The only downside? The lack of a twist rudder (Z-axis) and a throttle quadrant. But for stick-only flying, nothing beats it.
You don't need official Microsoft drivers (they don't exist for Win10). You need a community-signed, patched driver package.
In the Test tab, you can test the buttons. Note that the force feedback (resistance) will not activate on the desktop; it only activates inside compatible gaming software. 3. Recommended Drivers & Testing Tools (2026) The only downside
: If it isn't detected, try unplugging it, rebooting your PC, and then plugging it into a different USB port (preferably USB 2.0). Microsoft Learn Force Feedback Support
This public link is valid for 7 days and shares a thread, including any personal information you added. This link or copies made by others cannot be deleted. If you share with third parties, their policies apply. Can’t copy the link right now. Try again later. You don't need official Microsoft drivers (they don't
If the joystick still doesn't work properly:
Click to test the pitch, roll, twist (rudder), throttle slider, and buttons. Enabling Force Feedback in Modern Flight Simulators Note that the force feedback (resistance) will not
Plug the stick's power cord into a wall outlet (the motors require external AC power).
The project is also mirrored on GitLab under "FFB-Driver-Project."
The Force Feedback 2 requires its dedicated AC power cable plugged into a wall outlet to power the internal motors. Without it, the stick will feel loose and will not register inputs correctly.
When searching for "Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback 2 joystick drivers Windows 10 link," you will often find sketchy websites claiming to host driver files. Avoid these downloads.