How do I import, export and back up DCS World control profiles?

In DCS World, export a controller profile from Options > Controls by selecting the aircraft and one device column, then choosing Save Profile As. Import it with Load Profile into the matching device column. For a complete backup, close DCS and copy the active Saved Games\DCS\Config\Input folder.

Which DCS controller backup method should you use?

Use the Controls screen for one device and aircraft; copy the complete Input folder when you need a recoverable backup of every custom binding.

DCS profiles are not one universal control preset. Bindings are stored separately for each aircraft or multicrew role and each input device, so a HOTAS with a separate stick and throttle requires at least two exports per aircraft.

How do I export a DCS controller profile?

A DCS export saves the bindings for one selected hardware column within the chosen aircraft or role.

1. Open the Controls page. From the DCS World main menu, open Options and then Controls.
2. Select the exact aircraft or role. Multicrew positions such as pilot and rear cockpit can have separate control sets, so confirm the entry shown at the top of the page.
3. Select the device column. Click its column heading or a binding cell within that column. Do not leave the keyboard, mouse or another controller selected.
4. Choose Save Profile As. Save the resulting .diff.lua file somewhere outside the DCS installation. A name containing the aircraft, device and backup date is easier to identify later.
5. Repeat for every device. Export the stick, throttle and pedals separately, along with keyboard or mouse profiles if you have customised them.

The exported file contains differences from that module's default commands rather than an independent copy of every control definition. Axis curves, inversion and saturation settings are normally part of the device profile, but a complete Input-folder backup is still safer.

How do I import a DCS controller profile?

Import a profile by selecting its intended destination device column before using Load Profile.

1. Open Options > Controls and choose the same aircraft or role for which the profile was created.
2. Select the destination controller. For example, select the new joystick column before importing the old joystick file. The selected column determines where the bindings go; the filename does not.
3. Choose Load Profile and open the relevant .diff.lua file.
4. Repeat for the other devices, taking care not to load a throttle profile into the stick or pedal column.
5. Check axes and modifiers, press OK and test the controls in a simple mission before joining a longer flight.

Loading a profile does not guarantee that unwanted automatic assignments have disappeared. Check Pitch, Roll, Rudder, Thrust and wheel-brake axes across every connected controller; duplicate axis assignments are a common cause of jumping throttles and controls that fight the pilot. Our walkthrough for assigning and tuning a DCS HOTAS covers the clean-up and axis-tuning work.

How do I back up every DCS World controller profile?

The complete control backup is the active Config\Input directory under the Windows Saved Games folder, not the Input files inside the DCS installation.

Its usual location is:

%USERPROFILE%\Saved Games\DCS\Config\Input

The DCS branch name can differ, particularly on systems retaining an older DCS.openbeta Saved Games directory. If more than one exists, change a harmless binding, press OK and check which Input folder receives the updated timestamp.

1. Close DCS World. Press OK after any control changes, then exit before copying files.
2. Open the active Saved Games branch. Find its Config\Input folder.
3. Copy the complete Input folder. Store it on another drive or in a versioned backup location.
4. Keep dated snapshots. Make a fresh copy before a Windows reinstall, major hardware change or extensive rebinding session.

This folder includes the per-aircraft .diff.lua files and related input data such as custom modifier definitions. A single device export should not be treated as a substitute for the complete folder when modifier-based bindings matter.

How do I restore the full Input folder?

Restore a full backup by replacing the inactive Input directory while DCS World is closed.

1. Run DCS once if it is a fresh installation, then close it so the correct Saved Games branch exists.
2. Protect the present configuration. Rename the existing Input folder to something such as Input-before-restore.
3. Copy the backed-up Input folder into the active Saved Games\DCS\Config directory.
4. Launch DCS and inspect Controls. Profiles should be recognised automatically when the aircraft, device name and Windows device identity still match.

Replacing the folder gives an exact restore. Merge folders only when you need to retain profiles created after the backup; merging can leave obsolete files belonging to disconnected controllers.

Why are DCS bindings missing after a restore?

Bindings usually remain missing because DCS is reading another Saved Games branch, the controller identity changed, or the wrong aircraft or role is selected.

• Changed device GUID: DCS filenames include the controller's Windows identity. A driver change, Windows reinstall or hardware replacement can produce a new identity, so the old file is no longer loaded automatically. Select the new device column and use Load Profile to import the old file through the Controls screen.
• Wrong aircraft or seat: Profiles from one module or multicrew role do not automatically appear in another.
• Missing modifier: A profile can reference a switch configured as a modifier. Restore the complete Input folder or recreate that modifier before judging the imported bindings.
• Missing virtual controller: Profiles assigned to a virtual device depend on the controller software recreating that device. Restoring only the DCS files cannot do this.
• Changed module commands: Because .diff.lua files record differences from module defaults, a changed or removed command may fail to transfer. Rebind any affected control rather than forcing an unrelated command.
• Duplicate automatic axes: DCS may assign pitch, roll, rudder or thrust to several USB devices. Clear only the incorrect assignments and retain the imported profile.

Can one DCS profile work with every aircraft or controller?

No. DCS World control profiles are tied to an aircraft or role and are most reliable when transferred to the same controller model. A file loaded onto different hardware may map button numbers to the wrong physical switches or refer to axes the replacement device does not have.

Build a fresh profile when the new hardware differs substantially, using the old assignment list as a reference. Helicopters also require module-specific decisions about cyclic, collective, pedals and trim; our guide to helicopter-specific axes, trim and device setup explains those differences.

DCS profile backups do not preserve Windows joystick calibration, controller firmware settings or mappings created in external controller software. Back those up separately using the relevant software's own export facility.