How do I change the MSFS download and install location?

On PC, change Microsoft Flight Simulator’s application location through Steam or the Xbox app, but move its downloaded Packages content separately. Close MSFS, copy the active Packages folder to the new drive, change InstalledPackagesPath in UserCfg.opt, verify the simulator uses it, then delete the old copy. Never drag protected WindowsApps files manually.

What does “MSFS install location” actually mean?

Microsoft Flight Simulator uses separate locations for the application, downloaded simulator content and rolling cache. Changing one does not automatically move the others.

If your aim is to recover the most disk space, the Packages folder is usually the location that matters. Moving only the Steam or Xbox application often leaves the large content library behind. You can see how the MSFS EXE and Packages paths differ across PC editions if you are unsure which directory you found.

How do I choose another drive before downloading MSFS?

For a new installation, select the required Steam library or Xbox app installation drive first, then choose your separate Packages folder when the in-simulator installer offers that option. A simple location such as D:\MSFS\Packages is easier to manage than a protected Windows directory.

Content subsequently installed through MSFS follows its configured Packages path; there is generally no separate drive selector for every aircraft or scenery package. Keep enough free space for updates and temporary installation files.

How do I move the MSFS Packages folder to another drive?

The safest approach is to copy the complete active Packages directory, redirect MSFS to the copy, test it and only then remove the original.

1. Close MSFS and its launcher. Exit Microsoft Flight Simulator completely, then close Steam or the Xbox app so an update cannot start while files are being copied.
2. Find the path MSFS is actually using. Open the active UserCfg.opt and locate the InstalledPackagesPath line. Steam, Microsoft Store, MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 can each have a different configuration file, so use our platform-specific UserCfg.opt locations and identification checks rather than editing the first copy you find.
3. Create a destination folder. Use a fixed local drive with a stable drive letter. Avoid cloud-synchronised, network and protected system folders; removable drives can fail when Windows assigns a different letter.
4. Copy the complete contents. Copy everything beneath the location named in InstalledPackagesPath, not just Community. In an MSFS 2020 installation where the destination contains Community and Official, those folders should remain together at the same level.
5. Edit only the configured path. Back up UserCfg.opt, then change its existing line to the new folder, for example InstalledPackagesPath "D:\MSFS\Packages". Preserve the quotation marks and make sure the editor does not rename the file to UserCfg.opt.txt.
6. Launch MSFS and check the proposed download. If an installation screen appears, select the exact folder containing the moved content. Do not select its empty parent, Official subfolder or application directory. If it still shows a full download, stop and recheck the path before confirming.
7. Verify before deleting anything. Confirm that installed aircraft, scenery and Community add-ons appear, then rename or remove the old folder. Add-on managers, symbolic links and junctions may retain their own old-drive paths and must be adjusted separately.

Copying is safer than cutting because it leaves a working fallback. If there is not enough space for two copies, make a separate backup of UserCfg.opt and any irreplaceable Community add-ons before moving the content.

I use Steam — which MSFS install path should I change?

For the Steam version, use Steam to move the application and InstalledPackagesPath to move the simulator’s downloaded content. These are two independent operations.

1. Add or select the destination Steam library in Steam’s storage settings.
2. Open Microsoft Flight Simulator’s properties, find the installed-files controls and use Move install folder.
3. Confirm the application path with Steam’s browse-installed-files control. A Steam application normally sits below [Steam library]\steamapps\common\[MSFS folder].
4. Check UserCfg.opt separately. Steam’s move command does not guarantee that the in-simulator Packages content moves with the application.

Why does the Steam version still show the old drive?

Steam reports the location of the files it manages, while MSFS reports downloaded content through InstalledPackagesPath. If Steam still shows the old drive, confirm the move completed by browsing the installed files; if MSFS still uses the old drive, inspect UserCfg.opt.

The original Packages copy, rolling cache, Recycle Bin contents or a separate add-on library can also leave substantial space occupied. Steam’s file verification mainly checks Steam-managed application files and does not choose a new Packages location for you.

What if I installed via the Xbox app or Microsoft Store?

Use the Xbox app’s game-management or file controls, or Windows’ installed-app storage control when available. The wording varies between Windows and Xbox app releases. If no move option is provided, preserve the Packages content, reinstall the application on the required drive, then point MSFS back to the preserved Packages folder.

Do not take ownership of WindowsApps and manually drag files out. That can break permissions, servicing and future updates without moving the separately downloaded simulator content.

Does the MSFS 2024 install path work differently from MSFS 2020?

Both PC generations separate the platform-managed application from content controlled by InstalledPackagesPath, but Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 streams more content instead of retaining every asset locally. Moving its Packages directory does not prevent later streaming or update downloads and may recover less space than the same operation in MSFS 2020.

Do not edit an MSFS 2020 configuration file when changing MSFS 2024. We have separate instructions for relocating MSFS 2020 without downloading its Official packages again and for finding and changing the MSFS 2024 app and content locations.

I don’t have that folder or still can’t find UserCfg.opt — what do I do?

UserCfg.opt is usually inside the Windows user profile, not the Steam application folder, and AppData is hidden by default. Launch MSFS at least once, close it normally, then look under the same Windows account used to run the simulator.

• MSFS 2020 through Steam: a common location is %APPDATA%\Microsoft Flight Simulator\UserCfg.opt.
• MSFS 2020 through Microsoft Store or Xbox app: a common location is %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\UserCfg.opt.
• MSFS 2024 or multiple installations: use the configuration file belonging to that simulator and platform. Do not assume the newest-looking folder is active; read its InstalledPackagesPath and compare it with the content on disk.

Enter environment-variable paths such as %APPDATA% directly into File Explorer rather than searching only visible folders. If several copies exist, the active file will normally have been modified when that edition of MSFS last closed. Do not create a new UserCfg.opt in the application directory.

Why is Microsoft Flight Simulator downloading everything again?

A full redownload normally means MSFS cannot find valid package content at the configured path, although a genuine simulator or package update can still require some new data.

• The path is one folder too high or too low: point it to the folder containing the expected package directories, not merely the drive, an empty parent or Official alone.
• The wrong configuration file was edited: Steam, Store, MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 can leave separate copies on the same PC.
• Only Community was moved: MSFS must download official content again if its locally required packages are absent.
• The destination drive is unavailable: reconnect it and restore the drive letter recorded in InstalledPackagesPath.
• The path was saved incorrectly: check the quotation marks, spelling and file extension, and confirm the destination can be read and written by your Windows account.
• The source was deleted too early: restore the original copy and configuration, then repeat the move using a copy-first approach.

If the installer still shows a complete download after selecting the moved directory, close it without committing to the download and compare the configured folder with the old one. Once MSFS recognises the existing content, it may still download changed or missing packages, but it should not treat an intact installation as empty.

Why is the old drive still using space after the move?

The old drive can still contain the original Packages copy, the platform-managed application, rolling cache or a third-party add-on library. Delete the verified old copy and empty the Recycle Bin; move or recreate rolling cache through MSFS data settings rather than dragging its file manually.

Can I choose a custom MSFS folder on Xbox or PlayStation?

Consoles do not expose UserCfg.opt or accept an arbitrary Packages path. Use the console’s storage-management controls to move the game between supported storage devices. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is available on Xbox but was never released for PlayStation; Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is available on Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and PS5 Pro.