Knowing how to look around your aircraft is just as important as knowing how to fly it. The MSFS 2024 camera controls let you see your flights from every possible angle — from the cockpit to dramatic cinematic views. Once you master them, the sim becomes dramatically more immersive.
This guide covers all the essential MSFS 2024 camera controls, including the views you’ll use most often, the drone camera, and the keyboard shortcuts that make switching between them quick and easy.
The Main Camera Views in MSFS 2024
MSFS 2024 has several camera categories. You can cycle through them using the camera toolbar at the top of the screen, or use keyboard shortcuts for faster access.
Cockpit View (Default)
This is where you’ll spend most of your time. The cockpit view puts you in the pilot’s seat with the full instrument panel in front of you. You can look around using the mouse (hold right-click and move) or hat switch on a joystick.
The cockpit view in MSFS 2024 is interactive — you can click on switches, knobs, and buttons to operate the aircraft’s systems. Hovering over a control shows a tooltip explaining what it does, which is incredibly helpful for beginners.
Shortcut: Press F6 or End to cycle camera modes. Cockpit view is the default starting position.
External / Chase Camera
The external camera gives you a third-person view of your aircraft from behind. It’s fantastic for appreciating the scenery, watching your aircraft’s attitude during manoeuvres, and learning — you can see exactly what the aircraft is doing, which helps when practising pitch, roll, and yaw.
You can orbit around the aircraft by holding right-click and moving the mouse. Scroll the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. The chase camera follows the aircraft smoothly, making it great for casual flying.
Shortcut: Press End to toggle between cockpit and external views.
Instrument View
This view zooms in on the instrument panel, filling your screen with the gauges and displays. It’s useful when you need to read instruments more clearly, especially on smaller monitors. You can pan around the panel using the mouse.
Showcase Camera
The showcase camera slowly orbits around your aircraft, creating a cinematic effect. It’s not useful for actual flying, but it’s brilliant for screenshots and just admiring your aircraft. MSFS 2024 is a gorgeous sim. Share your best shots on Flightsim.to or the MSFS community forums.
The Drone Camera — Your Personal Film Crew
The drone camera is one of the most impressive MSFS 2024 camera controls. It detaches a free-flying camera from your aircraft, letting you fly it anywhere — above, below, beside, or miles away from your plane. Your aircraft continues flying on autopilot while you control the drone.
The drone camera is controlled with:
- WASD: Move the camera forward, backward, left, right
- R / F: Move up / down
- Mouse: Look around
- Mouse scroll: Adjust speed
- Numpad +/-: Zoom in/out
The drone camera is perfect for capturing stunning screenshots, filming flyovers of scenery, or just exploring airports and landmarks from unique angles. It’s also great for checking the exterior of your aircraft during flight — want to see if your landing gear is down? Send the drone underneath to check.
Shortcut: Press Insert to toggle the drone camera on/off.
Quick Look / Snap Views
In the cockpit, you can set up quick-look positions that snap your view to a specific direction with a single key press. These are incredibly useful during flight:
- Look left: Check for traffic or see the runway during a turn in the pattern
- Look right: Same for the other side
- Look up: See overhead switches or the sky above
- Look behind: Check your six — useful in formation flying or after takeoff
On a joystick hat switch, these snap views are assigned by default. On keyboard, you can use the numpad: 4 (left), 6 (right), 8 (up), 2 (down), 5 (centre/reset).
Essential MSFS 2024 Camera Controls Keyboard Shortcuts
Here’s a quick reference for the MSFS 2024 camera controls you’ll use most:
- End: Cycle between cockpit and external views
- Insert: Toggle drone camera
- Right-click + mouse: Free look (cockpit) / Orbit (external)
- Mouse scroll: Zoom in/out
- Numpad 4/6/8/2: Snap look left/right/up/down
- Numpad 5: Reset view to centre
- Ctrl + Numpad 0-9: Save a custom view
- Numpad 0-9: Load a saved custom view
- F6: Open camera selection panel
Tips for Getting the Most From Camera Controls
- Adjust cockpit camera height: If the default eye position feels too high or low, you can adjust it in the camera settings. Getting the right seat height makes a big difference to immersion.
- Use external view for learning: When practising landings, switch to external view occasionally to see what your approach looks like from outside. It helps you understand your descent angle.
- Save custom views: If you find a cockpit position you like (e.g., focused on a specific instrument group), save it with Ctrl + a number key so you can recall it instantly.
- Reduce camera shake: In Settings → Camera, you can reduce or disable cockpit camera shake for a smoother view during turbulence.
- Screenshot mode: Use the drone camera for screenshots. Press V to hide the UI for a clean shot.
What’s Next?
Now that you’ve mastered the MSFS 2024 camera controls, continue building your flying skills:
- Pitch, Roll, and Yaw — Learn the three axes of flight.
- How to Take Off — Get airborne with our step-by-step guide.
- How to Land — Master the approach and touchdown.
- Your First Flight — Put everything together in a complete guided flight.
The camera system in MSFS 2024 is one of its best features — it turns every flight into a visual experience. Experiment with different views, explore with the drone, and don’t forget to take some screenshots along the way. Happy flying! ✈️
