How do I use VR in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

To use VR in Microsoft Flight Simulator on PC, connect a compatible headset, activate its OpenXR runtime, launch the simulator in 2D, load a flight, then press Toggle VR Mode—Ctrl+Tab is the usual default. Centre the cockpit view and fly with a yoke, joystick, gamepad or supported motion controllers.

Which Microsoft Flight Simulator versions support VR?

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024 both support PC VR through OpenXR, but console support depends on the platform.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 was never released for PlayStation. For headset compatibility, runtime selection and connection methods, consult our PC VR compatibility and setup checklist.

How do I enter VR mode on PC?

The reliable method is to establish the headset connection before opening Microsoft Flight Simulator, then switch to VR after reaching the cockpit.

1. Connect and wake the headset. Start the headset manufacturer’s PC software and confirm that its home environment or status panel recognises the headset.
2. Select the correct OpenXR runtime. Make the runtime associated with your chosen headset connection active. The runtime follows the headset, not the store where you bought Microsoft Flight Simulator; owning the Steam edition does not automatically mean SteamVR must be the active runtime.
3. Launch the simulator normally. Start in desktop mode, choose an aircraft and airport, and load into the cockpit. VR can also be entered from menus, but starting from the cockpit makes centring and control checks easier.
4. Toggle VR mode. Press Ctrl+Tab. If nothing happens, open Controls Options, search for VR, and assign Toggle VR Mode to a convenient keyboard, joystick or yoke button.
5. Centre the view. Sit in your normal flying position, face straight ahead and use the reset VR position or reset VR view command. Search for Reset VR in Controls Options if it is unassigned or named slightly differently in your simulator version.
6. Check interaction and audio. Test the mouse, primary flight controls and headset audio before departure. Selecting the headset as the Windows audio device before starting the simulator avoids many cases where sound remains on the speakers.

Bind both VR toggle and view reset to physical controls you can find without removing the headset. Reaching blindly for the keyboard every time the viewpoint shifts becomes awkward during an approach.

Which controls work best in Microsoft Flight Simulator VR?

A yoke or joystick, throttle and rudder pedals provide the most dependable VR control because their physical positions remain familiar when you cannot see your desk.

• Yoke or HOTAS: best for primary flight controls and frequently used functions such as trim, flaps, brakes and view reset.
• Mouse: practical for cockpit switches, avionics and toolbar panels. Move the mouse to wake the VR pointer and make sure the simulator window has desktop focus.
• Motion controllers: useful for direct cockpit interaction where supported, although behaviour varies between aircraft and individual controls.
• Gamepad: workable when desk space is limited, but less precise than dedicated flight controls.

A mistake we see constantly is assigning every cockpit function before trying VR. Bind only the controls needed for take-off, flight and landing first, then add commands you genuinely reach for during normal operation.

Why is Microsoft Flight Simulator VR not working?

Most VR start-up failures come from an inactive OpenXR runtime, an unrecognised headset or a missing control binding rather than the aircraft itself.

Older Windows Mixed Reality headsets have an extra limitation: newer Windows releases removed the WMR platform. Such a headset therefore needs both compatible hardware and a Windows installation that still supports its original runtime.

How do I make Microsoft Flight Simulator smoother in VR?

Reduce GPU load with render resolution and cloud settings, then reduce CPU load with Terrain Level of Detail and Object Level of Detail.

• Change one resolution control at a time. If the OpenXR runtime exposes its own resolution setting, avoid lowering that and the simulator’s Render Scaling simultaneously until you know which one is responsible for lost clarity.
• Reduce clouds, reflections and glass-cockpit refresh demands when the GPU frame time is the problem.
• Reduce Terrain LOD, Object LOD and traffic when performance is limited by the CPU’s main thread.
• Test motion reprojection both enabled and disabled. It can smooth head movement, but propellers, cockpit edges and moving windows may show artefacts.
• Use upscaling cautiously. It can recover performance, but small avionics text and distant runway markings may become blurred or unstable.

Our step-by-step MSFS 2024 VR tuning process explains how to establish a stable baseline before adjusting resolution, LOD, clouds and reprojection. If acceptable settings still overwhelm the graphics card or its memory, our flight-simulator VR GPU guidance identifies the hardware limits that matter most.