Learn how to add GPWS altitude callouts in MSFS, choose an aircraft-specific mod, install it on PC, and fix missing or duplicate sounds.
To add GPWS altitude callouts in Microsoft Flight Simulator, first check for a built-in callout option in the aircraft's EFB or configuration pages. If none exists, install a mod made for that exact aircraft and simulator version in the PC Community folder; compatible radio-altimeter, trigger and sound logic are required.
What type of altitude callout do you need?
Landing callouts, GPWS warnings and minimums are related, but they are not the same feature. Confirm what the add-on supplies before installing it.
| Feature | Typical calls | What generates them |
|---|---|---|
| Radio-altitude callouts | “Five hundred”, “fifty”, “forty” | Radio-altimeter height and aircraft-specific trigger logic |
| GPWS warnings | “Sink rate”, “Don't sink”, “Pull up” | GPWS modes monitoring height, descent and configuration |
| Minimums call | “Minimums” or “Decision height” | The selected decision height or altitude and compatible avionics |
A sound pack that adds the landing countdown does not necessarily add functional terrain warnings or GPWS modes. Callout sets also vary by aircraft and operator, so hearing only selected heights can be correct behaviour.
Which GPWS callout mod should I install?
Use a package explicitly supporting your aircraft developer, model variant and simulator generation. An A320 callout package made for one developer's aircraft should not be assumed to work with every other A320.
- Match the simulator: confirm whether the package supports MSFS 2020, MSFS 2024 or both.
- Match the aircraft: the exact base aircraft matters more than the livery.
- Prefer a standalone package: Community-folder packages are easier to disable and less likely to be overwritten than edits to official files.
- Check for existing callouts: some detailed aircraft let you select an airline callout set through an EFB, MCDU or aircraft options page.
When a compatible package is available, search our Microsoft Flight Simulator freeware and mod library. The mistake we see constantly is installing a generic sound pack without checking the supported base aircraft.
How do I install GPWS callouts on PC?
- Close Microsoft Flight Simulator. Do not copy or replace files while the simulator is running.
- Extract the download. Do not place the ZIP or other archive directly in the Community folder.
- Find the actual package folder. In a conventional MSFS package,
manifest.jsonandlayout.jsonshould be directly inside that folder. An extra wrapper folder is a common cause of undetected mods. - Copy the package into Community. The Community-folder location depends on the store edition and any custom packages path chosen during installation.
- Restart the simulator and load the supported aircraft. If the aircraft has a callout selector, choose the required set before testing.
- Test during a stable descent. The aircraft must be powered and its radio altimeter and warning systems operational. Callouts are based mainly on height above the surface, not the barometric altitude shown on the main altimeter.
Do not merge files into the simulator's Official package area unless the add-on was specifically designed as a patch and provides unambiguous instructions. Official content can be protected, replaced by updates or streamed rather than stored like a conventional Community package.
Why are the GPWS callouts not working?
Most failures come from incompatible packages, incorrect folder depth, unpowered aircraft systems or another sound mod overriding the same events.
| Symptom | Likely cause and fix |
|---|---|
| The mod never appears to work | Check for an extra nested folder and confirm that the exact aircraft and MSFS version are supported. |
| Callouts work when ready to fly but not from cold and dark | Power the avionics, radio altimeter and warning computer, and check any GPWS inhibit controls or circuit breakers modelled by the aircraft. |
| Two voices play at once | The aircraft's built-in callouts and a mod are both active, or two sound packages overlap. Disable all but one. |
| Only some heights are announced | The selected aircraft or operator callout set may intentionally omit the other heights. |
| The mod stopped working after an update | Test with an otherwise empty Community folder. The aircraft's event names, instruments or package structure may have changed. |
| Warnings are barely audible | Check cockpit, warning and aircraft sound levels, plus the operating system's active output device. |
When isolating a conflict, move the callout package out of Community rather than deleting files from the base aircraft. Our instructions for cleanly removing an MSFS add-on cover the safe method and leftover-package checks.
Can I add my own GPWS WAV files?
Simply copying numbered WAV files into an aircraft folder will not create working altitude callouts. The aircraft needs instrument or gauge logic that reads radio altitude, applies descent and inhibit conditions, then fires compatible sound events; many MSFS aircraft use packaged audio that is not exposed as loose files.
Creating a new system therefore requires a separate developer package containing both trigger logic and properly configured audio. Editing a default or encrypted aircraft directly is unreliable, can breach package protections and is likely to be undone by an update.
Can GPWS callout mods be installed on Xbox or PlayStation?
Loose Community-folder mods can only be installed on PC. Xbox users, and MSFS 2024 users on PlayStation 5 or PS5 Pro, can use altitude callouts only when they are built into the aircraft or supplied through a console-compatible in-simulator package; console storage does not provide normal Community-folder access.