Set up MSFS 2024 eye tracking on PC with Tobii calibration, centring and camera tuning, plus fixes for drift, jitter and detection problems.
Yes. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 supports eye tracking on PC, most directly through compatible Tobii hardware and software. Install and calibrate the tracker first, launch its software before the simulator, enable the Tobii tracking controls, bind a centre/reset command, then tune gaze sensitivity, head movement, dead zones and smoothing.
This setup is PC-only. The Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 editions do not expose the same desktop Tobii integration, so connecting a USB eye tracker to a console is not enough to make it work.
What eye trackers work with MSFS 2024?
A compatible Tobii desktop tracker, commonly the Tobii Eye Tracker 5, provides the most direct eye- and head-tracking route in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. TrackIR is also supported as a viewing system, but it follows a reflective clip or active emitter rather than your eyes.
| Option | What MSFS receives | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Compatible Tobii tracker | Combined gaze and head movement | You want genuine eye tracking with hands-free cockpit viewing |
| TrackIR | Head movement only | You already own TrackIR or prefer predictable head-controlled movement |
| Another tracker through middleware | Usually translated head-tracking data | Your device has no direct MSFS integration but can output a supported tracking protocol |
Middleware such as OpenTrack can make some unsupported devices appear as a head tracker, but that does not guarantee native gaze tracking. Compatibility depends on what the tracker and its software can output.
How do I set up Tobii eye tracking in MSFS 2024?
- Mount and align the tracker. Place it centrally below the main display unless its manufacturer specifies another position. A tracker angled away from your face may calibrate successfully but lose your eyes when you look towards the corners.
- Install the required Tobii software. Use the software supplied for your model, including its driver, background service and any game-integration component it requires. Restart Windows if the installer requests it.
- Calibrate from your normal flying position. Sit at the height and distance you use in the simulator, wearing your usual glasses or contact lenses. Recalibrate after moving the display, tracker or seat.
- Check tracking outside the simulator. The Tobii application should recognise both eyes and follow your head consistently. If this test fails, changing MSFS camera settings will not fix it.
- Remove competing tracking inputs. Close TrackIR, OpenTrack and similar utilities unless one of them is deliberately supplying the tracking signal. Running native Tobii input and a virtual TrackIR output together can produce doubled movement, shaking or sudden view changes.
- Start the tracker software before MSFS 2024. Load a flight and test from the cockpit. In the simulator's control and camera settings, search for
Tobii,Eye TrackingandHead Tracking; exact labels and grouping can move between simulator updates. - Assign tracking controls. Bind an accessible button to centre or reset the view, and another to pause or toggle tracking if those commands are available. A yoke, stick or throttle button is easier to reach than the keyboard when the view moves unexpectedly.
- Establish the correct cockpit eyepoint. Position the untracked camera at your normal seat location, enable tracking, look straight ahead and centre it. If the base eyepoint is wrong, use our instructions for saving a correctly positioned cockpit camera view before adjusting sensitivity.
A mistake we see constantly is calibrating while leaning towards the monitor, then sitting back to fly. The tracker treats that new posture as an offset, leaving the pilot's view too high, low or sideways.
Which eye-tracking settings should I change first?
Begin with restrained gaze movement and moderate head movement, then change one control at a time. Copying another pilot's numbers rarely works because monitor size, viewing distance and head mobility alter the result.
- Gaze sensitivity: Keep this low enough that reading an instrument does not drag the whole camera towards it. Human eyes make small, rapid movements that become obvious when gaze response is excessive.
- Head yaw and pitch: Increase these until you can check side windows and overhead controls without straining, but avoid making small head movements produce large camera swings.
- Dead zones: Add a small central dead zone if the forward view will not remain still. Too much creates a noticeable step when tracking begins.
- Smoothing: Use only enough to remove visible jitter. Heavy smoothing makes the cockpit view lag behind your head and can feel worse during landing.
- Roll: Reduce roll response if normal head tilts make the horizon wobble. Not every tracking profile exposes this separately.
For a fuller explanation of response curves, calibration and drift correction, see our guide to tuning head and eye tracking for flight simulation.
Why is eye tracking not working or drifting?
The tracker works on the desktop but MSFS does not see it
Restart the tracking service before launching MSFS 2024 and make sure only one tracking pipeline is active. Confirm that the simulator is fully updated, try a direct PC USB connection rather than an unreliable hub, and check that tracking has not been disabled in the camera or control profile.
If Tobii controls do not appear at all, treat it as a detection or software problem rather than a sensitivity problem. Our Tobii cockpit detection and conflict checklist covers the next diagnostic steps.
The cockpit view drifts or starts off-centre
Recalibrate the tracker, load the intended cockpit camera, adopt your normal posture and press the centre/reset binding while looking straight ahead. Also confirm that the tracker has not shifted on its mount and that a saved camera view is not introducing an unwanted offset.
The view shakes or moves twice as far as expected
Duplicate native and virtual tracking inputs are the usual cause of exaggerated movement. Disable either the Tobii integration or the TrackIR/OpenTrack output, then lower gaze sensitivity and add a small amount of smoothing if minor jitter remains.
Strong reflections, direct sunlight and an outdated calibration can also interrupt eye detection. If you alternate between glasses and contact lenses, separate calibrations may be more reliable.
Mouse free look keeps overriding the tracker
Mouse free look and active tracking can both command the cockpit camera, causing jumps or a view that refuses to centre. Release the free-look command before resetting the tracker, or pause tracking while arranging a custom camera angle.
Does eye tracking operate cockpit switches?
Eye tracking primarily controls the camera view; looking at a switch does not normally activate it. Cockpit interaction still uses the mouse, controller or assigned hardware controls, although individual accessibility or gaze features may behave differently.
Can I use TrackIR instead of eye tracking?
Yes, TrackIR is a good alternative when you want reliable head-controlled viewing without gaze input. It needs its own camera, tracking clip, software profile and centre command; our MSFS 2024 TrackIR setup instructions cover that separate configuration.