See which Boeing 747-400 add-ons work in MSFS 2020, what compromises they make, and how to avoid incompatible FSX downloads.
MSFS 2020 includes the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental, not the 747-400. The available 747-400 add-ons are mainly freeware visual conversions or community aircraft that reuse 747-8 systems. Default-aircraft enhancements, liveries and old FSX 747-400 packages are useful in some cases, but none automatically provides an authentic native -400.
Which Boeing 747-400 options can you use?
On PC, the practical choices are community-built aircraft or conversions, model-specific repaints and supporting modifications; Xbox users are limited to compatible products distributed through the in-simulator Marketplace.
- Community 747-400 aircraft and visual conversions: These can provide the shorter upper deck, wingtip fences and airline liveries associated with the passenger -400. Many retain the default 747-8 flight deck, avionics or flight model, so they look more like a -400 than they operate like one.
- 747-400 freighter conversions: These concentrate on the freighter body and short upper deck. Check whether the download is flyable, because some files are only AI or multiplayer model-matching aircraft.
- Model-specific liveries: A repaint works only with the exact base aircraft named by its creator. A -400 livery cannot normally be transferred to the default 747-8 because the models and texture mapping differ.
- Sounds, cameras and cabin modifications: These supplement a compatible base aircraft but do not create a 747-400 by themselves.
Our MSFS civil jet aircraft collection is the relevant place to check for freeware aircraft, repaints and default 747 enhancements. Read each file description carefully because the library also covers aircraft other than the -400.
Is the default MSFS 2020 Boeing 747 a 747-400?
No. Every edition of MSFS 2020 includes the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental, as shown in our comparison of the aircraft supplied with each edition.
The -8 has a longer fuselage and upper deck, raked wingtips, different engines and later cockpit systems. Installing a historic airline livery on it changes only the paint. It does not turn the aircraft into a 747-400.
| Option | What it provides | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| MSFS-native 747-400 conversion | A recognisable -400 exterior and compatible liveries | May reuse 747-8 instruments, systems and handling |
| Default 747-8 enhancement | Improved avionics, systems or flight behaviour | Still a 747-8, not a -400 |
| 747-400 repaint | Airline colours for a specified -400 model | Requires that exact base aircraft |
| FSX or Prepar3D 747-400 | A legacy aircraft designed for an older simulator | Cannot be installed directly in MSFS 2020 |
How do I check whether a 747-400 download is genuine?
A suitable download must explicitly support Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and disclose whether it is a complete aircraft, a conversion or just a repaint.
- Check the simulator and platform. A listing must name MSFS 2020. PC Community-folder files cannot be installed on Xbox.
- Identify the required base aircraft. Look for dependencies and confirm whether the package needs the default 747-8 or another community model.
- Read the systems description. If the aircraft uses the default 747-8 cockpit, flight-management computer and engine data, treat it as a visual conversion rather than a systems-accurate -400.
- Inspect a manual PC package. After extraction, files such as
manifest.jsonandlayout.jsonshould not be buried inside an unnecessary second copy of the package folder. - Test without conflicting 747 modifications. Remove older versions and temporarily move other 747 packages out of the Community folder. Duplicate cockpit, systems or flight-model modifications commonly cause blank displays, missing textures and loading failures.
Our free Boeing 747 download guidance explains the other compatibility checks to make before installing a package.
Can an FSX 747-400 be installed in MSFS 2020?
No. FSX aircraft use different model, gauge, sound and configuration systems, so copying an old 747-400 folder into the MSFS Community folder will not produce a working aircraft.
A properly authorised conversion has to be rebuilt for MSFS rather than merely repackaged. We cover the technical and licensing problems in our explanation of why FSX aircraft cannot be installed directly in MSFS.
Which 747 option should I choose?
Choose a community -400 conversion if the correct exterior shape and airline appearance matter more than exact systems. For dependable long-haul operation, a well-supported enhancement for the default 747-8 is often the safer choice, provided you accept that it is the wrong variant.
For an authentic 747-400, require dedicated -400 geometry, cockpit differences, engine and performance data, fuel behaviour and documented avionics. A familiar livery, a changed title in the aircraft selector or a -400 exterior wrapped around the default -8 systems is not the same thing as a complete 747-400 simulation.