Set QNH in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 with the BARO knob or shortcut, choose hPa or inHg, switch to STD and fix altitude errors.
To set QNH in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, obtain the local pressure from in-sim ATIS, ATC or the airport METAR, then turn the aircraft's BARO control until that value appears. Use QNH below the transition altitude; select STD, 1013 hPa or 29.92 inHg, above it.
How do I enter the local QNH?
Use the pressure reported for the nearest relevant aerodrome, then enter it on every active barometric instrument.
- Obtain the pressure. Listen to the airport ATIS, use the altimeter setting issued by ATC or read the airport weather information shown in the simulator. Update it during the flight because destination QNH may differ from departure QNH.
- Identify the units. A METAR entry such as
Q1018means 1018 hPa.A2994, or an ATIS call of “altimeter 29.94”, means 29.94 inHg. Millibars and hPa use the same numerical value. - Find the BARO control. Rotate the knob or control labelled BARO, QNH or altimeter setting until the reported value is displayed.
- Check the indication. On the ground, correct QNH should make the altimeter indicate approximately the published aerodrome elevation above mean sea level. It should not read zero; that would be a QFE-style setting.
- Set the other instruments. In aircraft that model them independently, check the captain's, first officer's and standby altimeters.
The control's form depends on the cockpit:
| Aircraft panel | QNH control | Common trap |
|---|---|---|
| Analogue general aviation | Small knob on the altimeter; watch the pressure window | Turning the altitude bug instead of the pressure knob |
| Garmin glass cockpit | PFD control labelled BARO, sometimes combined with another rotary control | Adjusting the multifunction display rather than the primary flight display |
| Airliner | BARO/QNH selector on the EFIS panel, with a separate STD action | Leaving one side on STD or using the wrong unit |
If a Garmin knob, softkey or touchscreen field will not respond, work through our troubleshooting for unresponsive G1000 and FMS controls.
Can I set QNH automatically with a key or controller?
Yes. Search the MSFS 2024 controls for Set Altimeter and assign it to a keyboard, controller or joystick button; many keyboard profiles use B.
The command applies the simulator's local altimeter setting to compatible instruments. If it does nothing, check the active device profile, remove conflicting assignments and confirm that the aircraft does not use custom-coded avionics. Some complex aircraft update only selected instruments, so the cockpit BARO control remains the dependable method.
Do not rely on this shortcut to manage the transition to standard pressure. Confirm the displayed value and the STD annunciation yourself.
When should I change from QNH to STD?
Use local QNH below the published transition altitude, select STD when climbing through it, and restore local QNH when descending through the transition level.
Standard pressure is 1013.25 hPa, normally displayed as 1013, or 29.92 inHg. Transition altitude and transition level vary by country and airport and are not necessarily the same height, so follow the applicable chart or ATC procedure rather than assuming a universal altitude.
If the instrument only accepts the other unit, multiply inHg by 33.8639 to obtain hPa, or divide hPa by 33.8639 to obtain inHg. Round to the precision supported by the instrument.
Why is my altitude wrong after setting QNH?
Most large altimeter errors come from wrong units, stale pressure or an instrument left in STD mode. A 10 hPa error represents roughly 270 feet near sea level, so a modest pressure mismatch is enough to trigger an ATC altitude warning.
- 1013 or 29.92 remains displayed: STD mode is still selected. Exit STD before entering local QNH.
- The error appears near the destination: departure QNH is still set. Obtain the destination's latest in-sim pressure.
- The discrepancy is several hundred feet: check for hPa/inHg confusion, QFE instead of QNH, or a captain/standby mismatch.
- The shortcut does nothing: verify the active controls profile and the Set Altimeter binding, then use the cockpit control.
- GPS altitude does not exactly match: GPS reports geometric altitude, while the altimeter derives altitude from pressure. Temperature and the weather model can produce a difference without indicating a fault.
Set the correct pressure before capturing an assigned altitude. Barometric changes alter the displayed relationship between the aircraft and the selected altitude, while the exact autopilot reaction varies by avionics implementation; our explanation of barometric settings and altitude-hold procedure covers that follow-up problem.