Open aircraft doors in FSX, MSFS, Prepar3D and X-Plane using Shift+E, EFB controls or bindings, with fixes for doors that stay shut.
To open aircraft doors in a flight simulator, park the aircraft, set the parking brake, shut down the engines if required, then use the model’s clickable door control, EFB or assigned “Toggle Door/Exit” command. FSX and many Prepar3D aircraft use Shift+E; complex add-ons often use their own door page.
How do I open an aircraft door step by step?
Use the aircraft’s own cockpit or EFB control before trying a generic keyboard command.
- Park and secure the aircraft. Come to a complete stop and set the parking brake. Complex airliners may also require the engines to be shut down, the beacon switched off or the aircraft to be depressurised.
- Check the cockpit controls. Look for a door synoptic, overhead-panel switch, physical handle or cabin-control panel.
- Open the EFB or aircraft menu. Door controls are commonly placed under Ground, Services, Aircraft or Doors. Select the exact passenger, service or cargo door you need.
- Try the simulator command. Search the control settings for
door,exit,hatchorcanopy. Assign an unused key or controller button if the action has no binding. - Check the external view. Confirm that the door has animated and, in a complex aircraft, that the cockpit door indication has changed.
The same control normally closes the door. Always verify that all door annunciators show closed before engine start, taxi or pressurisation.
Which door command works in each simulator?
The correct door command depends more on the aircraft model than the simulator, but these are the usual starting points.
| Simulator | Usual method | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| FSX and FS2004 | Shift+E opens or closes the primary exit. | Secondary exits require a numbered sequence, and advanced add-ons may override it. |
| Prepar3D | Many aircraft retain the Shift+E system. | Complex aircraft often use a cockpit panel or EFB instead. |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024 | Use a clickable handle, EFB door page or an available aircraft-exit binding. | There is no reliable universal method across every aircraft, and some models have no animated doors. |
| X-Plane | Use the aircraft’s menu, EFB, cockpit handle or custom command. | Door commands are frequently aircraft-specific rather than global. |
| DCS and FlightGear | Use the module’s cockpit control or assigned canopy, hatch or door command. | The procedure varies considerably between aircraft. |
For the older Microsoft simulator, our full FSX keyboard-command reference covers the standard exit command and related ground controls. MSFS users can follow our aircraft-specific MSFS door instructions.
How do I open cargo and secondary doors?
In FSX and compatible Prepar3D aircraft, secondary exits usually open by following Shift+E with the exit number.
- Press and release
Shift+E. - Immediately press
2,3or4on the main number row. - Repeat the sequence to close that exit.
Do not assume exit 2 is always the cargo door; the aircraft developer decides what each number controls. If the sequence does nothing, the model may not define that exit or may use a custom door panel. Holding every key simultaneously, waiting too long before entering the number or using a numpad key assigned to views are common causes of failure.
Why won’t the aircraft door open?
A door that stays shut usually indicates an unsupported animation, an unmet aircraft condition or the wrong control method.
- The door is not modelled: some aircraft have painted door outlines but no movable door or cabin interior. No binding can add an animation that the model lacks.
- The add-on overrides the simulator command: study-level aircraft commonly require their EFB, FMS or cockpit door panel.
- An interlock is active: release cabin pressure, stop the aircraft, set the parking brake and complete the shutdown flow required by that model.
- Electrical power is missing: a powered door switch may need the battery, external power or an active aircraft system. Conversely, some EFB controls work without aircraft power.
- The binding is missing or duplicated: search all available controls rather than only assigned controls, then remove conflicting assignments.
- The keyboard has lost focus: close text-entry boxes and pop-up windows before trying the shortcut again.
Ground services and automatic door opening
Boarding services and the aircraft’s door animation are separate systems. A connected jetway or waiting baggage loader does not prove that the relevant door is open.
GSX can handle recognised doors on supported aircraft, but it may instead display a prompt asking you to operate a door manually. If it identifies the wrong exit or never detects an open door, check the aircraft profile and door mapping; our guide to GSX door and ground-service handling explains that workflow.