever. The commands can compete, causing unequal thrust or flickering cockpit levers. Choose one combined binding or a complete set of per-engine bindings.

How should reverse thrust and throttle detents be configured?

Use a forward-only 0–100% axis with a separate reverse command unless both the hardware and aircraft support reverse within the lever’s physical range.

• No reverse section: bind a button or paddle to the available reverse-thrust hold or toggle command. At idle, engage reverse, advance the throttle to add reverse thrust, return it to idle, then disengage reverse. On Xbox, this is safer than expecting Decrease Throttle to pass through idle, which varies between aircraft.
• Integrated reverse travel: try the full Throttle Axis assignment and confirm that idle occurs at the physical idle stop rather than halfway through the lever travel.
• Airliner detents: use the aircraft’s tablet, cockpit computer or configuration system when it provides throttle calibration. Detailed aircraft may map idle, climb, flex and take-off detents internally, so a separate aircraft preset can be useful.
• Turboprops: beta and reverse implementation varies by aircraft. Propeller, mixture and condition levers are separate controls and should not be assigned to throttle axes unless the aircraft’s documentation specifically requires it.

Reverse thrust works only on aircraft equipped for it, principally jets and certain turboprops.