How do I show or hide AI aircraft labels in FSX?

In FSX and FSX: Steam Edition, press Ctrl+Shift+L to show or hide AI aircraft labels. You can also open Options > Settings > Display, select the Traffic tab and change the aircraft-label setting there. Labels cannot appear for AI traffic that has not loaded.

How do I toggle FSX AI aircraft labels?

The default Ctrl+Shift+L command switches all aircraft labels on or off during a flight.

1. Load a flight where AI aircraft are present.
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+L once to change the label state.
3. Press it again when you want to reverse the change.

Our reference for FSX keyboard commands covers this shortcut and other view, aircraft and simulator controls.

How do I change labels through the FSX menus?

The Traffic display settings provide a persistent way to enable labels and customise the information they contain.

1. Open the menu bar by pressing Alt if it is hidden.
2. Go to Display settings through Options > Settings > Display.
3. Select the Traffic tab and find the aircraft-label controls.
4. Enable or clear Show aircraft labels, then choose the available label details and colour as required.
5. Apply the change and return to the flight.

The stock controls apply globally; FSX does not provide a standard command for hiding the label above one selected AI aircraft while leaving every other label visible.

Why are AI aircraft labels still not showing?

When the setting is enabled but no labels appear, first establish whether FSX is actually drawing AI aircraft.

• No AI traffic is loaded: labels cannot create aircraft. Check the airline and general-aviation traffic sliders, installed schedules and aircraft models. Our AI traffic restoration checks cover the main causes of an empty airport.
• The shortcut was reassigned: open the Controls settings and look for the aircraft-label display/hide command. Restore its default assignment or bind another unused key combination.
• An add-on intercepts the keys: test the menu setting directly. If that works, the labels are fine and the conflict is limited to the keyboard command.
• The aircraft is static scenery: scenery models placed to resemble parked aircraft are not AI traffic and do not receive FSX aircraft labels.
• The aircraft is not being rendered: labels do not force traffic to appear beyond FSX's object-drawing limits.

Does the same shortcut control multiplayer labels?

The shortcut may toggle the general aircraft-label display, but multiplayer visibility can also depend on the session and its settings. If AI labels work but online player tags do not, use our multiplayer aircraft-label troubleshooting rather than changing AI traffic density.