Learn how to edit panel.cfg in FSX, alias or replace a cockpit panel, position gauges, choose the active panel folder and fix blank displays.
In FSX and FSX: Steam Edition, change an aircraft's cockpit panel by backing up its panel folder, then editing SimObjects\Airplanes\AircraftFolder\panel\panel.cfg. You can alias a compatible donor panel, replace 2D [WindowXX] sections, or adjust gaugeNN lines. panel.cfg cannot add or replace the virtual cockpit's 3D model.
How do I edit the correct panel.cfg safely?
The correct file is the panel.cfg inside the panel folder selected by the aircraft's active [fltsim.x] entry.
- Close FSX. Editing while the aircraft is loaded can leave FSX using the old configuration.
- Open the aircraft folder. Starting from the FSX installation folder, go to
SimObjects\Airplanes\AircraftFolder. A Steam library may be installed on any drive, so do not assume it is under the default Program Files path. - Check the active panel variant. Open
aircraft.cfgand inspect the selected livery's[fltsim.x]section. A blank or absentpanel=entry normally uses thepanelfolder;panel=wideusespanel.wide. See our instructions for finding and safely editing the correct aircraft.cfg if the aircraft has several variants. - Back up the whole panel folder. Gauges, bitmap backgrounds and configuration files may all be needed to restore it. Naming the copy something such as
panel.backupis safer than backing up only one file. - Edit panel.cfg as plain text. Make one change at a time and retain the exact
.cfgextension. Watch for editors that silently createpanel.cfg.txt. - Reload the aircraft. Reselect it after saving. If the old panel remains, close and restart FSX before assuming the edit failed.
What do the main panel.cfg sections control?
FSX separates 2D panel windows, individual gauge positions and virtual-cockpit gauge surfaces into different parts of panel.cfg.
| Entry | What it controls | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
[Window Titles] | The available 2D main panel and popup windows, in their menu order | Adding a [WindowXX] section without adding its matching title |
[Window00], [Window01] and so on | A 2D window's bitmap, dimensions, visibility, identifier and gauges | Reusing a window number or ident already assigned elsewhere |
gaugeNN= | The gauge name followed by its x and y position, width and height | Referencing a gauge that is not installed or duplicating a gauge number in the same section |
[VCockpit01], [VCockpit02] and so on | Gauges drawn on surfaces provided by the aircraft's 3D cockpit model | Copying sections from an unrelated model and expecting the displays to line up |
[fltsim] alias= | Redirects the aircraft to another aircraft's complete panel configuration | Using an incorrect folder name or expecting an alias to merge two panels |
How do I swap the entire panel for another aircraft's panel?
The cleanest whole-panel swap is an alias, provided the donor panel is compatible with the target aircraft. Replace the active panel.cfg with a [fltsim] section containing a line such as alias=DonorAircraftFolder\panel. The folder name must match the donor folder under SimObjects\Airplanes.
An alias redirects the entire panel; it does not combine the donor's 2D panel with the target's virtual cockpit. Choose a donor with a similar engine count, avionics and operating logic. Panels relying on aircraft-specific modules or protected commercial gauges are rarely portable, and their licence may prohibit reuse.
If you have downloaded a complete replacement rather than borrowing an installed panel, follow our step-by-step method for installing an FSX 2D panel. That also covers the supporting bitmaps and files that a bare panel.cfg cannot supply.
How do I change only the 2D panel or one gauge?
To preserve the existing virtual cockpit, merge only the required [Window Titles] and [WindowXX] entries instead of overwriting the whole configuration. Copy any referenced panel bitmaps into the active panel folder, assign unused window numbers and retain the target aircraft's [VCockpitXX] sections.
A typical gauge entry has the form gauge00=GaugeContainer!GaugeName, 20, 30, 180, 180. The numbers represent x position, y position, width and height in the coordinate system established by that window's size_mm setting. The origin is at the upper-left of the panel.
Keep each gaugeNN number unique within its section and use a sensible sequential order. If the replacement gauge comes in a CAB, DLL or legacy gauge file, the configuration line alone is insufficient; use our gauge installation and panel-reference instructions to place all required files correctly.
Why is the edited FSX panel blank or unchanged?
A blank or unchanged cockpit usually means FSX loaded a different panel folder, could not resolve a gauge reference, or rejected part of the configuration.
- Wrong panel variant: Recheck the active livery's
panel=value. Editingpanel\panel.cfghas no effect when that variant usespanel.modern. - Missing window title: Every new 2D
[WindowXX]section should have a corresponding entry under[Window Titles]. - Missing gauge or bitmap: A black rectangle, empty instrument position or background-free window often points to a missing referenced file.
- Broken alias: Confirm the aircraft-folder and panel-folder names. Do not alias a panel back to itself or create a chain that loops between aircraft.
- Unsaved or misnamed file: Confirm that the file is really
panel.cfg, not a text document with a hidden extra extension. - Windows permissions: Installations under a protected folder may refuse or redirect changes. Edit a copy elsewhere, then replace the original with administrator approval and verify its modified time.
- FSX still has the old panel loaded: Reselect the aircraft or restart the simulator after saving.
If the edit cannot be recovered, restore the complete backup panel folder. A platform repair or file-verification operation should be a last resort because it can also replace other modified default files.
Can panel.cfg replace the virtual cockpit?
No. panel.cfg can change gauges drawn on existing [VCockpitXX] surfaces, but the dashboard, controls, gauge polygons and cockpit geometry are built into the aircraft model. Copying virtual-cockpit sections from another aircraft cannot transfer that model.
An aircraft with no modelled virtual cockpit needs suitable 3D source work or a compatible replacement model, not just a configuration edit. Our explanation of what is required to add a virtual cockpit in FSX covers that limitation in detail.