How do I back up and restore my FSX logbook and rewards?

To back up your FSX logbook and rewards, close FSX, then copy Logbook.BIN from Documents\Flight Simulator X Files and GrantedRewards.BIN from the active FSX AppData folder. Restore each file to its original folder while FSX is closed, keeping rollback copies first. FSX: Steam Edition can use a different AppData folder name.

Where are the FSX logbook and rewards files?

FSX stores flight history and unlocked rewards in two separate binary files under your Windows user profile.

Open the Windows Documents folder rather than assuming it is physically under C:\Users. Windows or OneDrive may have redirected it while still displaying it simply as Documents.

For the rewards file, enter %APPDATA%\Microsoft in the File Explorer address bar or the Windows Run box. Boxed FSX normally uses FSX; FSX: Steam Edition may use either FSX or FSX-SE, depending on how the installation was created.

A mistake we see constantly is choosing FSX-SE purely because the simulator came from Steam. If both folders exist, back up both initially. The active one will normally contain the configuration files used by your present installation and show recent modification dates after FSX closes.

How do I create a safe FSX logbook backup?

Back up Logbook.BIN and GrantedRewards.BIN together so flight, mission and reward records come from the same point in time.

1. Exit FSX completely. Wait until the simulator has finished closing so it is no longer writing either file.
2. Find Logbook.BIN. Open Documents\Flight Simulator X Files and copy the file; do not move it.
3. Find GrantedRewards.BIN. Open the active %APPDATA%\Microsoft\FSX or FSX-SE folder and copy it.
4. Store both copies in a dated folder. Retain their exact filenames and note which FSX or FSX-SE profile supplied the rewards file.
5. Verify the copies. Check that both appear in the backup and that their sizes match the originals.

These files cover only the logbook and reward state. Saved flights, controls, configuration files and add-ons require separate copies; our full FSX backup and migration checklist identifies those locations.

How do I restore Logbook.BIN and GrantedRewards.BIN?

Restore each file to the same type of folder it came from, with FSX closed throughout the operation.

1. Protect the existing data. Rename the present files to something such as Logbook.BIN.before-restore and GrantedRewards.BIN.before-restore, or copy them elsewhere.
2. Restore the logbook. Copy the backed-up Logbook.BIN into Documents\Flight Simulator X Files.
3. Restore the rewards. Copy the matching GrantedRewards.BIN into the active FSX or FSX-SE AppData folder.
4. Preserve the exact names. FSX will not recognise renamed files or names with an accidental second extension.
5. Start FSX and verify the result. Open Pilot Records and inspect the logbook and rewards before deleting your rollback copies.

The files are binary databases, not text documents. FSX provides no supported way to merge an older logbook with newer entries, so restoring a backup replaces records created after that backup. The same applies to newly earned rewards.

Why is my restored FSX logbook still empty?

An empty or unchanged logbook usually means FSX is reading a different Windows profile or Documents folder from the one where the backup was restored.

• Wrong Documents location: check whether OneDrive or Windows folder redirection supplies the active Documents folder.
• Wrong Windows account: both files belong to the user account that runs FSX, not to every account on the computer.
• Wrong Steam profile folder: try the active FSX folder rather than assuming Steam Edition uses FSX-SE.
• Read-only or blocked file: confirm the restored file is writable and that your account has permission to modify its folder.
• Corrupt backup: a damaged Logbook.BIN may show no entries, prevent Pilot Records from opening or cause FSX to fail while loading it.

If replacing the restored file with the rollback copy fixes FSX, the backup is probably corrupt. Keep the damaged original untouched and use our FSX logbook recovery download on a duplicate rather than your only copy. Our explanation of how simulator logbook records are stored and protected also covers the precautions to take before attempting repair.

Why are restored FSX rewards missing?

Missing rewards usually indicate the wrong GrantedRewards.BIN was restored or the required reward definition is absent from the installation.

The personal BIN file records which rewards have been granted; it does not reinstall mission packages, artwork or reward definitions supplied by third-party add-ons. On another computer, reinstall the same mission or add-on content before expecting its custom rewards to appear.

For a transfer to another PC, copy both BIN files into the destination account’s active folders rather than reproducing the old absolute paths. Keep the destination files as rollback copies until the logbook, mission history and rewards have all been checked.