Microsoft Flight Simulator Updated Sun, 13 Sep 2026 18:38:00 GMT 8 min read 527 views

How do I set joystick and controller sensitivity in MSFS?

By Ian StephensEditor-in-Chief

In short

Set MSFS joystick and controller sensitivity, dead zones, curves and reactivity in 2020 or 2024, with fixes for drift and missing menus.

To set joystick or controller sensitivity in Microsoft Flight Simulator, open Controls, select the physical device and active profile, then open Sensitivity or Axis Tuning. Tune each analogue axis separately: add only enough dead zone to stop drift, soften centre response if needed, keep throttle axes linear, save, and test in calm conditions.

Where are the sensitivity settings in MSFS 2020 and 2024?

In MSFS 2020, open Options > Controls Options; in MSFS 2024, open Settings > Controls. Select the joystick, yoke, pedals or gamepad first, because sensitivity belongs to the selected device and its active preset.

The button or panel may be labelled Sensitivity, Axis Tuning or shown as a response-curve editor, depending on the simulator version, platform and device. It is separate from the searchable list of control assignments. MSFS 2024 users who need the version-specific screen flow can follow our MSFS 2024 sensitivity-panel walkthrough.

MSFS 2020 is available on PC and Xbox only. MSFS 2024 is available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro, so the method used to focus, scroll and edit the panel varies even though the tuning principles are the same.

How should I perform MSFS axis tuning?

The reliable method is to verify the analogue binding first, establish a neutral baseline and change one setting at a time.

Select the physical device. A joystick, throttle, gamepad and pedal set each have separate assignments and sensitivity settings. If the device is missing or unassigned, use our device-selection, analogue-axis binding and conflict-removal steps before tuning it.
Create a custom profile. Duplicate the default preset rather than making every change in a general-purpose setup. Profiles such as GA joystick, Gamepad and Helicopter are easier to diagnose and restore. MSFS 2020 users can see how to save and switch device-specific presets.
Verify every axis binding. Pitch, roll and rudder must use proportional commands such as Elevator Axis, Ailerons Axis and Rudder Axis. A mistake we see constantly is binding a stick to separate left, right, up or down commands; those are digital inputs and produce only full deflection.
Check the live input. Move the control slowly through its full travel. The indicator should move smoothly, return to centre and reach both endpoints. Reverse the axis in its binding options if the indicator moves the wrong way.
Start from a neutral baseline. Use zero sensitivity adjustment, zero neutral offset, zero extremity adjustment and 100% reactivity. Add a dead zone only if the untouched control fails to remain centred.
Shape the centre response. For pitch, roll and rudder, move the sensitivity towards a negative value in small increments. Match both halves of a centred axis unless the hardware has a genuine asymmetry.
Save and test in flight. Use a familiar aircraft, calm weather, correct trim, no autopilot and no control assistance. Make sure the intended profile remains active. If a localised confirmation uses Ja instead of Yes, accept the affirmative option to apply the preset.

What do the MSFS sensitivity settings mean?

MSFS sensitivity settings alter how physical travel becomes simulated control movement; they do not repair bad calibration, electrical noise or duplicate bindings.

Setting	What it changes	When to adjust it
`Sensitivity -` and `Sensitivity +`	These control the negative and positive halves of a centred axis; they are not decrease and increase buttons. A negative value softens movement near the centre and steepens the outer part of the curve.	Use matching negative values when pitch, roll or rudder feels too lively around neutral. Move them back towards zero if the aircraft becomes abrupt near full travel.
`Dead Zone`	Ignores a region around the physical centre.	Increase it only until drift or centre jitter stops. Too much creates a numb area that prevents fine corrections.
`Neutral`	Offsets the neutral position or centre of the response curve.	Leave it at zero for correctly calibrated hardware. Do not use it to conceal a stick or pedal set that no longer centres properly.
`Extremity Dead Zone`	Changes the usable travel near an endpoint and where full simulated deflection is reached.	Adjust it carefully when the live indicator cannot reach an endpoint or reaches full input too early.
`Reactivity`	Controls how quickly the simulated axis follows the physical input.	Use 100% for a direct response. Lower values can smooth a short thumbstick, but values that are too low create noticeable control lag.

A softened curve does not automatically reduce maximum control authority: the outer portion normally becomes steeper so the axis can still reach full deflection. If maximum travel is missing, inspect calibration, bindings and extremity settings rather than adding more negative sensitivity.

What sensitivity should I use for a joystick, yoke or gamepad?

There is no universal best MSFS sensitivity preset, but these values provide a sensible first trial for healthy hardware.

Control	Starting centre curve	Starting dead zone	Reactivity
Long-travel yoke	Linear to about -15%	0–2%	100%
Desktop joystick	About -20% to -30% for pitch and roll	0–3%	100%
Gamepad thumbsticks	About -40% to -50% for pitch and roll	5–10%	70–90%
Twist rudder or pedals	About -20% to -30%	Lowest value that stops drift, often 2–5%	100%
Throttle, propeller or mixture lever	Linear	0%	100%

These figures refer to the MSFS 2020-style percentage controls. If MSFS 2024 presents a graphical curve instead, reproduce the general shape rather than expecting the numbers to map exactly. Hardware that centres perfectly should use a zero dead zone even where the table suggests a range.

Pitch often benefits from slightly more centre softening than roll because small elevator inputs create obvious attitude changes. Helicopter cyclic control usually needs a near-linear curve, minimal dead zone and high reactivity because continuous small corrections matter.

Keep throttle axes linear unless a particular aircraft provides its own detent calibration. Sensitivity is not a substitute for setting idle, reverse, climb or take-off detents inside an aircraft’s cockpit tablet or configuration system.

How do I tune an Xbox, PlayStation or 8BitDo controller?

Short gamepad sticks generally need a softer centre curve and slightly larger dead zone than a full-size joystick, regardless of the controller brand.

For an Xbox controller, begin around -40% sensitivity, use only enough dead zone to stop drift and reduce reactivity only if movement remains too abrupt. Our Xbox gamepad setup and drift guidance for MSFS 2024 also covers bindings and duplicate inputs.

An 8BitDo controller, sometimes searched for simply as an “8bit” controller, should be tuned as a gamepad if MSFS recognises its sticks as analogue axes. Some models can expose different input modes. If changing mode causes MSFS to show a new device entry, select it and create a new profile; sensitivity attached to the previous device entry will not automatically appear.

PlayStation controllers follow the same curve and dead-zone principles in MSFS 2024 on PS5 and PS5 Pro. MSFS 2020 was never released for PlayStation, so instructions claiming to expose its controller menu on PS5 do not apply to that version.

I cannot scroll down to the sensitivity settings — what should I do?

Do not keep scrolling through the command assignments: Sensitivity or Axis Tuning is a separate panel opened after selecting the physical device.

Select the hardware tile first. If Keyboard, Mouse or another peripheral is selected, the expected flight-axis controls may not appear.
Move focus into the panel. On PC, place the pointer over the inner sensitivity area and use the mouse wheel or drag its scrollbar. With a controller, move the highlight into the panel before using the stick or directional controls.
Clear any stuck UI input. A drifting gamepad stick, held button or second controller can continually move menu focus. Release the input or temporarily disconnect the unused device, then reopen Controls.
Close and reopen the menu. If focus remains trapped after changing between mouse and controller input, back out of Controls and enter it again with the preferred input device.
Check device recognition. If there is no sensitivity or axis panel at all, confirm that MSFS detects the hardware and that at least one analogue axis is available. Scrolling cannot reveal settings for a device the simulator has not recognised correctly.

Why are my MSFS controls still twitchy, drifting or limited?

If curve changes do not solve the problem, diagnose the raw signal, bindings and aircraft automation before making the sensitivity more extreme.

The axis moves while untouched: inspect its raw movement in the sensitivity graph or, on PC, in Windows game-controller properties. A small stable offset can be handled with dead zone; spikes, jumps and missing travel point to calibration, connection or hardware trouble.
The controls fight or jump: check every connected device for duplicate pitch, roll, rudder or throttle assignments. Also disable assisted rudder and other control assistance while testing.
Movement is only full left or full right: replace separate directional commands with the corresponding analogue axis binding.
Input feels delayed: raise reactivity. Adding more negative sensitivity softens the centre but does not remove response lag.
Small corrections are good but large ones snap: the centre curve is too heavily softened. Move sensitivity back towards zero so the outer section is less steep.
The cockpit control cannot reach full travel: verify physical calibration and the live endpoint first, then adjust the extremity setting carefully.
The axis runs backwards: use the binding’s reverse-axis option. A sensitivity curve cannot correct direction.
The aircraft still steers itself: check trim, autopilot state, yaw dampers where applicable and assistance options. These can modify a correctly configured input.
Changes appear to do nothing: confirm that you edited the right physical device and that its custom profile is active. Each joystick, gamepad, throttle and pedal set stores its own configuration.