X-Plane 12 Keyboard Shortcuts: The Complete Command List
The most-used X-Plane 12 keyboard shortcuts are G to toggle landing gear, B for regular brakes and V for full brakes, 1 / 2 for flaps up and down, P to pause, C for the free camera, and W for the default cockpit view. Throttle, mixture and magnetos use the function-key row (F2/F3 throttle, F8–F11 mixture, F17/F18 magnetos). You can change any of these in Settings → Keyboard.
⬇ Download the X-Plane 12 Shortcuts PDF (free)
Most-used X-Plane shortcuts (quick reference)
These are the commands you’ll reach for in almost every flight. If you only memorize one table, make it this one.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Toggle landing gear | G |
| Brakes – regular effort | B |
| Brakes – maximum effort | V |
| Flaps up a notch | 1 |
| Flaps down a notch | 2 |
| Pause / unpause simulation | P |
| Default cockpit view | W |
| Free (movable) camera | C |
| Throttle up a bit | F2 |
| Throttle down a bit | F1 |
| Contact ATC | Enter |
| Show in-sim menu | Esc |
| Flight Configuration window | ` (grave / backtick) |
Flight control shortcuts
Gear, flaps, brakes, speedbrakes and other airframe controls. Note X-Plane gives you both a single toggle and discrete up / down commands for the landing gear.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Landing gear toggle | G |
| Landing gear up | Ctrl + U |
| Landing gear down | Ctrl + D |
| Flaps up a notch | 1 |
| Flaps down a notch | 2 |
| Speedbrakes extend one | 4 |
| Speedbrakes retract one | 3 |
| Brakes – regular effort | B |
| Brakes – maximum effort | V |
| Tailhook down | Shift + Alt + Q |
| Tailhook up | Shift + Alt + W |
| Toggle smoke puffing | X |
| Toggle yoke visibility | Y |
| Auto-start engines (running, real-time) | Shift + Ctrl + E |
Engine & systems shortcuts
Throttle, mixture, magnetos, propeller, carburetor heat and starters. Most live on the function-key row, so a reference card helps here.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Throttle up a bit | F2 |
| Throttle down a bit | F1 |
| Throttle to wide open | F3 |
| Mixture lean a bit | F9 |
| Mixture rich a bit | F10 |
| Mixture to cut off | F8 |
| Mixture to full rich | F11 |
| Carb heat off | F12 |
| Carb heat on | F13 |
| Carb heat toggle | F14 |
| Prop coarse a bit | F6 |
| Prop fine a bit | F7 |
| Cowl flaps open a bit | F15 |
| Cowl flaps closed a bit | F16 |
| Magnetos off | F17 |
| Magnetos both | F18 |
| Engage starters | F19 |
| Engage starter #1 / #2 / #3 … | Ctrl + 1 / 2 / 3 … |
| Toggle thrust reversers | Shift + / |
| Toggle beta prop | / |
View & camera shortcuts
X-Plane 12 uses letter keys for view types and Shift + number for the various external “camera” modes. The arrow keys, with optional Shift (fast) or Ctrl (slow), pan and move the camera.
View types
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Default view | W |
| Forward with HUD | Shift + W |
| Forward with 2-D panel | Alt + W |
| Forward with nothing | Ctrl + W |
| Free camera | C |
| 3-D cockpit | Shift + 9 |
| External chase | Shift + 8 |
| Tower | Shift + 5 |
| Runway | Shift + 3 |
| Circle | Shift + 4 |
| Ride-along | Shift + 6 |
| Linear spot | Shift + 1 |
| Still spot | Shift + 2 |
Moving the camera
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Move view forward / backward | . / , |
| Move view forward / backward (fast) | Shift + . / Shift + , |
| Move view forward / backward (slow) | Ctrl + . / Ctrl + , |
| Move view left / right | ← / → |
| Move view up / down | ↑ / ↓ |
| Pan view (fast) | Shift + arrow |
| Move view (slow) | Ctrl + arrow |
| 3-D flight path toggle | Ctrl + P |
| 3-D flight path reset | Shift + P |
Trim shortcuts
Pitch, roll and yaw trim sit on the number and bracket keys by default.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Pitch trim up | ] |
| Pitch trim down | [ |
| Roll (aileron) trim left | 8 |
| Roll (aileron) trim right | 0 |
| Aileron trim center | 9 |
| Yaw (rudder) trim left | 5 |
| Yaw (rudder) trim right | 7 |
| Rudder trim center | 6 |
Radio, NAV & ATC shortcuts
Swap standby frequencies and talk to air traffic control. (X-Plane intentionally keeps the default radio set small — most pilots tune via the cockpit panel.)
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Contact ATC | Enter |
| COM 1 flip standby | Ctrl + – |
| COM 2 flip standby | Ctrl + = |
| NAV 1 flip standby | Ctrl + 9 |
| Vacuum DG sync to magnetic north | D |
| Panel brightness up a bit | Shift + Ctrl + . |
| Panel brightness down a bit | Shift + Ctrl + , |
Simulation, time & replay shortcuts
Pausing, resetting, screenshots, time-of-day, sim speed, and the various windows.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Pause / unpause | P |
| Show in-sim menu | Esc |
| Flight Configuration window | ` (grave / backtick) |
| Settings window | Ctrl + ‘ |
| Reset flight to most recent start | Ctrl + ; |
| Take a screenshot | Shift + Spacebar |
| Toggle AVI movie recording | Ctrl + Spacebar |
| Toggle on-screen frame-rate display | Shift + Ctrl + F |
| Sim speed 1× / 2× / 4× | Ctrl + T |
| Ground speed 1× / 2× / 4× | Alt + T |
| Toggle replay mode | Alt + R |
| Time — a little later / earlier | L / K |
| Time — a lot later / earlier | Shift + L / Shift + K |
| Toggle sectional map window | M |
| Toggle weather map | Alt + M |
| Toggle GPS / ground-handling window | Shift + G |
| Service the airplane (ground trucks) | Ctrl + S |
| Quit X-Plane | Alt + F4 |
X-Plane 11 vs X-Plane 12 — what changed
If you’re upgrading, the good news is that most muscle memory carries over. X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12 share the same underlying command engine, so core bindings gear (G), brakes (B/V), flaps (1/2), throttle and mixture on the function row, and the Shift + number external views are the same in both versions.
The practical differences you’ll notice in X-Plane 12 are mostly around new windows and UI rather than renamed flight commands: the Flight Configuration window on the backtick key, an expanded settings/keyboard screen, and weather/ground-handling windows. Because Laminar Research lets you reassign everything, the safest habit when switching versions is to open Settings → Keyboard once and confirm your three or four most-used keys.
| Area | X-Plane 11 | X-Plane 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Landing gear toggle | G | G |
| Brakes (regular / max) | B / V | B / V |
| Flaps | 1 / 2 | 1 / 2 |
| External views | Shift + number | Shift + number |
| Pause | P | P |
| Config / setup window | Settings menu | Flight Configuration (`) + Settings |
| Customization | Settings → Keyboard | Settings → Keyboard (expanded search) |
How to change or remap keyboard shortcuts in X-Plane 12
You are never stuck with the defaults. Here’s how to rebind any command:
- Launch X-Plane 12 and click Settings (the gear icon on the top menu bar), or press the Settings shortcut.
- Open the Keyboard tab.
- Use the search bar to find a command by name type gear, flaps, zoom, and so on. You can also narrow the list with the category buttons on the left.
- Click the box on the right of the command and press the key (or key combination) you want to assign. Use the + to add a binding.
- To remove an assignment, click the next to it.
- Your changes save automatically. To start over, use the reset/default option in the Keyboard tab.
Mac vs Windows key differences
X-Plane uses the same default bindings on Windows, macOS and Linux, with two things to watch for on a Mac:
- Where this guide shows Ctrl, that is the Control key on a Mac too (not Command/⌘) for X-Plane’s default commands.
- Quit X-Plane is Alt + F4 on Windows but ⌘ + Q on macOS, following each platform’s standard.
- Mac laptops without a dedicated function-key row may need the fn key to send F1–F19 (engine/throttle commands). You can enable “Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys” in macOS keyboard settings to avoid holding fn.
Download the X-Plane 12 shortcuts PDF cheat sheet
Want a one-page reference to keep beside your setup? Grab the printable PDF:
⬇ Download the X-Plane 12 Shortcuts PDF (free)
It contains the categorized tables above in a clean, printer-friendly checklist layout.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change keyboard shortcuts in X-Plane 12?
Open Settings → Keyboard, search for the command by name, click the box on the right, and press the key you want. Use + to add and − to remove a binding. Changes save automatically.
Are X-Plane 11 and X-Plane 12 shortcuts the same?
Mostly yes. Both versions share the same command system, so flight controls, views and engine commands are identical. The main additions in X-Plane 12 are new UI windows (like Flight Configuration on the backtick key), not renamed flight commands.
What key raises and lowers the landing gear in X-Plane?
G toggles the gear up or down. For discrete control, Ctrl + U raises the gear and Ctrl + D lowers it.
How do I pause X-Plane 12?
Press P to pause and unpause the simulation. (Spacebar is a general action command, not pause.)
How do I switch cockpit and external views?
W is the default cockpit view, C is the free camera, and the external cameras use Shift + a number for example Shift + 8 for external chase and Shift + 5 for tower view.
Why isn’t a shortcut working?
The most common causes are a remapped binding, a conflicting key assignment, or Num Lock affecting the numeric keypad. Open Settings → Keyboard, search the command, and confirm the key it’s currently assigned to.
Is there a printable X-Plane shortcuts PDF?
Yes, use the free download link above. It mirrors the categorized tables in this guide in a one-page, print-friendly layout.
Do X-Plane shortcuts differ on Mac?
The default flight commands are the same. The main differences are ⌘ + Q to quit on macOS and possibly needing the fn key for the F1–F19 engine commands on Mac laptops.
How do I reset shortcuts to default in X-Plane 12?
In the Settings → Keyboard tab, use the reset-to-default option to restore the original bindings.
Master X-Plane faster
Learning even ten of these shortcuts gear, brakes, flaps, throttle, pause and the main views removes most of the mouse-hunting that slows down a flight. Print the PDF, keep it beside your setup for the first few sessions, and the keys quickly become muscle memory.
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