Fix an MSFS 2020 control profile that won’t save: create a custom preset, validate bindings, select the right device and use Apply & Save.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 usually will not save control changes when you are editing a protected Default preset, have the wrong controller selected, or leave Controls Options without choosing Apply & Save. Duplicate the preset into a custom profile, make the binding, validate it, then use Apply & Save before changing device or screen.
What stops MSFS 2020 control profiles from saving?
Most save failures come from the preset state, device selection or an unfinished binding edit—not from a damaged installation.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The Default profile cannot be edited or renamed | Built-in presets are protected | Open Preset Manager and duplicate Default into a custom preset. |
| Bindings disappear after leaving Controls Options | The assignment was not validated, or Apply & Save was skipped | Choose Validate in the assignment window, then Apply & Save on the main controls screen. |
| The profile exists but has no effect | Another preset or physical device is selected | Select the correct device tile and make the custom preset active. |
| The profile appears to vanish after restarting | Account synchronisation failed, the wrong account is signed in, or the controller was recognised as another device instance | Check the signed-in Microsoft/Xbox account and reconnect the original controller configuration. |
| Apply & Save is unavailable | No completed change is waiting to be saved | Finish the binding dialogue with Validate and confirm that an editable custom preset is active. |
How do I save a custom control profile correctly?
The reliable method is to create an editable device preset and commit both the individual assignment and the Controls Options screen.
- Open Controls Options. From the main Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 menu, open Options and then Controls Options.
- Select the physical device. Choose the keyboard, mouse, gamepad, throttle or joystick tile across the top. Profiles belong to individual devices; they are not one global set of controls.
- Create an editable preset. Open Preset Manager, duplicate the built-in
Defaultpreset and give the copy a recognisable name. If a named custom preset is already active, you can continue using it. Our device-specific preset creation and switching steps explain this part in more detail. - Make and validate the binding. Select the command, scan or enter the input, and choose Validate. Closing the assignment window without validating it abandons that edit.
- Choose Apply & Save. Use the button on the main Controls Options screen before pressing Back, changing devices or closing the simulator.
- Verify the active preset. Leave Controls Options, return to it and confirm that the custom profile name and binding are still selected.
A mistake we see often is saving a profile name in Preset Manager but not applying the actual binding changes afterwards. Profile creation and control assignment are separate operations in the interface.
Why does a saved control profile disappear after restart?
A profile that disappears after restarting is usually inactive, attached to another device instance or unavailable through the signed-in account’s synchronised data.
- Wrong preset selected: creating a profile does not help if MSFS switches back to
Default. Select the custom preset from the device’s profile selector. - Wrong device selected: keyboard, gamepad, joystick and throttle profiles are stored separately. Two identical controllers may also appear as separate devices.
- Hardware identity changed: reconnecting through another hub or USB arrangement can cause Windows and MSFS to expose the controller as a different instance. The old profile may still exist under the original instance.
- Different account or interrupted synchronisation: profile persistence is associated with the Microsoft/Xbox account and synchronised settings. Verify the account before deleting local or cloud data.
- Forced shutdown: if the simulator crashed immediately after editing controls, repeat one test change, apply it and exit normally through the menus.
Before resetting synchronised data, record any important assignments. MSFS profiles are not always portable files that can simply be copied elsewhere; our explanation of what MSFS can actually back up and restore covers the limitations.
Are MSFS 2020 control profiles aircraft-specific?
MSFS 2020 control presets are primarily tied to input devices, not automatically to individual aircraft.
You can create separate presets such as “Cessna”, “Airliner” and “Helicopter”, but you must select the intended preset for each device when changing aircraft. A saved profile may therefore look ineffective simply because another device preset remains active.
What if Apply & Save still does not work?
If a fresh custom preset cannot retain one test binding, isolate the device, profile and synchronisation state before reinstalling the simulator.
- Test a fresh profile. Duplicate
Default, assign one recognisable non-axis command, validate it and apply the change. If this works, rebuild the older custom profile rather than continuing to edit it. - Check for duplicate devices. Temporarily disconnect unneeded controllers and confirm that you are editing the device which responds to input.
- Review conflicting assignments. A conflict may not prevent saving, but it can make a successfully saved control appear broken. Use a clean joystick assignment and conflict check for axes or buttons that still behave incorrectly.
- Restart after a confirmed save. Apply the test change, return to the main menu, close MSFS normally and relaunch it under the same account.
- Reset only as a last resort. Record working bindings first. Reinstalling is rarely the first fix because synchronised profile data can restore the same faulty or inactive preset.