Press End to switch to cockpit view in MSFS 2024. Fix Drone Camera, walkaround mode, missing bindings and controller-profile problems.
To switch to cockpit view in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on PC, press End; it toggles between the external and cockpit cameras. If nothing happens, press Insert to leave Drone Camera first. Controller and custom profiles can differ, so search Controls for the cockpit/external-view command and check or assign its binding.
How do I return from external view to the cockpit?
The normal cockpit/external camera toggle is End on the default PC keyboard profile.
- Give the simulator focus. Click the main flight view and close any search box, chat field or panel that may be capturing keyboard input.
- Leave Drone Camera if necessary. If the camera flies independently of the aircraft, press
Insert. - Switch camera groups. Press
Endonce to move from the standard external camera to the cockpit.
On a compact keyboard, End may share a key and require Fn. If the shortcut still fails, compare your profile with the default MSFS 2024 keyboard camera bindings.
Why does the End key not switch to cockpit view?
MSFS 2024 treats the external flight camera, Drone Camera and walkaround mode as different systems, so End is not the correct exit command for every outside view.
| What you see | Camera state | How to return |
|---|---|---|
| The camera orbits the aircraft and follows it | Standard external view | Press End. |
| The camera moves freely and independently | Drone Camera | Press Insert, then End if the previous view was external. |
| You are standing beside the aircraft at a gate or parking position | Walkaround mode | Use the Enter/Exit Aircraft command, normally Shift+C on the standard keyboard profile. See our steps for getting inside when MSFS 2024 spawns you outside. |
| You are inside, but the viewpoint is against a window or behind a seat | Cockpit view with a displaced viewpoint | Use Reset Cockpit View or load a saved cockpit camera; End will only change camera groups. |
Another common cause is an edited control preset. Set the Controls filter to show all commands, not only assigned commands, and search for cockpit or external. Check that the cockpit/external toggle is assigned to the device profile actually in use and that no conflicting command shares the same input.
How do I bind cockpit view on a controller or joystick?
On Xbox, PlayStation 5 and custom flight controls, assign the cockpit/external-view toggle to an accessible button in the active device preset.
- Open Controls from the simulator settings.
- Select the correct device, such as the gamepad, joystick or keyboard you are using.
- Show all commands so unassigned actions are included in the results.
- Search for cockpit or external view and choose the command that toggles between those two camera groups. Do not select Drone Camera or Next Camera; they perform different actions.
- Assign and save the binding, then test it from the normal flight view.
Named controller buttons can differ between factory, accessibility and user-created presets, so the live binding shown in Controls is more reliable than assuming a particular Xbox or PlayStation button.
How do I centre or save the cockpit viewpoint?
Switching to cockpit view selects the correct camera group but does not restore a moved seat position automatically.
Use Reset Cockpit View for the standard pilot position, or adjust the cockpit camera and save a preset if you prefer a higher, lower or more forward eyepoint. Our guide to saving and recalling custom cockpit camera views explains the relevant commands without confusing them with external or drone views.
If you reach the cockpit but cannot look around with the mouse, that is a separate freelook or binding problem; follow these cockpit mouse-pan checks for MSFS 2024.