FL Studio detects most USB MIDI controllers automatically on Windows. You just need to enable the device in FL Studio's MIDI settings.
Setup
Connect a MIDI controller to FL Studio
- 1
Connect your MIDI controller
Plug your controller into a USB port. Windows will install generic HID or MIDI drivers automatically for most devices. For best results, also install the manufacturer's driver if available.
- 2
Open MIDI Settings in FL Studio
Options → MIDI Settings (or press F10 → MIDI tab).
- 3
Enable your controller
In the Input section, find your controller in the list and click it to highlight it. Then click Enable. A green light indicates it is active.
- 4
Test the connection
Press a key on your controller. You should see activity in FL Studio's MIDI activity indicator (the green bar near the top). Open the Piano Roll or a Channel and play — notes should appear.
MIDI to instrument
Route MIDI to an instrument
After enabling your controller, you need to tell FL Studio which instrument to play:
- In the Channel Rack, click the instrument you want to play
- The instrument becomes the "active" channel and receives MIDI input
- For full control: right-click the instrument → MIDI → set the MIDI channel to match your controller
# Recommended MIDI settings:
Input: [Your Controller Name] Status: Enabled
Send master sync: On (if you want clock sync)
Channel: 0 (receive on all channels)
MIDI learn
Assign knobs and faders with MIDI Learn
To control FL Studio parameters (volume, filters, effects) with physical knobs:
- Right-click any knob or slider in FL Studio
- Select Link to controller
- Move the physical knob on your MIDI controller
- FL Studio links them automatically — click Accept
FAQ
MIDI questions
MIDI controller not showing in FL Studio
Check Windows recognises it first: open Device Manager and look under Sound, video and game controllers or Universal Serial Bus. If it appears there but not in FL Studio, try restarting FL Studio with the controller already plugged in. Some controllers need the manufacturer driver installed first.
MIDI notes play but with high latency
This is the audio output latency, not MIDI latency. Reduce the ASIO buffer size in Options → Audio Settings. See the ASIO setup guide for buffer size recommendations.
How to record MIDI in FL Studio
Enable your controller in MIDI Settings. Click the record button (or press R) in FL Studio and play. Recorded notes appear in the Piano Roll. For step-by-step recording, use the Step Sequencer instead of the Piano Roll.