How do I reset or clear all controller bindings in MSFS?

Microsoft Flight Simulator has no single command that wipes every binding across every connected device. Open Controls Options, select each joystick, yoke, throttle, pedals, gamepad, keyboard and mouse in turn, then restore its default preset, delete a custom preset or clear assigned inputs from a duplicated profile.

Can you clear all MSFS bindings at once?

No. MSFS stores bindings by device and profile, so resetting a joystick does not reset the throttle, pedals, keyboard, mouse, gamepad or any other recognised controller.

This applies to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The menu labels differ, and MSFS 2024 may separate controls into additional categories or aircraft-specific preset choices, but a complete reset still requires checking each device and every active control category shown.

A mistake we see constantly is resetting the main flight controller while leaving an Xbox pad, throttle quadrant or switch panel active. That forgotten device can continue sending throttle, rudder, brake, trim, camera or autopilot commands, making a successful reset look ineffective.

Should you reset, delete or clear the profile?

Choose the action according to whether you want the standard controls back or a genuinely blank starting point.

Reset to default does not mean clear. It repopulates the profile with Microsoft's standard assignments. Built-in default presets are commonly read-only, so duplicate one before making extensive changes.

How do I reset a controller profile to default?

Select the device in the controls screen, choose its built-in default preset or reset command, then save the change.

1. Open the controls screen. From the main menu, open Controls or Controls Options, depending on the MSFS version.
2. Select the correct device. Choose the joystick, yoke, throttle, pedals, gamepad, keyboard or mouse you want to reset.
3. Check the active preset. Open the preset or profile selector and note which custom profile is in use. In MSFS 2024, inspect any separate control categories or aircraft-specific selections shown.
4. Restore the default. Select the built-in Default preset or use the available reset-to-default command. If the problem is an unwanted custom preset, delete it and select Default afterwards.
5. Apply and save. Confirm the change before leaving the screen.
6. Repeat for every device. A full controls reset is not complete until every connected input device has been checked.

How do I make a completely blank controller profile?

Create an editable custom preset and remove every assigned input from it; MSFS does not provide a consistent one-button profile wipe for every device and version.

1. Select the device in Controls Options.
2. Duplicate an existing preset to create an editable custom profile, then give it an obvious name such as Blank Throttle or Clean Stick.
3. Use the profile's Clear command if your version provides one. Make sure it is acting on the custom profile rather than the built-in default.
4. Otherwise, filter for Assigned commands. This hides unbound commands and makes manual clearing much faster.
5. Remove every input slot. Some commands have both primary and secondary assignments, so clearing only the first slot may leave the command active.
6. Check every control category displayed for that device, particularly in MSFS 2024.
7. Apply and save the profile before changing devices or leaving the menu.

HOTAS units and switch-heavy throttles may have many automatic assignments, but retaining one blank preset gives you a reusable baseline. Our advice on building a clean WinWing profile without duplicate auto-bindings demonstrates the same method for complex hardware.

How do I start over across every connected device?

The safest complete rebuild is to isolate the controllers, restore or blank each profile, and reconnect the hardware one device at a time.

1. Disconnect unused hardware, including spare gamepads, VR controllers and older throttles that MSFS may still recognise.
2. Reset the keyboard and mouse if their bindings are also damaged. Keeping their standard profiles is usually safer than blanking them because they handle menus, views and basic interaction. You can compare the result with our reference list of default MSFS 2024 keyboard bindings.
3. Reset or blank the main flight controller, then do the same for its separate throttle and pedals.
4. Bind only the essentials first: pitch, roll, yaw, throttle, brakes and trim.
5. Test with a simple default aircraft before adding camera shortcuts, autopilot buttons and less-used switches.
6. Reconnect additional devices individually and test after each one appears in the controls screen.
7. Save clearly named profiles so the working baseline is easy to identify later.

Why are my controls still wrong after a reset?

A reset can appear to fail when the wrong profile is active, another device has a duplicate assignment, or the unwanted input originates outside the selected profile.

• Wrong profile selected: verify the active preset after loading the aircraft, particularly where MSFS 2024 offers aircraft-specific control choices.
• Duplicate axes: check throttle, rudder, steering, toe brakes and camera axes across every connected device. Two devices controlling one axis commonly cause jumping or incomplete movement.
• Hidden secondary bindings: inspect every input slot attached to the command, not just the first visible assignment.
• Reversed axis: if an axis moves smoothly but in the wrong direction, change its reverse setting rather than resetting the whole profile.
• Latching switch bound to Toggle: a physical ON/OFF switch can repeatedly fight a toggle command. Use separate set-on and set-off commands where the aircraft and control list provide them.
• Assistance options: assisted take-off, auto-rudder, AI piloting and similar aids can move or override controls without a duplicate binding.
• External mapping software: vendor utilities and virtual-controller software can generate inputs outside MSFS. Close them temporarily while testing.
• Physical axis noise: watch the input or sensitivity indicator without touching the controller. If it moves by itself, add a small dead zone or investigate the hardware.

Use Search by Input, where available, and press the troublesome button or move the axis. Repeat this on each device because the search normally applies to the controller presently selected. If a command seems absent, change the command filter from Essential to Assigned or All.

Unexpected system behaviour can also be a control conflict. A duplicate avionics master, battery or alternator binding may switch displays off immediately after loading; our blank-avionics troubleshooting checks cover that specific symptom.

What if none of that worked?

If none of that worked, stop resetting profiles and isolate whether the input comes from MSFS, another controller, an assistance option, external mapping software or the hardware itself.

1. Close MSFS completely and disconnect every optional controller.
2. Restart with only keyboard and mouse, load a default aircraft and check whether the unwanted behaviour remains.
3. Connect one controller, select a newly named clean profile and test it before attaching the next device.
4. Watch the input indicators while the controls are centred and untouched. Movement at this stage points to axis noise, calibration or a virtual input rather than an MSFS binding.
5. Disable assistance and mapping layers temporarily, then repeat the test.
6. Save, quit and relaunch to confirm that the selected profile and changes persist.

Control profiles may be synchronised through the account or platform cloud. That means reinstalling MSFS is not a reliable controls reset: the same profile can be downloaded again. If a deleted preset keeps returning, create a newly named clean preset and make sure it is active instead of deleting the simulator's entire cloud save, which may remove unrelated settings or progress.

If the fault occurs in only one aircraft, test another aircraft with the same device profile. A problem confined to one model points towards an aircraft-specific preset, unsupported command or aircraft system behaviour rather than a global controller reset failure.

Can I restore just one command instead?

Yes. Select the relevant device, search for the command by name or input, then clear or reassign only that button, key or axis and apply the change.

This is the better choice when one control is wrong. Once several axes or switches are conflicting, a fresh custom profile is usually faster and less error-prone than repairing the bindings individually.