Yes I know the MS Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 is an ancient yoke, but works beautifully on every other flight sim with default control assignments. Really surprised about the lack of support for FS2020!
Not having even a default is a huge omission, but its not only about having to map manually - the sensitivity and deadzone of the rudder and axis makes it almost unuseable, and the force feedback doesnt work at all.
UPDATE: Throttle can be set (see below).
UPDATE: Rudder dead zone fixed (see below).
Force Feedback function still unresolved.
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I don’t have the FF Sidewinder, just the regular one and I am surprised too that there is no default configuration file. I have managed to setup most of the controls, but currently want to use the POV hat to pan around the views but can’t see how to set that up, so I just have hard left/right views. This stick seems to work fine though.
Makes me wish I’d kept all my CH stuff from a few years back. But also now serioulsy thinkoing of getting the Thrustmaster kit as the Sidewinder is a right hand stick only, making it hard to use the mouse, unless I swap the mouse to my left hand 
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Anyone have profile for this joystick. It is very hard to set all controls for this joystick.
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I have the same joystick, I am not sure how to assign the settings yet… I would have thought that ms own products would be known…
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It’s not very intuitive if you ask me.
Go into Options > Controls. If you have the stick installed in windows you will see it listed across the top of the Controls screen.
Down the left hand side select ALL in the filter to show all available controls.
Search for what you want, lets say “Elevator”
You will then see what elevator controls you can bind or assign to the stick.
For the Sidewinder, click in the grey box to the right of “Elevator Axis”, which will bring up an Elevator Axis sub-screen
Drop down the Select an input box, and scroll to “Joystick L-Axis Y” and select it.
Next click Validate and this should drop you back a level and you will see the Elevator axis is assigned. You can check it works here by moving the stick and seeing the response on the screen.
Then, rinse and repeat for everything else. Don’t forget to save!
You can create multiple profiles too, but I haven’t ventures that far yet.
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I have set this how you described, but It does not appear that the controls have a center.
I mean moving joystick to left and center than it keeps moving left… moving right it moves right. movement does not stop when centering joystick.
How do you set the the center?
I Have the sidewinder2 set up just fine. Force feedback will be available from FS Force shortly. All the axis need setting to the relevant “AXIS” in the settings. For example, the slider to the "Throttle Axis " and the elevator (pitch) to the “Elevator Axis”.
The joystick works great and is very accurate when set up.
Sensitivity will need to be set to you personal preference.
Calibration should be done in Windows using Joy.cpl.
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I didn’t have to set the center, it just stops there. Not sure what is happening for you.
I couldn’t set the 2 things below:
- How can i set the hat switch so i can look around without mouse?
- How can i change camera views with button 2 like on FSX? I set as the next camera view but it is not working.
Thank you
Search the camera views and set the hat switches to what you need, like look left etc.
I have one button set to toggle external and cockpit views.
If you search the camera section you will find what to bind to.
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same here, Microsoft Sidewinder Joystick not working 
PS4 Controller not working 
i am a Newbie in MSFS and handle a Plane by Mouce and Keyboard is nearly impossible…
I hope, there will be an Update…
Been fiddling with this most of the day, just cant get it right got the buttons in the correct mapping order etc… but sensitivity is all to pot making dam near impossible to fly. Never had problems like this before
If you find the nose keeps pointing down then you need to set your trim using numpad 7 and 1. It’s a new one for me. Never had to do it with FSX. All part of the learning curve. I suggest you do the tutorial in the Cessna. It’s very good.
Does the Sidewinder work in the Windows control panel. (Type joy.cpl at the command prompt)
If it’s set up and working in Windows then the next question - is it showing as a controller in FS?
In FS, if it is showing as a controller, you still need to map out (or bind) all the functions to the Sidewinder, as it doesn’t come standard with a default profile. It will not work until you do this.
I also use this ancient gem of input device. Legend has it that Indiana Jones was looking for the Holy Grail in an old crypt in the desert. Well, it’s actually the FFB2. At least, until someone finally makes a worthy replacement for it. I really don’t get why MS/ASXGS didn’t even include general FFB support. Yes, the FFB2 was taken from the shelves around 2003/2004 after MS dropped the Sidewinder line, and the only thing that came thereafter was the desaster from Logitech in 2009. Well, and Brunner. But who can afford it? And then it doesn’t even support every sim that uses FFB, like DCS (which is my main sim TBH) at all.
I literally was hoping for FS20 to support FFB and MS to do something about the lack of hardware as they seem to be the only ones who might actually be able to pull that off.
Well, I just had to map some controls and it works, just with the “default” non-dynamic spring. Using SimFFB for now to config and at least have a properly feeling trim there.
BTW I prefer to map my devices by myself. The first thing I did after switching to the Legacy sound trach was delete all bindings from my HOTAS controls… 
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I’ve set my sensitivity for rudder & axis to -50 & it seems much better!
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I used to love the way the FFB worked for trim on the Sidewinder, pity I only have the base sidewinder now and sold all my other peripherals years ago when my interest waned. Wish I still them all… sigh. More money 
Hello. It’s an ABSURD that doesn’t automatically recognize the FF2. I have and use it for over 20 years, more than 3000 hours of use and it is 100%, it is very good and practical to use. In MSFS 2020 Throttle is impossible to use (X + and X- / only X doesn’t work ???), for this reason I didn’t even go ahead with the configuration. NOTE Z- for MS.
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I just figured out the issue with the rudder deadzone - dont configure the rudder via the individual RUDDER LEFT (bound to Z-) and RUDDER RIGHT (bound to Z+).
Instead, use the RUDDER AXIS bound to Axis Z.
Still no force feedback tho and no clue how to set it up.
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I used the hat left and right to bind to QUICK VIEW LEFT and QUICK VIEW RIGHT respectively.
Still undecided what to bind hat up/down to.