Fix MSFS 2024 settings not saving with checks for Apply and Save, cloud sync, UserCfg.opt permissions, controller profiles and console data.
In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, choose Apply and Save, return to the main menu, and exit normally. If options still revert, update the simulator, verify that the correct platform account has finished syncing, then repair the PC’s local UserCfg.opt file or resolve the console’s saved-data conflict without deleting cloud data first.
Why do MSFS 2024 settings keep resetting?
MSFS 2024 settings usually reset because the simulator cannot write its local configuration, an account synchronisation restores an older profile, or the session ends before changes are committed. The affected setting tells you where to look.
| What keeps resetting | Likely cause | First check |
|---|---|---|
| Graphics and display options | Damaged or unwritable UserCfg.opt | File permissions and configuration regeneration |
| Controller bindings only | Wrong device preset, duplicate device or cloud profile | Selected custom preset for that controller |
| Assistance or account-related options | Profile synchronisation conflict | Correct account and completed cloud sync |
| Everything after a crash or forced exit | Changes were never committed | Normal shutdown and crash diagnosis |
| Settings alternate between computers or consoles | Two devices are uploading different profiles | Test with one device while the others are closed |
How do I make MSFS 2024 save settings correctly?
The quickest test is to change one obvious option, save it, shut down cleanly and reopen the simulator before changing anything else.
- Apply the change: use Apply and Save where that button is offered. Returning with a Back button or closing the window can discard changes on some option screens.
- Exit normally: return to the main menu and use the simulator’s quit command. Do not use Alt+F4, Task Manager, Quick Resume or a suspended console session during this test.
- Install pending updates: update both the simulator and its platform services. Our MSFS 2024 update checks for PC and console cover the different delivery methods.
- Confirm the account: make sure MSFS 2024 is using the expected platform and Microsoft/Xbox profile. On PC, the store or Steam identity and the account shown inside the simulator are not necessarily the same.
- Allow synchronisation to finish: do not dismiss a cloud-sync prompt or launch the simulator simultaneously on another device. If asked to resolve a conflict, choose the copy known to contain your last valid settings rather than selecting one blindly.
- Disable automatic optimisers temporarily: graphics-driver utilities and third-party configuration tools can reapply their own settings when the simulator launches. Turn off automatic optimisation while testing.
Which file should I reset on PC?
On PC, UserCfg.opt is the main file to repair when graphics or other local options refuse to persist. Its location varies between Microsoft Store, Xbox app and Steam installations, so use our guide to finding the correct MSFS configuration location rather than copying a path intended for another edition.
- Close everything: exit MSFS 2024 and its launcher completely.
- Back up the file: copy
UserCfg.optsomewhere safe. Record any custom package-library location before resetting it. - Check write access: open the file’s Properties and clear Read-only if it is selected. Confirm that your Windows account can create and remove a temporary file in the same configuration directory.
- Regenerate the configuration: rename
UserCfg.opttoUserCfg.opt.old, then launch MSFS 2024. The simulator should create a fresh file. - Run a controlled test: change one graphics option, apply it, exit normally and reopen the simulator.
If the new file saves correctly, the old configuration was damaged; re-enter your settings rather than restoring the whole old file. If no replacement file appears, or the fresh file still cannot be changed, Windows permissions, security software, folder redirection or Controlled Folder Access is probably blocking writes.
Do not edit the protected application installation directory or reinstall the simulator as the first response. Reinstallation can leave the same local and cloud configuration behind, while resetting UserCfg.opt isolates the problem directly.
Will deleting cloud saves fix settings that keep resetting?
Deleting cloud data is a last resort because it can remove controller profiles, preferences, logbook information or progression without fixing a local permission fault. Start by closing MSFS 2024, restarting the device and signing back into the same account.
On Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 or PS5 Pro, fully quit the simulator instead of resuming a suspended session. Let the platform finish synchronising, change one option and perform another normal shutdown. Clear a local saved-data copy only when you know a valid cloud copy exists; deleting data everywhere may be irreversible.
If settings remain correct until cloud synchronisation completes and then revert, the account profile is the likely source. Test from one device only so an older installation cannot upload another copy while you troubleshoot.
Why are only my controller bindings not saving?
Controller bindings use device-specific presets and can fail independently of graphics settings. A default preset may not accept permanent edits, while reconnecting hardware can expose a different or duplicated device profile.
- Select the intended joystick, yoke, throttle or controller before editing.
- Create or select a named custom preset rather than assuming the default preset was overwritten.
- Disconnect duplicate or unused controllers while testing.
- Save one binding, restart the simulator and confirm that the same preset remains selected.
If the control profile itself is corrupted, use our controller-binding reset and profile checks. Resetting UserCfg.opt alone may not repair bindings stored with the account profile.
What if settings still will not save?
The remaining symptom usually separates a permissions problem from a cloud-profile problem. A fresh UserCfg.opt that works proves the old local file was corrupt; a file that cannot be regenerated points to Windows access or security controls.
If changes disappear only after MSFS 2024 closes unexpectedly, fix that fault before repeatedly resetting options because the simulator may never reach a clean save point. Follow our MSFS crash and configuration troubleshooting sequence to isolate add-ons, caches and driver problems.
For persistent PC failures, use the platform’s repair or file-verification function before reinstalling. A temporary Windows user profile can also confirm whether the original user’s permissions or redirected folders are responsible, while testing the same Microsoft/Xbox account shows whether synchronised profile data is restoring the unwanted settings.