Open aircraft doors in Microsoft Flight Simulator with Shift+E, custom bindings, EFB controls and MSFS 2024 exterior interactions.
In Microsoft Flight Simulator, park the aircraft, then press Shift+E on the default PC keyboard profile to toggle the main exit. If that fails—or for other doors—assign a door/exit command in the Controls menu or use the aircraft’s cockpit, EFB or external interaction. Only modelled doors can open.
How to open the main aircraft door
The generic exit control is the quickest method for aircraft that support it in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024.
- Park the aircraft: Set the parking brake. Complex aircraft may also require the engines to be stopped and the cabin depressurised.
- Try the default PC shortcut: Press
Shift+Eonce. Press it again to close the door. - Check from outside: Switch to an external view because some door movement is difficult to see from the pilot’s seat.
- Assign a control if necessary: Open the simulator’s Controls settings, select the active keyboard or controller profile, show all commands and search for
doorandexit. Bind the appropriate toggle, open or close command to an unused input. Our guide to finding and assigning simulator commands explains the same process for keyboards, controllers and button boxes.
On Xbox, and on PlayStation 5 in MSFS 2024, use the aircraft’s interactive controls or create a controller binding. Avoid replacing a flight-critical input; a button combination is usually safer when controller buttons are scarce.
Which door-opening method should I use?
The correct method depends on how the aircraft developer implemented its doors.
| Method | Best used for | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
Shift+E | The generic main exit on a default PC keyboard profile | Modified profiles and some aircraft ignore it |
| Door or exit binding | Controllers, button boxes and individually controlled exits | Command names vary, and the model must support the door |
| Cockpit or EFB control | Airliners and detailed add-on aircraft | May require electrical power and a safe aircraft state |
| External interaction | Supported MSFS 2024 aircraft in Character mode | Not every visible handle or door is interactive |
Detailed airliners often control doors through a cockpit panel, flight-management system or electronic flight bag (EFB). Look for a page labelled Doors, Ground, Services or Aircraft rather than repeatedly pressing the generic shortcut. A developer-coded door system can deliberately ignore Microsoft Flight Simulator’s standard exit event.
How do I open additional passenger or cargo doors?
Additional doors need either a numbered exit command or an aircraft-specific control.
Some aircraft retain the classic sequence of pressing Shift+E and then quickly pressing 2, 3 or 4. This is not universal in modern Microsoft Flight Simulator, and the number assigned to a door is determined by the aircraft model rather than its visible position.
If the numbered sequence does nothing, search the Controls settings for separate door or exit commands. For a complex aircraft, use its EFB or cockpit door page instead. Generic commands cannot animate a cargo hatch, canopy or service door that the developer did not configure.
Why won’t the aircraft door open?
A non-working shortcut usually means the door is unsupported, the command is unbound, or the aircraft uses its own door logic.
- No animated door: A door visible in the 3D model is not necessarily a movable component. Microsoft Flight Simulator cannot add an animation that the aircraft lacks.
- Wrong control profile: Confirm that you are editing the profile attached to the device you are actually using, and set the command filter to show all available controls.
- Input conflict: Remove duplicate assignments and make sure the keyboard focus is not inside an EFB search box, ATC window or other text field.
- Aircraft safety interlock: Detailed aircraft may block doors while moving, pressurised or running. Stop at the stand, apply the parking brake and follow the aircraft’s shutdown procedure.
- Electrical or hydraulic requirement: Powered cargo and passenger doors may need battery, external or hydraulic power, depending on the simulation.
- Aircraft-specific interface: If a door page exists in the cockpit or EFB, use it; the standard exit command may be intentionally disabled.
How do doors work in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024?
MSFS 2024 can let you operate supported doors from outside while using Character mode.
Approach the aircraft, aim at the supported handle or interaction point and use the on-screen interaction prompt. The displayed input depends on the active keyboard, controller and assistance profile, so there is no single exterior-interaction button that applies to every setup.
Opening a door and entering the cockpit are separate actions. If the door opens but you cannot board—or no entry prompt appears—see our explanation of Character mode, supported entry points and the Enter/Exit Aircraft binding.
Will boarding or a jetway open the door automatically?
Ground services may request or trigger a door, but automatic operation depends on aircraft integration.
Connecting a jetway does not guarantee that the passenger door will animate. Some aircraft expect you to open it through the EFB; others allow compatible ground-service software to control it. If you use GSX, our guide to boarding, ground services and door requests in GSX explains when manual door operation is still required.