Get free head tracking in MSFS 2024 with OpenTrack and a webcam. Follow the setup, fix detection issues, and learn the PC and console limits.
On PC, the simplest free head tracking for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is OpenTrack with an existing webcam. Use its face-tracking input, send the result through a TrackIR-compatible output, set centre and pause shortcuts, start tracking before MSFS 2024, then tune small head movements into larger cockpit views.
This route costs nothing if you already own a suitable webcam. It tracks head position rather than eye movement, and it is PC-only: OpenTrack cannot be installed on Xbox Series X|S or PlayStation 5.
How do I set up OpenTrack with a webcam?
Set OpenTrack to read your webcam, output tracking data that MSFS 2024 recognises, and start it before opening the simulator.
- Install and test OpenTrack. Connect the webcam, close any application already using it and confirm Windows has granted camera permission.
- Select the face tracker. Choose
neuralnet trackeras the input and select the correct webcam. The name can vary slightly between OpenTrack releases. - Choose the output protocol. Select
freetrack 2.0 Enhanced, which provides the TrackIR-compatible data expected by supported simulators. - Configure the axes. Begin with yaw and pitch. Add X, Y and Z translation after basic looking works; we usually leave roll disabled initially because excessive roll makes a cockpit view feel unstable.
- Adjust curves and filtering. A comfortable partial head turn should let you see towards the side window while your eyes remain on the monitor. Add a small central dead zone and modest smoothing rather than flattening the whole response.
- Assign centre and pause keys. Use shortcuts that do not conflict with MSFS camera commands. Sit normally, face the centre of the screen and press the centre key.
- Start tracking before MSFS 2024. Check that OpenTrack's pose values respond, then launch the simulator and enter a cockpit. Confirm TrackIR or head tracking is enabled in the simulator's camera options if that switch is shown.
Our detailed MSFS OpenTrack calibration and launch-order guidance covers curves, centring and device conflicts without requiring an aircraft-specific add-on.
Does OpenTrack go in the Community folder?
No. OpenTrack is a separate Windows application, not an MSFS package. Do not copy its program files or tracking libraries into the Community folder; it sends pose data to the running simulator instead.
Which free tracking method should I choose?
A webcam is the clearest zero-cost choice for most PC users, while phone-based tracking is useful only when the required mobile software is free and compatible.
| Method | Extra cost | Choose it when | Main compromise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webcam and OpenTrack | None if you own a webcam | You want the simplest free PC setup | Lighting and webcam frame rate affect stability |
| Phone and OpenTrack | Varies by mobile app | You have no webcam and the app can transmit supported pose data | Mounting, battery heat and network delay |
| DIY marker or LED tracker | Usually some hardware cost | You can build it and need better low-light tracking | More setup and not genuinely cost-free |
Webcam tracking is usually adequate for checking instruments, looking through turns and scanning the circuit. Dedicated hardware is more consistent in poor light and during fast movements; our comparison of webcam and dedicated head trackers explains when paying for one makes sense.
Why is OpenTrack not working in MSFS 2024?
Most failures come from the webcam being unavailable, the wrong output protocol, launch order or another tracking provider taking control.
- Nothing moves in OpenTrack: select the correct camera, allow desktop camera access and close video-call or capture software using the webcam.
- OpenTrack moves but MSFS does not: verify the TrackIR-compatible output, begin tracking before launching MSFS and restart the simulator after changing the output.
- The view moves backwards: invert only the affected axis in OpenTrack. Changing every axis together makes diagnosis harder.
- The camera jitters or drifts: improve front lighting, keep other faces out of frame, add a small dead zone and increase smoothing gradually.
- The view keeps snapping or fighting you: stop any second tracking application and check for conflicting free-look, reset-view or controller-stick inputs.
- Movement feels delayed: reduce excessive smoothing, improve lighting to avoid long webcam exposures and test a wired webcam before blaming MSFS.
A mistake we see constantly is tuning all six axes before yaw and pitch work reliably. Establish stable left-right and up-down movement first, then add leaning and forward movement one axis at a time.
Can I use free head tracking on Xbox or PS5?
The OpenTrack method is unavailable on consoles because Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 cannot run the required Windows tracking application in the background. Plugging a normal PC webcam into the console does not provide OpenTrack head tracking; console options depend on hardware and features explicitly supported by the simulator.
Head tracking also is not the same as virtual reality: it moves the flat-screen cockpit camera while you continue looking at a monitor or television. Our explanation of how head tracking differs from VR in Microsoft Flight Simulator covers the practical display, hardware and performance trade-offs.