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How to Shift in Iracing

This article answers how to shift in iRacing for drivers who can’t get gears to work. Fast, clear steps to map shifters/paddles, test in-sim, and fix the problem quickly.

If you’re wondering how to shift in iRacing, the short answer is: pick the right gearbox mode for the car, map your paddles or H‑pattern shifter in Options → Controls, and test in practice. You’re in the right place — below is a fast, no‑fluff fix to get gears working.

Quick Answer: how to shift in iracing

Most shifting problems come from incorrect control bindings or using the wrong gearbox type for the car. Go to Options → Controls, bind either “Shift Up / Shift Down” for paddles or individual “Gear 1, Gear 2…” for an H‑shifter, bind the Clutch if needed, save the profile, then test in a practice session.

What’s Really Going On

iRacing supports three common ways to change gears:

Automatic: the sim shifts for you — nothing to press.
Sequential (paddles/stick): you use Next Gear / Previous Gear or paddles. Good for most wheel setups.
H‑pattern (manual): you select each gear position (1,2,3…) and usually use a clutch axis.

If gears don’t change, it’s usually one of these: the sim thinks you’re in Auto, your controller inputs aren’t bound, or you bound the wrong action (for example binding “Next Gear” when the car needs individual gear buttons). Fixing the bindings and testing fixes 90% of issues.

Step-by-Step Fix

Confirm the car: check the car’s gearbox type on the car details — some cars are sequential-only.
Open iRacing: go to Options → Controls and pick your wheel/shifter device from the device list.
Bind sequential paddles: if using paddles, select “Shift Up / Shift Down” and press the paddles to assign them. If using an H‑shifter, bind “Gear 1, Gear 2…” for each gate.
Bind the clutch (if H‑pattern): find “Clutch” axis and move the pedal to assign. For cars requiring a clutch on starts, map it or you’ll stall.
Save and create a profile: name and save the control profile so it’s remembered per car or device.
Test in practice: load a short practice run, watch the gear indicator and shift. If gears don’t change, re-open Controls and re-bind the inputs while watching the binding action.

Extra Tips / Checklist

Use “Shift Up / Shift Down” for paddles; use individual gear binds for true H‑pattern shifters.
If the game doesn’t see your device, update wheel firmware/drivers and re-launch iRacing.
Avoid binding gear to the same button as another control (brakes or pit limiter).
If you stall on starts, you likely need to use the clutch — practice clutch control or assign a clutch axis deadzone.
Make a separate control profile per car type (formula vs. stockcar) to avoid wrong bindings.

FAQs

Q: Why won’t my H‑shifter change to the correct gear?
A: Most likely you bound “Shift Up/Down” instead of mapping each gear, or the shifter needs calibration. Rebind “Gear 1, Gear 2…” in Controls and test.

Q: Do I have to use the clutch in iRacing?
A: Only if the car requires a clutch (H‑pattern cars and some starts). Sequential shift cars usually don’t need clutch for shifts, only for starts.

Q: My paddles do nothing in-race. What next?
A: Re-open Options → Controls, select the device, click the binding, then physically press the paddle while editing. Save and test.

Q: Can I use keyboard keys for shifting?
A: Yes — bind keyboard keys to Shift Up/Down or to individual gears as a temporary fix, but a physical shifter/paddles give much better control.

Short Wrap-Up

Map the correct gear type, bind the right inputs in Options → Controls, save a profile, and test in practice. If it still fails, update drivers and re‑bind while watching the control binding window. Next session: practice starts and shifts until they’re second nature.