What are the default keyboard controls in FSX?

In Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) and FSX: Steam Edition, the default keyboard controls use the numeric keypad for pitch, roll and rudder; F1–F8 for throttle and flaps; G for landing gear; P for pause; and S/A for views. Keep Num Lock off when using the keypad flight controls.

FSX default keyboard controls quick reference

These tables cover the Microsoft Flight Simulator X controls needed for ordinary flying, aircraft systems, views and ground operations. FSX has hundreds of additional assignments for radios, engine selection, multiplayer and slew functions; our printable reference containing the complete FSX command list covers those less frequently used controls.

The assignment displayed inside your copy of FSX remains authoritative. A customised control profile, add-on aircraft or duplicate binding can make the active command differ from the factory list.

Primary flight and ground controls

With Num Lock off, the numeric keypad controls the elevator, ailerons and rudder.

Tap the trim keys for fine adjustments. Holding one down sends repeated inputs quickly, and the resulting trim remains after you release it; our explanation of FSX elevator trim and persistent pitching covers the usual corrections.

F11 and F12 also have direct-view assignments in the factory map. If differential braking changes your view or triggers another unwanted action, inspect both assignments and rebind one pair.

Engines, throttle, flaps and landing gear

The function-key row controls power and flap position in the default FSX keyboard map.

To use reverse thrust on a supported jet, reduce the throttles to idle with F1, then hold F2. On an aircraft without reverse thrust, F2 only reduces power.

If G does nothing, first check that the aircraft actually has retractable landing gear. A fixed-gear Cessna will not respond, while a complex add-on may require its hydraulic or electrical systems to be operating before the gear moves.

Views, panels and simulation controls

FSX uses S to change view category and A to move between views within that category.

Shift plus a number opens an aircraft panel window. The number depends on that aircraft's panel configuration, although Shift + 3 opens the GPS in many default FSX aircraft. Slew mode is for repositioning the aircraft rather than flying it, so pressing Y accidentally can make normal controls appear to have stopped working.

Autopilot keyboard shortcuts

These shortcuts toggle standard FSX autopilot modes when the loaded aircraft supports them.

A keyboard command cannot add a mode that the aircraft does not have. Complex add-on aircraft may also use custom autopilot logic and ignore standard FSX events, in which case their cockpit controls and supplied documentation take precedence.

ATC, lights, doors and ground services

The following defaults cover the commands most often needed before departure and after landing.

• Open or close the ATC menu: `, the grave-accent key. Its physical position can differ on non-UK and non-US keyboard layouts.
• Select an ATC response: press the number shown beside that response.
• Toggle all lights: L.
• Toggle landing lights: Ctrl + L.
• Toggle panel lights: Shift + L.
• Toggle strobe lights: O.
• Toggle pitot heat: Shift + H.
• Start or stop pushback: Shift + P.
• Open or close the main exit: Shift + E. Pressing a number immediately afterwards may operate another exit when the aircraft defines one.
• Attach or detach a jetway: Ctrl + J at a compatible parking position.
• Request a fuel truck: Shift + F.

What do Num 6, elevator and the plus sign mean?

In an FSX keyboard-control list, Num 6 means the 6 key on the separate numeric keypad, not the 6 above the letters.

• Num 6: With Num Lock off, Num Pad 6 commands right aileron and rolls the aircraft right. If another game such as Need for Speed asks for Num 6 on the keyboard, it means the same physical keypad key, but the action is determined by that game's own control settings.
• Elevator: In flight simulation, the elevator is the aerodynamic control surface that pitches the nose up or down. It is unrelated to a lift-management title or a search for Elevator Simulator 3D.
• Plus signs: In Ctrl + E, the plus sign means “hold Ctrl and press E”; you do not press the + key. It is control-list notation, not a special key mode. An actual plus key would be labelled explicitly.

Why do the FSX numpad controls not work?

The most common causes are Num Lock, a laptop without a true numeric keypad, or a joystick axis overriding the keyboard input.

1. Turn Num Lock off: a full-size keyboard should send the keypad's flight-control inputs rather than ordinary number entry.
2. Check which Enter key you are pressing: right rudder uses Num Pad Enter, not the main Enter key.
3. Account for laptop keyboard behaviour: some laptops require an Fn combination to expose an embedded keypad. Rebinding the commands to unused letter keys is usually clearer than relying on an awkward embedded layout.
4. Check the function-key mode: if F1–F12 changes volume or screen brightness, enable standard F-key mode or use the laptop's Fn modifier.
5. Look for competing controller axes: if a control moves and immediately snaps back, a yoke, joystick or gamepad is probably sending a continuous axis input. Remove the duplicate axis assignment or disconnect the device briefly to confirm the cause.
6. Confirm that slew mode is off: press Y if the aircraft has entered slew mode and no longer responds as expected.

How do I check, change or restore an FSX key binding?

The controls screen shows the assignments that FSX is actually using, including custom changes and duplicate commands.

1. Open Controls: enter the simulator's settings, either from the main screen or the in-flight menu, and open Controls.
2. Select Buttons/Keys: choose the keyboard and locate the relevant event or category.
3. Inspect duplicates: check whether the same key has been assigned to another command before adding a replacement.
4. Rebind if needed: select the command and assign a key that is not already required for another essential function.
5. Restore defaults cautiously: the reset option removes keyboard customisations, so use it only when you are prepared to rebuild any personal bindings.

A mistake we see constantly is comparing a factory chart with a profile that was changed months earlier. Our guide to viewing, rebinding and troubleshooting the active FSX assignments explains the controls screen in more detail.

Does FSX: Steam Edition use the same keyboard controls?

FSX: Steam Edition uses the same core default keyboard controls as the boxed Windows release of Microsoft Flight Simulator X.

Commands such as G, P, F1–F8 and the numeric-keypad flight controls remain familiar across both editions. Saved profiles and add-on aircraft can still produce differences, so the in-simulator assignment should be checked when a listed command fails.

“Steam Edition” identifies the PC release of FSX; it does not mean that Steam activation keys are interchangeable between games. A Jet Set Radio Steam key, for example, is title-specific and cannot activate FSX or change its controls.

How do I retract landing gear in Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox?

FSX itself was released for Windows PC, not Xbox; Xbox users are running the separate Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 or Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.

On the standard Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 Xbox controller preset, click the left stick button to toggle retractable landing gear. If that does not work, open Controls Options and search for Toggle Landing Gear, because a changed controller preset can replace the default binding. You can also operate the landing-gear lever in the cockpit.

With a connected keyboard and the standard keyboard profile, G normally toggles the gear. Our separate Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 keyboard reference covers that simulator rather than the older FSX control map.