Find the MSFS Asobo aircraft sound.xml location, identify the active Official package folder and learn why some default sound files are hidden.
There is no single global sound.xml for default Asobo aircraft. On PC, a locally installed MSFS 2020 aircraft normally places it under [Packages]\Official\OneStore\asobo-aircraft-[type]\SimObjects\Airplanes\[aircraft]\sound\sound.xml; Steam normally uses Official\Steam. If no loose XML exists, the sound content may be split, archived, protected or streamed.
How do I find the correct Asobo sound.xml?
The reliable method is to start from the active Microsoft Flight Simulator Packages directory rather than the programme installation folder.
- Locate the active Packages directory. Check the
InstalledPackagesPathentry inUserCfg.opt, especially if content was installed on another drive. Our guide to locating installed MSFS aircraft packages explains the possible PC paths. - Open the Official folder. Microsoft Store and Xbox app installations of MSFS 2020 normally use
Official\OneStore; Steam normally usesOfficial\Steam. Default aircraft are not stored inCommunity. - Find the aircraft package. MSFS 2020 packages commonly begin with
asobo-aircraft-, followed by the aircraft type. Package naming can vary, and an aircraft may depend on separate base or common-content packages. - Open the aircraft's sound directory. The usual relative path is
SimObjects\Airplanes\[aircraft]\sound\sound.xml. Search the entire Official branch if it is not inside the obvious aircraft package.
Which location applies to each MSFS platform?
File access depends on the simulator edition and platform.
| Platform | Where to look |
|---|---|
| MSFS 2020, Microsoft Store or Xbox app on PC | [Packages]\Official\OneStore |
| MSFS 2020, Steam | [Packages]\Official\Steam |
| MSFS 2024 on PC | Only locally downloaded or cached packages may be visible; streamed aircraft assets may not appear as loose files |
| Xbox Series X|S or PlayStation 5 | The package filesystem is not exposed for user editing |
Why is sound.xml missing from an Asobo aircraft?
A missing loose sound.xml does not necessarily mean the aircraft package is incomplete.
- The sound package is separate. Some aircraft use shared or dependent content rather than keeping every sound asset beside
aircraft.cfg. - The content is archived or protected. Windows search cannot find an XML file contained inside protected package data.
- The aircraft is streamed. MSFS 2024 can make an aircraft available in the simulator without retaining its full package as ordinary editable files.
- You are searching the wrong package root. A custom content location can leave an old, unused Packages folder on the system drive.
- You found
soundai.xmlinstead. Where supplied, that file controls AI-related sound behaviour and is not a replacement for the flyable aircraft's main sound definition.
Do not copy an unrelated aircraft's sound.xml into the folder. Its event names and soundbanks may not match, which commonly produces silence or missing individual sounds.
Is sound.xml the actual aircraft audio?
No. sound.xml is a definition file that connects simulator conditions and events to packaged Wwise audio resources.
The audio itself is normally held in packaged soundbanks, often using .PCK files or protected package assets. This differs from the familiar FSX arrangement of separate WAV files controlled by sound.cfg. If a third-party aircraft is silent, use our MSFS add-on aircraft sound troubleshooting steps rather than assuming that copying an Asobo XML file will fix it.
Can I edit the default Asobo sound.xml safely?
Do not edit the copy inside Official if you want a durable sound modification.
Simulator updates and content repairs can replace Official files, while direct changes can leave the package inconsistent with its file index. Build a separate SDK-compatible Community package instead, and do not redistribute Asobo XML or soundbanks without permission. The package structure outlined in our custom MSFS aircraft creation guide provides the safer starting point for aircraft projects and overrides.