Set up YourControls in MSFS 2020 for shared-cockpit flying, connect host and client PCs, match aircraft profiles and fix common sync problems.
To use YourControls in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, every pilot runs the same YourControls release on a Windows PC, loads the same aircraft and matching profile, then one starts a host session and the others connect to it. After the initial state synchronises, assign one pilot control and test switches, axes and avionics before departure.
YourControls is a companion application that synchronises the simulator variables and events covered by an aircraft definition. It does not stream the host's simulator, supply another pilot with paid aircraft, or turn ordinary MSFS multiplayer into a shared cockpit.
You do not need to join the same MSFS multiplayer group. Standard multiplayer places each player in a separate aircraft; our explanation of MSFS multiplayer groups and visibility settings covers that separate mode.
How do you set up YourControls for a shared cockpit?
- Install the same YourControls release. Each pilot should obtain the desktop application from the project's official release source and extract it to a normal writable folder. Do not place the entire desktop application in the simulator's
Communityfolder. If a release includes a separate bridge package, install only that component as its supplied instructions direct; our MSFS 2020 add-on installation steps explain how normal Community packages differ. - Match the simulator and aircraft. Use the same Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 build, aircraft variant, aircraft add-on version and YourControls aircraft definition. Every participant must install the aircraft independently.
- Prepare matching flights. Load the same airport and parking stand, preferably cold and dark rather than on an active runway. Match the flight plan, weather, time, fuel, payload and assistance settings because the aircraft profile may not synchronise all of them. Using the same livery is recommended but is normally less critical than matching the aircraft variant.
- Select the correct aircraft profile. Start YourControls and confirm that it detects the running simulator. Choose the definition intended for the exact aircraft or variant being flown. A similarly named profile is not a safe substitute, especially with complex third-party aircraft.
- Start the host session. One pilot selects the application's host or server mode and starts listening on the configured port. That PC remains the authoritative host and must keep YourControls running throughout the flight.
- Connect the other pilot. On a local network, enter the host PC's local address and configured port. Across the internet, use the connection method supported by that YourControls release, such as a direct address or an available relay/session option.
- Wait for initial synchronisation. Do not start pressing switches as soon as the connection appears. Allow the initial state to settle, then compare the battery, avionics, lights, radios, engine state and control positions in both cockpits.
- Assign cockpit roles. Decide who is pilot flying and who is pilot monitoring. Use the application's control-transfer or permissions function where provided, and keep only the pilot flying active on the yoke, pedals and throttles.
- Perform a shared control check. Move each primary control once while the other pilot watches. Test several cockpit switches, radio changes and an autopilot input before taxiing; this exposes a wrong definition far more safely than discovering it during approach.
How do you connect YourControls over the internet?
A direct connection requires the host's firewall and router to accept traffic on the port configured in YourControls. Use the exact port and protocol specified by the installed release rather than copying a number from an old guide.
First test on the same local network if possible. If that works but an internet client cannot connect, the usual causes are a blocked firewall rule, an incorrect public address, missing router port forwarding or carrier-grade NAT. A supported relay or a trusted virtual-LAN arrangement avoids inbound port forwarding where available. Do not disable the firewall completely, and do not post the host's address publicly.
Does every pilot need the same aircraft and add-ons?
Yes, each pilot needs a compatible local copy of the same aircraft and the corresponding YourControls definition. YourControls transmits cockpit state and events, not aircraft files or add-on licences.
- The aircraft family, engine variant and add-on version should match.
- The same YourControls release and definition files should be used on every PC.
- Fuel, payload and flight plans should be loaded separately unless that aircraft profile explicitly synchronises them.
- Complex FMS, fly-by-wire or custom electrical systems may only work when the definition includes their custom variables and events.
Different controllers are acceptable. One pilot can use a yoke while another uses a joystick, but input bindings remain local to each PC. Our reference for MSFS 2020 keyboard bindings is useful when checking duplicated or conflicting commands.
Does YourControls work with MSFS 2020 on Xbox?
No. YourControls requires a separate Windows application and a PC-side connection to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, so it cannot run on an Xbox console. Xbox players can use the simulator's ordinary multiplayer mode, but they cannot join a YourControls shared cockpit from the console.
Why is YourControls connected but not synchronising?
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| YourControls does not detect MSFS | The flight is still loading, the application is blocked, or the installed release is incompatible | Load fully into an aircraft, restart the application and check its connection status or log. |
| The client cannot reach the host | Wrong address or port, a firewall rule, router configuration or carrier-grade NAT | Test locally, allow the application through the firewall, then verify the configured port and supported connection method. |
| Basic switches do not move remotely | The wrong aircraft definition is selected, or the aircraft is not covered by that definition | Select the exact profile and test an aircraft explicitly supported by the installed definitions. |
| The yoke or throttles jump | Both pilots are sending input, an axis is noisy, or assisted piloting is active | Give primary control to one pilot, stop the other controls from sending input and match assistance settings. |
| The FMS or autopilot displays disagree | The add-on uses custom logic not fully represented in the profile | Use a definition made for that aircraft version, reload matching initial states and verify each mode rather than assuming it has synced. |
| A duplicate aircraft appears outside the cockpit | Normal MSFS multiplayer visibility is still enabled | Disable multiplayer aircraft visibility for the shared-cockpit flight or accept that the separate multiplayer model may overlap. |
How do you recover from a cockpit desynchronisation?
The pilot flying should stabilise the aircraft while the other pilot stops all inputs. Compare a few decisive states—autopilot modes, gear, flaps, engines, electrical power and radios—then use YourControls' resynchronisation function if the installed release provides one.
If the mismatch remains, disconnect the client and reconnect only when the aircraft is stable. Reload both flights from matching states if necessary. Avoid active pause, slew and simulation-rate changes unless your group has confirmed that its aircraft definition handles them correctly; these are common ways to leave the two simulator instances in different states.
Before take-off and again before approach, confirm who owns the primary controls, that both pilots see the same configuration, and what happens if the connection drops. The safest rule is simple: after a disconnect, one pilot continues flying while the other makes no control inputs until synchronisation has been restored.