See the default Xbox controller controls in MSFS for flying, throttle, rudder, brakes, flaps, trim, cameras and cursor mode.
On the standard Xbox gamepad profile in Microsoft Flight Simulator, the left stick controls pitch and roll, the triggers control rudder, A/B change throttle, X applies wheel brakes and the right stick looks around. The View button changes camera, Menu pauses, and secondary commands use context-sensitive or chorded inputs.
Default Xbox controller flight controls
The core bindings below are shared by the stock Xbox-style profiles in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. A customised, imported or legacy preset can differ.
| Xbox input | Default action | How it behaves |
|---|---|---|
| Left stick left/right | Roll | Moves the ailerons and banks the aircraft. |
| Left stick up/down | Pitch | Push forward to lower the nose; pull back to raise it. |
| LT | Left rudder | Controls yaw and helps steer on the ground. |
| RT | Right rudder | Controls yaw and helps steer on the ground. |
| A | Increase throttle | A digital increase rather than a precise analogue lever. |
| B | Decrease throttle | Reduces power towards idle; reverse behaviour depends on the aircraft. |
| X | Apply wheel brakes | Hold it for braking; this is not the parking-brake toggle. |
| LB | Retract or decrease flaps | Moves the flaps up by one stage on the familiar standard profile. |
| RB | Extend or increase flaps | Moves the flaps down by one stage. |
| Y + B | Toggle parking brake | Y acts as the modifier for this chord. |
| Y + D-pad up/down | Adjust elevator trim | Tap rather than hold because trim can change rapidly. |
Landing gear, spoilers, autopilot and engine-system shortcuts are less consistent between the MSFS 2020 layout, MSFS 2024 presets and customised profiles. Search for the required action in the Controls screen instead of relying on an old controller diagram.
What do the camera and cursor buttons do?
The right stick controls the camera, while the left-stick button changes the controller into cockpit cursor mode.
| Xbox input | Default action |
|---|---|
| Right stick | Look around the cockpit or external view |
| Right-stick button | Reset or recentre the camera |
| View button | Switch between cockpit and external camera |
| Left-stick button | Toggle cursor mode |
| A in cursor mode | Select or operate the highlighted cockpit control |
| B in menus | Go back or cancel |
| Menu button | Open the pause menu |
A mistake we see often is leaving cursor mode active and assuming the flight controls have stopped working. In that mode, the left stick moves the pointer rather than the yoke. Press the left-stick button again to return to aircraft control.
Why do my Xbox controls not match this list?
A different profile, simulator generation or active interaction mode is usually the reason an Xbox layout does not match a published chart.
- The wrong preset is active: MSFS can retain customised profiles instead of loading the supplied gamepad preset.
- MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 differ: the primary axes remain familiar, but some system commands and modifier combinations are not identical across every preset.
- Cursor mode is active: this temporarily redirects the left stick and face buttons to cockpit interaction.
- An assistance option is intervening: assisted rudder, take-off assistance or AI control can make a correctly bound input appear ineffective.
- The command is aircraft-dependent: throttle detents, reverse thrust and some cockpit systems do not respond identically in every aircraft.
- An external remapping layer is active on PC: duplicated or translated inputs can produce double commands, merged triggers or reversed axes.
How do I restore the default Xbox controls?
Select the controller's supplied default preset in the Controls screen and apply it before testing in a simple aircraft. Our MSFS 2024 Xbox controller setup instructions cover connection and initial profile selection.
- Open Controls from the simulator's settings or options and select the Xbox controller device, not the keyboard or mouse.
- Protect custom work by saving any bindings you want to keep under a separate profile.
- Select the supplied default preset; its exact name and location differ between MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024.
- Apply and save the selection, then check the sensitivity page if you previously changed axis response or dead zones.
- Test the basic axes in a parked training aircraft before adding extra commands.
If you want to alter the layout without losing it later, follow our process for mapping and saving a separate controller profile. Avoid editing the only working preset until the new profile has been saved successfully.
Can you fly Microsoft Flight Simulator using only a controller?
An Xbox controller is sufficient for normal VFR flying, but its limited buttons and digital throttle make precise power, trim and complex systems harder to manage. Cursor mode handles unassigned cockpit controls, while a keyboard can provide extra shortcuts on supported platforms.
A gamepad suits casual flying and external-camera use; a joystick or yoke is preferable when you want finer pitch, roll and throttle control. Our controller-versus-joystick comparison explains where each control method works best.