I fly purely in VR and have most things I need mapped to a control button but I can’t find a way to map the ESC key to one, is that even possible? If I want to pause the sim and change a setting, I have to take off the headset, find the esc key on the keyboard and then put the headset back on to navigate the menus which is really annoying. Any way to fix this please?
As the ESC takes you out of where control profiles are active, mapping it is probably not possible (but I don’t know for sure). Perhaps there’s a way with an add-on like vJoy?
Update: Later found the normal Toggle Pause and Set Pause Off which is assigned to the ESC key by default CAN also be assigned to another device just as any other function can be (see below).
Finding the esc button on your KB blind should not be that difficult.
AFAIK it’s always the most upper button on the KB and brings you to config page.
I doubt if it’s even possible to alter that key binding
ok, that at least tells me it’s not straight forward 
I’ll look into vjoy, thanks.
You’re correct, the key is in that place, but I fly in a sim rig and my keyboard is on a mount under the steering wheel support. I have to reach forward, pull the keyboard out, lift it over the control stick and put it on my lap before I can find the correct key, then put it back again. Not easy when you’re not looking at it and all I need is to bind a button to replace all that.
try this
This is what makes a Stream Deck necessary.
It’s not only capable of complex things, but also of simply sending a keyboard shortcut like “ESC” or any other.
Coupled with the free Flight Tracker plugin, it’s an indispensable tool.
You can find it with 6, 15 or 32 buttons or the Plus model.
Don’t hesitate to buy the model with more buttons you need, you’ll find new functions to add with time.
And to easily find the buttons with your headset on, stick some tactile labels used to help visually deficient people.
Make a search on the web with “stickers for visually impaired”
Hmm… I was able to assign the Toggle Pause under Menu and Set Pause Off under Miscellaneous (both assigned to the ESC key by default) to my yoke as a key combination. So you CAN assign the default ESC functions to another device with just MSFS. There is no need to go to vJoy or another key mapping app. MSFS will tell you there is a conflict during validation. If you get such a message when you click Validate, it most likely refers to the fact that the ESC key is assigned these functions. Check it. If that is true, there is no need to worry, as you can assign the same functions (i.e., Toggle Pause and Set Pause Off) to both keyboard and your device.
Not sure if that’s what I’m trying to do. I want the ESC key to put me back to the menu so I can change a control setting, not just pause the game. I have active pause set to a controller button for it I need to look around or check something on a checklist. I’ll have to go and try the ‘toggle pause’ common and see if that’s what I need.
That’s a pretty expensive way to just map a control to a button though. I’m sure it’s very handy and I’ve seen many people using extensive stream deck setups for sim racing, which I also do. Longer term, I’ll probably end up building a small button box with tactile buttons/switches rather than buy a stream deck, that way I get the buttons and switches I need, placed where I want them and with the correct feel instead of just a rack of identical buttons that are harder to distinguish.
That’s exactly what it does i tried it, i mapped toggle pause to a button on my yoke and it takes you to the menu. Toggle pause takes you to the menu that’s its job, that is pause
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Before using Stream Deck devices, I used a freeware named JoyToKey that can send keyboard shortcuts (and other things) to MSFS by binding a button on any joystick.
Try it it’s free, and easier to use than vJoy.
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You may be confusing the ESC key on the keyboard with the function(s) assigned to it, in this case Toggle Pause and Set Pause Off by default. If you assign these functions to a button on your yoke or joystick, pressing that button will do everything the ESC key does now by default. It will take you to the Main Menu and, where a Resume or Back is available, it will return you to the previous screen just as it does now!
I agree it sounds like Pause, but it’s not programmed to behave the same way as you’re thinking and will, instead, do what you’ve described. This is working as a button combination on my yoke and works so nicely I’m going to leave it in place as it is more convenient since my hand is on the yoke and I don’t have to move it to the keyboard to set options.
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Ah, gotcha. Thank you very much indeed, really appreciate the help.
Thanks very much for the explanation. I’ll get that done this evening when I can get on the rig.
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Thanks for that, will try it out.
snuck on to the sim at lunchtime and your advice worked a treat, thanks very much indeed. That will make the game much more enjoyable.
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