Fix a FlyByWire flyPad not working in MSFS: diagnose a black, missing, frozen or unclickable tablet and repair power or installation faults.
The FlyByWire flyPad usually stops working because the wrong A320 is loaded, the tablet is off or discharged, the A32NX installation is outdated or duplicated, or another Community add-on is conflicting. In Microsoft Flight Simulator, identify whether the tablet is missing, black, frozen or merely ignoring clicks before reinstalling anything.
What does each flyPad symptom mean?
The symptom is the quickest way to separate an aircraft power problem from a broken A32NX installation.
| Symptom | Likely cause | First action |
|---|---|---|
| Tablet completely missing | Wrong Airbus selected or incomplete A32NX package | Confirm that the loaded aircraft is the FlyByWire A32NX |
| Tablet present but black | Tablet off, discharged or set to very low brightness | Start with the aircraft powered and use the bezel power control |
| Stuck on its logo or loading screen | Outdated files, duplicate packages or an add-on conflict | Update A32NX and test it with a clean Community folder |
| Screen visible but not responding | Mouse focus, cockpit interaction mode or controller input problem | Test with a mouse and restore focus to the cockpit |
| Only maps, charts or imports fail | Online account, connection or optional integration problem | Do not reinstall the aircraft while the rest of the flyPad works |
How do I fix a black or missing FlyByWire flyPad?
Fix the flyPad in the following order so that a simple aircraft-selection or power mistake does not turn into an unnecessary reinstall.
- Confirm the aircraft. The flyPad belongs to the FlyByWire A32NX, not the stock A320neo or another Airbus. A mistake we see constantly is loading a similar-looking aircraft or livery and expecting the FlyByWire tablet to be present.
- Test with the aircraft already powered. Load the A32NX once with the engines running, then press the tablet's bezel power control. If it starts, the installation is sound and the original problem was the cold-and-dark electrical state, tablet battery or brightness. When battery simulation is enabled, a discharged flyPad may need aircraft power before it will remain on. Our flyPad power and setup walkthrough covers its normal controls without repeating them here.
- Use the package intended for your simulator. MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 can use different active content paths and compatible builds. Follow the correct A32NX installation process for MSFS 2020 or the MSFS 2024 package and compatibility checks. Do not copy an old MSFS 2020 installation into MSFS 2024 and assume it will work.
- Update and restart properly. Close Microsoft Flight Simulator to the desktop, update the selected A32NX branch through the FlyByWire Installer, and restart the simulator. Returning only to the main menu may leave old aircraft code loaded.
- Remove duplicate and conflicting packages. Quit the simulator and move every third-party package except A32NX out of the active
Communityfolder. Check for an older manually installed A32NX copy as well. Renaming a conflicting folder while leaving it insideCommunityis not a reliable test; move it outside the folder. - Perform a clean A32NX reinstall. If the tablet remains missing or frozen, uninstall A32NX through its installer, verify that no second copy remains in the active
Communityfolder, and install it again. Do not merge new files into an old aircraft directory or place the package inside an extra nested folder.
The Community-folder procedure applies to PC. A PC add-on package cannot simply be copied to Xbox or PlayStation; a tablet in a different console Airbus is not necessarily the FlyByWire flyPad.
Why is the flyPad visible but not clickable?
A visible, animated flyPad that ignores input usually has an interaction or focus problem rather than a failed aircraft installation.
- Test it with a physical mouse before troubleshooting a controller or VR pointer.
- Close toolbar windows and pop-outs, then click back inside the cockpit to restore simulator focus.
- Where the simulator offers it, try the other Cockpit Interaction System mode. A custom controller profile can also capture or continuously send cockpit interaction commands.
- Check another cockpit display. If every display ignores clicks, troubleshoot the simulator's input settings rather than reinstalling only A32NX.
- If the same behaviour affects other aircraft tablets in MSFS 2024, use our general EFB power and input checks to isolate a simulator-wide fault.
Does the flyPad need SimBridge or internet?
The basic flyPad interface, aircraft settings and local controls should load without SimBridge or a live internet connection once A32NX is installed correctly.
Some chart, map, weather, flight-plan and local-integration functions have their own connection, account or companion-software requirements. If the home screen and settings work but one online page does not, the flyPad itself is working; diagnose that feature's connection or authorisation instead.
Should I reinstall Microsoft Flight Simulator?
A full Microsoft Flight Simulator reinstall is rarely justified for a FlyByWire-only tablet fault.
Reinstall A32NX when the correct aircraft still has a missing or permanently frozen flyPad with every other Community add-on removed. Do not reinstall the whole simulator when an engines-running start restores the screen, clicks fail across every cockpit, or only one online flyPad function is unavailable.