Abstract. Fengyun-4 (FY-4) satellite series is the new generation of geostationary meteorological satellite of China. Thenewly adopted three-axis stabilized attitude control platform can increase observation efficiency and flexibility, while bringing great challenge to image navigation as well as integrated observation mode design. Considering the requirements of the earth observation, navigation and calibration besides observation flexibility, instrument observation strategies are proposed, including the earth, the moon, stars, cold space, blackbody, diffuser observations, on which the instruments' in-orbit daily observations must be based. The most complicated part is star observation strategy, while navigation precision is dependent on in-orbit star observations. Flexible, effective, stable and automatic star observation strategy directly influences obtaining star data and navigation precision. According to the requirement of navigation, two specific star observation strategies for the two main instruments onboard FY-4 were proposed to be used in the operational ground system. The strategies have been successfully used in FY-4 in-orbit test for more than a year. Both the simulation results and in-orbit application results are given, including instrument observation strategies, star observation strategies and moon tasks, to demonstrate the validity of the proposed observation strategies, which lay important foundations for the instruments' daily operation.