How do I set joystick and controller sensitivity in MSFS?
Open Microsoft Flight Simulator’s control settings, select the joystick, gamepad, yoke or pedals you want to tune, then open its Sensitivity or axis-tuning panel. Adjust each flight axis separately, use a small dead zone only for drift, soften the centre response with the sensitivity curve, save a new profile, and test in flight.
Where are the sensitivity settings in MSFS 2020 and 2024?
In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, open Options > Controls Options; in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, open Settings > Controls. Select the physical device first, then open the available Sensitivity or axis-tuning controls for it. PC and console layouts place these controls differently, but the settings always belong to the selected device and active profile.
- Create a separate profile. Duplicate the default preset or make a new profile before changing anything. Useful names include
GA joystick,GamepadandHelicopter. - Select the correct device. A joystick, throttle, gamepad and rudder pedals each have independent settings. If the hardware is not recognised or its axes are not assigned, follow our device-recognition and basic joystick setup steps before adjusting sensitivity.
- Verify the axis bindings. Move each control and confirm that it is assigned to an analogue command such as
Ailerons Axis,Elevator Axis,Rudder Axisor the appropriate throttle axis. Commands such as aileron left and aileron right are digital inputs and cannot provide proportional control. - Open the sensitivity graph. Move the control slowly through its full travel. The live input should move smoothly, return to centre and reach both endpoints.
- Establish a baseline. Start with neutral and extremity adjustments at zero, reactivity at 100 and no dead zone. Add only the dead zone needed to stop unwanted movement.
- Shape the centre response. For pitch, roll and rudder, move the sensitivity towards a negative value in steps of five or ten. Keep both halves equal unless there is a genuine reason for an asymmetric curve.
- Save and test. Fly a stable aircraft in calm weather, trim it correctly and change one setting at a time. Confirm that the cockpit controls still reach full travel.
What do the MSFS sensitivity settings actually do?
The sensitivity controls change how physical movement is translated into a simulated control position; they do not recalibrate faulty hardware.
| Setting | What it changes | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
Sensitivity - and Sensitivity + | In the MSFS 2020-style panel, these represent the negative and positive halves of a centred axis. They are not decrease and increase buttons. | A negative value softens response around the centre but makes the outer part of the travel steeper. Use matching values for normal pitch, roll and rudder axes. |
Dead Zone | Ignores a region around the physical centre. | Increase it only until drift or centre noise stops. Excessive dead zone makes small corrections impossible. |
Neutral | Offsets the neutral point of the response curve. | Leave it at zero for a correctly centred stick, yoke or rudder. It should not be used to hide defective calibration. |
Extremity Dead Zone | Changes the usable travel near an endpoint and where full simulated deflection is reached. | Adjust it only while watching the graph, normally when the hardware cannot reach an endpoint or reaches it too early. |
Reactivity | Controls how quickly the simulated axis follows the physical input. | At 100, response is direct. Lower values can smooth a short gamepad stick, but very low reactivity creates noticeable lag. |
If an axis moves in the wrong direction, use the axis reversal option in its binding settings. Changing the sensitivity curve will not correct a reversed control.
What sensitivity should I use for a joystick or gamepad?
A sensible starting point depends on the control’s physical travel, centre quality and intended aircraft; there is no universal best preset.
| Control | Starting sensitivity | Starting dead zone | Reactivity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desktop joystick or yoke | About -20 to -30 for pitch and roll | 0–3% | 100% |
| Gamepad sticks | About -40 to -50 for pitch and roll | 5–10% | 70–90% |
| Twist rudder or pedals | About -20 to -30 | The lowest value that stops drift, often 2–5% | 100% |
| Throttle, propeller or mixture lever | Linear, or zero sensitivity adjustment | 0% | 100% |
These are first trials, not target values. If the hardware stays perfectly centred, use a zero dead zone even where the table suggests a range. Pitch often needs slightly more centre softening than roll because small elevator inputs produce obvious attitude changes.
A curve that is too negative feels precise near the centre but suddenly becomes aggressive near full travel. Move the sensitivity back towards zero if an aircraft is controllable during small corrections but snaps during a flare or steep turn.
Helicopters generally need a near-linear response, minimal dead zone and high reactivity because continuous small corrections matter. Use a dedicated profile and our helicopter control configuration guidance rather than reusing an aggressively softened fixed-wing curve.
Keep throttle axes linear unless an aircraft provides its own detent calibration. Sensitivity is not a substitute for calibrating idle, reverse, climb or take-off detents inside the aircraft’s systems.
Why are the controls still twitchy, drifting or limited?
If sensitivity changes do not solve the problem, check the raw input, bindings and assistance settings before making the curve more extreme.
- The axis moves while untouched: on PC, check the raw joystick signal in Windows. A small steady centre offset can be handled with dead zone; spikes, jumps or missing travel usually indicate calibration, USB or hardware trouble.
- The controls fight or jump: another joystick, gamepad or pedal set may be assigned to the same axis. Disconnect unused devices or clear conflicting controller bindings and rebuild the profile.
- Movement is only full left or full right: the control is probably bound to button commands rather than an axis command. Replace the two directional bindings with the matching analogue axis.
- Input feels delayed: raise reactivity. Adding more negative sensitivity will not remove response lag.
- The control is gentle near centre but violent near the limit: the sensitivity curve is too aggressive. Move it closer to zero and retest.
- The cockpit control cannot reach full travel: inspect the live graph, verify hardware calibration and then adjust the endpoint or extremity setting carefully.
- The aircraft still steers itself: check trim, autopilot state and assistance options such as assisted rudder or take-off assistance. These can override or modify a correctly configured controller.
- Changes appear to do nothing: confirm that the edited profile is active for the selected device. Each joystick, gamepad, throttle and pedal set keeps its own sensitivity configuration.