The quickest way to open Betaflight

To open the Betaflight menu, connect your flight controller to your computer via USB cable, then open the Betaflight Configurator application. Once the Configurator connects to your board, click the CLI tab at the top of the window. Type menu and press Enter. The menu system will appear as a text-based interface with numbered options for adjusting your drone's settings.

If you're using a newer version of Betaflight (4.3 and later), you may see a graphical menu interface instead of text commands. The process is the same — connect, open Configurator, go to CLI, and type the command — but the display will show clickable buttons rather than text options.

Key Takeaways

  • You need the Betaflight Configurator software installed on your computer and a USB cable to connect your flight controller.
  • The CLI tab is where you type commands to access the menu system, not the Configuration tab where you adjust PID values.
  • Typing menu in the CLI opens the main menu; typing help shows all available commands if you want to skip the menu interface.
  • Changes made in the menu are saved to your flight controller's memory, but you should back up your settings before making large adjustments.

What you need before you start

Download and install the Betaflight Configurator from the official Betaflight GitHub releases page or from the Chrome Web Store if you use Chromebook. Windows, Mac, and Linux versions are all available. Make sure your flight controller firmware is already flashed with Betaflight — if you're starting from scratch, you'll need to flash the firmware first using the Configurator's firmware flasher.

You'll also need a USB cable that works with your specific flight controller. Most modern boards use USB-C or Micro-USB; check your board's documentation if you're unsure. Plug the cable into your computer and the flight controller board itself, not into a receiver or other component.

Step-by-step: opening the menu in Configurator

Launch the Betaflight Configurator and wait for it to scan for connected devices. You should see your flight controller listed in the top-right corner of the window. Click the dropdown menu next to the board name and select your board's COM port or USB device. Click Connect (the button will turn green when connected).

Once connected, look at the row of tabs near the top of the window. You'll see tabs labeled Setup, Configuration, Ports, PID Tuning, Receiver, and others. Click the CLI tab — it's usually near the right end of the tab row. A text input field will appear at the bottom of the window with a blinking cursor. Type menu (lowercase) and press Enter. The menu interface will load within a few seconds.

If the menu doesn't appear, type version and press Enter to confirm your board is connected and responding. If you see version information, your connection is working. Try typing menu again. If you still see no menu, your firmware may not support the menu command — type help to see what commands are available on your specific version.

Navigating the menu once it opens

The menu displays a numbered list of options. Each number corresponds to a setting category — for example, 1 might be "Gyro", 2 might be "Accelerometer", and so on. Type the number of the option you want to adjust and press Enter. You'll then see a submenu with specific settings for that category.

To change a value, type the setting name or number shown in the submenu, then enter the new value when prompted. After you enter a value, the menu will confirm the change and return to the submenu. Type back to return to the main menu, or type exit to close the menu entirely and return to the CLI prompt.

If you make a mistake, you can type status at any time to see the current state of your settings, or type defaults to reset all values to factory defaults (this will erase your custom settings, so use it only if you're sure). After you finish making changes, type save to write all changes to your flight controller's memory.

Common reasons the menu won't open

If you type menu and nothing happens, the most common cause is that your flight controller firmware doesn't include menu support. This happens on very old versions of Betaflight (before 3.2) or on boards running a different firmware entirely (like Cleanflight or iNav). Check your board's documentation or the Betaflight GitHub to confirm which firmware version you're running.

Another frequent issue is that the CLI tab is not actually connected to your board. The Configurator window might show "Connected" in green, but the CLI tab runs separately. Disconnect and reconnect using the Connect button, then click the CLI tab again. If the CLI tab shows "Disconnected" in red text, click the Connect button in the CLI tab itself (not the main Connect button) to establish the CLI connection.

If you see an error message like "Unknown command", you may have typed the command with a capital letter or extra spaces. The menu command is case-sensitive and must be typed exactly as menu (all lowercase, no spaces before or after). Try again with the correct spelling.

Backing up your settings before making changes

Before you open the menu and start adjusting values, save a backup of your current configuration. In the Configurator window, click the Configuration tab, then look for a button labeled Download or Save (the exact label varies by Configurator version). Click it to save your current settings to a file on your computer. Name the file something descriptive like "my-quad-backup-2024.txt" so you can find it later.

If you make changes in the menu and your drone stops flying correctly, you can restore this backup. Open the Configuration tab again, click Load or Upload, select your backup file, and click Write. Your drone will return to its previous settings. This is much faster than trying to remember which values you changed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I open the menu without a computer?

No. The Betaflight menu only runs through the Configurator software on a computer connected via USB. You cannot access the menu from a transmitter, phone, or any wireless connection. Some flight controllers have on-board buttons for basic adjustments, but those are separate from the Betaflight menu system.

Will opening the menu erase my PID settings?

No. The menu and the Configuration tab both access the same settings on your flight controller, but opening the menu does not change anything unless you type commands to change it. Your existing PID values, rates, and other settings remain unchanged until you explicitly modify them and type save.

What if I type a command and the board stops responding?

Disconnect the USB cable, wait five seconds, and reconnect it. The flight controller will restart and reconnect to the Configurator. If the Configurator shows "Disconnected", click the Connect button again. This resets the connection without erasing any settings on the board.

Is the menu the same on all flight controllers?

The menu structure is similar across most Betaflight boards, but some options may not appear on certain hardware. For example, a board without a barometer won't show barometer settings in the menu. The core navigation — typing numbers and using back and exit — works the same way on all boards running Betaflight.

Can I edit settings faster using the menu or the Configuration tab?

The Configuration tab is usually faster for most users because it shows all settings on one screen with visual sliders and dropdown menus. The menu is useful when you want to access advanced settings that don't appear in the Configuration tab, or when you're troubleshooting via text commands. For everyday tuning, the Configuration tab is the easier choice.