Betaflight sliders explained: simplified tuning and the master multiplier
Betaflight’s sliders (simplified tuning) let you change PIDs and filters with a few multipliers instead of dozens of numbers. Each slider sits at 100 (1.00x) by default, and the firmware multiplies its default gains by the slider values to get the P, I, D, D max and feedforward numbers your quad flies with. The master multiplier scales everything at once, and the other sliders shift the balance between P, I, D and feedforward.
What is simplified tuning?
Simplified tuning is a layer on top of the normal PID table. Instead of typing p_roll, d_min_roll and the rest, you set a handful of simplified_* values and Betaflight calculates the gains from them. Because the sliders scale firmware defaults, every slider at 100 gives you the stock tune.
The mode is set with simplified_pids_mode:
| Value | What the sliders control |
|---|---|
OFF |
Nothing. You edit raw PIDs yourself. |
RP |
Roll and pitch. Yaw is left to you. |
RPY |
Roll, pitch and yaw. This is the default in every version from 4.3 to 2026.6. |
Use RP when you want slider convenience on roll and pitch but your own yaw numbers.
What does each PID slider do?
| Slider (app name) | CLI name | Default | What it moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master multiplier | simplified_master_multiplier |
100 | P, I, D, D max and feedforward, together |
| Damping | simplified_d_gain |
100 | D, base and peak |
| Tracking | simplified_pi_gain |
100 | P and I together |
| I-term | simplified_i_gain |
100 | I only |
| Dynamic damping | simplified_dmax_gain (up to 4.5), simplified_d_max_gain (2025.12+) |
100 | How much D max rises above base D |
| Stick response | simplified_feedforward_gain |
100 | Feedforward |
| Pitch damping | simplified_pitch_d_gain |
100 | D on pitch only, relative to roll |
| Pitch tracking | simplified_pitch_pi_gain |
100 | P, I and feedforward on pitch only, relative to roll |
Master multiplier. The big one. It scales the whole tune up or down while keeping the balance between terms. Raising it makes the quad sharper and also raises noise and motor heat, since D scales with it.
Damping. Scales D, base and peak together. This is the slider to reach for when you see overshoot or a quad that keeps moving after the stick stops. More damping adds noise, so watch motor temperature.
Tracking. Scales P and I together. Higher values hold the setpoint more tightly. Too high and you get overshoot, so it usually goes up together with damping. See the main PID guide for the P to D balance.
I slider. Scales I only. It helps the quad hold an attitude through throttle changes and wind. Too much I makes the quad feel slow to settle.
Dynamic damping. D max is the peak D that Betaflight raises D to when the quad is moving fast. This slider sets how much of the gap between base D and peak D is used. At 0, peak D equals base D, so D max is effectively off.
Stick response. Scales feedforward, the part of the output that follows how fast you move the stick. Higher values feel crisper but can add overshoot at the end of a move. Feedforward, I-term and TPA covers the other feedforward settings.
Pitch damping and pitch tracking. Roll and pitch often want slightly different gains, because the frame and battery are rarely symmetric. These two sliders adjust pitch relative to roll. Leave them at 100 until roll is right.
What do the filter sliders do?
Two more sliders scale filter cutoffs: the gyro filter multiplier (simplified_gyro_filter_multiplier) and the D-term filter multiplier (simplified_dterm_filter_multiplier). Both default to 100, and each has an on/off switch (simplified_gyro_filter, simplified_dterm_filter, default ON).
Higher values raise the cutoffs, which means less filtering and less filter delay, but more noise reaching the motors. Lower values filter harder and add delay. At 100 the lowpass cutoffs are the defaults:
| Filter | Default cutoff |
|---|---|
Gyro lowpass 1 (gyro_lpf1_dyn_min_hz to gyro_lpf1_dyn_max_hz) |
250 to 500 Hz |
Gyro lowpass 2 (gyro_lpf2_static_hz) |
500 Hz |
D-term lowpass 1 (dterm_lpf1_dyn_min_hz to dterm_lpf1_dyn_max_hz) |
75 to 150 Hz |
D-term lowpass 2 (dterm_lpf2_static_hz) |
150 Hz |
The cutoff is the default times the slider divided by 100, so a slider at 80 takes the gyro lowpass 2 from 500 Hz to 400 Hz. A filter that is switched off stays off. The sliders do not touch the RPM filter or dynamic notch; see filter tuning for those.
What do the sliders do to the actual PID numbers?
Each slider is a ratio, and the gains are the stock gains times the ratios that apply. Roughly:
- P = default P × master × tracking
- I = default I × master × tracking × I slider
- Base D = default D × master × damping
- D max = follows base D, with dynamic damping setting how far above it the peak sits
- Feedforward = default feedforward × master × stick response
On pitch, pitch tracking also multiplies P, I and feedforward, and pitch damping multiplies D and D max.
The result is rounded down to a whole number. As an arithmetic example only, a master multiplier of 150 with everything else at 100 takes roll I from 80 to 120 and base D from 30 to 45.
Yaw follows the same maths when the mode is RPY. Yaw D defaults to 0, so the damping sliders leave it at 0.
Why do my hand-edited PIDs get overwritten?
While simplified_pids_mode is RP or RPY, the sliders own the gains on those axes. If you type a different value for p_roll, the sliders and the PID table no longer agree, and when the settings are saved Betaflight recalculates the gains from the sliders, so your typed value is lost. To set a raw number on an axis, either switch simplified_pids_mode to OFF, or to RP if you only want to hand-tune yaw. Do not mix the two on the same axis.
What order should I move the sliders in?
Change one thing at a time. After every change, arm on the ground, hover about 20 seconds, land and touch the motors. If they are hot, stop and back off before flying more.
- Filters first. Make sure the gyro and D-term filter sliders are not hiding or letting through the wrong amount of noise. See the filter guide.
- Damping against tracking. Fix the balance of P to D. Overshoot means more damping or less tracking.
- Master multiplier. Once the balance is right, raise or lower the whole tune for the response you want.
- Stick response. Set how crisp the sticks feel.
- I slider. Fix drift through throttle changes.
- Dynamic damping. Adjust last, since it only matters in fast moves.
- Pitch sliders. Only if pitch differs from roll.
Use small steps. Moves of about 10 on one slider are plenty to feel and see. A step response plot shows overshoot and settling time, so you can check each change.
When should I leave the sliders for raw PIDs?
- You want one axis different from the others, or a value the sliders can’t produce.
- You are tuning yaw by hand, which
RPmode allows. - You want to adjust things the sliders don’t cover: I-term relax, anti-gravity, TPA, notch and RPM filter settings. These are separate settings, and sliders don’t move them.
- You want exact numbers from a preset or from your own earlier tune.
How FPV PID Tune handles it
FPV PID Tune checks whether your quad is in slider mode or raw mode and keeps to it. In slider mode it changes only simplified_* values, and in raw mode only raw gains, never a mix. A validator holds every value inside fixed limits, in small steps per round, and every value is read back after Apply, with any mismatch undone automatically. See how it works.