Reset graphics settings in MSFS 2024 safely on PC or console, including separate VR profiles, UserCfg.opt recovery and save fixes.
To reset graphics settings in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, open Settings, select General, then Graphics, choose the PC or VR profile you want to clear, and use Reset to Defaults or the equivalent on-screen command. Apply and save the change, then restart the simulator before rebuilding your settings.
How do I restore the default graphics settings?
The in-game reset command is the safest method because it changes graphics options without touching aircraft, add-ons, control bindings or downloaded content.
- Return to the main menu. You can open settings during a flight, but leaving the flight first reduces the chance of a restart-dependent option being left unapplied.
- Open the graphics menu. Go to Settings > General > Graphics, or the equivalent graphics page shown by your platform build.
- Select the correct profile. On PC, normal monitor and VR graphics settings are separate. Enter VR mode or select its profile if those are the settings you intend to reset.
- Restore the defaults. Use the displayed Reset to Defaults, Restore Defaults or equivalent controller prompt and confirm it.
- Apply and save. Use the on-screen apply command, leave the menu normally and restart Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
If you only need a clean performance baseline, selecting a preset such as Low, Medium, High or Ultra is usually enough. A preset rewrites the options governed by that preset; changing an individual option afterwards normally changes the preset status to Custom. Our practical baseline graphics settings for MSFS explain which options are sensible to adjust first.
Which reset method should I use?
Use the menu command for an ordinary reset, a graphics preset for quick performance tuning, and the configuration-file method only when the menu is stuck or corrupted.
| Method | Use it when | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Reset to Defaults | You want to undo manual graphics changes | Resets the selected in-simulator graphics profile |
| Choose a preset | You want a known Low, Medium, High or Ultra baseline | Replaces the options controlled by that preset |
Regenerate UserCfg.opt | The menu reset fails or the configuration is damaged | May reset settings beyond graphics and can require the package location again |
What if the graphics reset does not save?
A reset that disappears after restarting usually means the change was not applied, the configuration file cannot be written, cloud synchronisation restored an older copy, or an external optimisation utility changed it again.
First repeat the menu reset and exit the simulator normally. If the values still refuse to stay saved, follow our checks for unwritable settings, cloud conflicts and configuration recovery. If the settings change without your input after initially saving correctly, our guide to diagnosing graphics presets that repeatedly revert covers the likely causes.
How do I regenerate UserCfg.opt on PC?
Renaming UserCfg.opt forces Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 to create a fresh configuration file, but this is a broader reset than using the graphics menu.
- Close the simulator and its launcher completely.
- Locate the MSFS 2024 copy of
UserCfg.opt. Its folder varies by storefront and installation type, so confirm that you have not found the similarly named MSFS 2020 file. - Make a backup. If the file contains an
InstalledPackagesPathentry, record its value before continuing. - Rename the file. For example, change it to
UserCfg.opt.bakrather than deleting it. - Start the simulator. It should generate a replacement file. If asked where packages are installed, select the existing package location rather than downloading the content again.
Do not delete the Community folder or installed packages as part of a graphics reset. Safe Mode is also different: it temporarily excludes third-party content for troubleshooting but does not restore all graphics defaults.
Does resetting graphics also clear VR, controls or driver settings?
No. A graphics reset affects the selected in-simulator profile, not every setting that can influence the image.
- VR settings: PC and VR profiles are separate, so reset each one individually if required.
- Controls and assistance: Joystick bindings, sensitivity settings and assistance options are not normally cleared by the graphics-menu reset.
- Driver overrides: NVIDIA Control Panel changes remain active. If visuals still look wrong, check the driver-level NVIDIA settings separately.
- Add-ons and caches: Resetting graphics does not remove Community add-ons, reinstall the simulator or clear every shader and scenery cache.
Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 expose fewer graphics controls than PC. Use the console's restore-default command if one is displayed, but do not erase local or cloud save data merely to reset graphics; that can affect more than the visual options.