How do I open and use the VFR map in MSFS 2024?
In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, the VFR map is the Map page in the Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), rather than the separate panel familiar from MSFS 2020. Open the EFB from the cockpit or top toolbar, select Map, then pan, zoom, centre on your aircraft and display your planned route.
Where is the VFR map in MSFS 2024?
The MSFS 2024 VFR map lives inside the EFB. The older instruction to press V may not work with a 2024 control profile because the principal moving map is now part of the tablet interface.
You can use the EFB as a floating panel from the toolbar or interact with the modelled tablet inside a supported cockpit. Our walkthrough of the EFB controls and applications covers the rest of the tablet beyond its map.
How do I open and use the VFR map?
Open the EFB, select its Map page and use the centre-aircraft control to find your position.
- Load an active flight. The map is most useful after the aircraft has spawned because it can then show your live position.
- Open the EFB. Move the pointer to the top of the screen and select the EFB from the toolbar, or click the tablet in the cockpit. On a controller, enter cursor mode and use the same toolbar; exact buttons depend on the active control profile.
- Assign a shortcut if required. Open Controls Options, search for
EFBand bind the EFB toggle to a convenient key or controller button. Bind it separately for each profile you use. - Select Map. If the EFB opens to another application, return to its application menu and choose the Map page.
- Find the aircraft. Use the centre or recenter control to bring the own-aircraft symbol back into view. Drag to pan and use the mouse wheel, touchscreen gesture or assigned controller input to zoom.
- Set useful map detail. Enable the available airport, navigation, airspace or weather information you need and disable layers that make the map difficult to read. Available filters can vary with the EFB mode and simulator update.
How do I show a VFR route on the map?
A route appears after you create or load an active flight plan in the EFB Flight Planner. Set the departure and destination, add any visual reporting points or intermediate waypoints, review the route, then apply or load it to the flight.
For the full planning sequence, including waypoint editing and checking that the route reached the aircraft, see our guide to building and loading routes with the built-in planner.
A line on the EFB map does not always mean the cockpit GPS or FMS has received the same plan. Some aircraft use their own avionics and require a separate transfer command or manual route entry, so verify the legs on the cockpit flight-plan page before departure.
Why is the VFR map or route not showing?
A missing map usually comes down to the EFB being hidden, the map being panned away from the aircraft, streamed data failing to load or the flight plan not being applied.
| Symptom | Likely cause and fix |
|---|---|
| No EFB or Map panel | Reveal the top toolbar or click the cockpit tablet. If neither is convenient, search the active control profile for EFB commands and assign a toggle. |
| Controls appear but the base map is blank | Allow time for map data to load, then check the simulator’s online functionality and network connection. Our explanation of MSFS 2024’s streamed data and internet requirements covers what can disappear when connectivity fails. |
| Aircraft symbol is missing | The map is often panned elsewhere or zoomed too far in or out. Select the centre-aircraft control and adjust the zoom. |
| Route line is missing from the EFB | No plan is active, or planner edits were not applied. Reopen Flight Planner, review the route and load or apply it to the flight. |
| Route appears on the EFB but not the G1000 or FMS | The EFB and aircraft avionics are using different plans, or the cockpit display is decluttered or at an unsuitable range. Transfer or enter the route, then check the navigation source and display settings; see our cockpit navigation-display and FMS troubleshooting if fields or controls still fail. |
Can I use the VFR map without a flight plan?
Yes. The EFB remains useful as a moving map without a route, showing the aircraft’s position and letting you inspect nearby airports or other available map features. For traditional pilotage, use it as a position check rather than keeping the aircraft permanently centred.
Will the autopilot follow the EFB route?
No, not merely because a route is visible on the EFB. The same route must be loaded into the aircraft’s GPS or FMS, the correct GPS/FMS navigation source must be selected, and the autopilot must be placed in the appropriate navigation mode.