Where is the Community folder in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

On PC, the Microsoft Flight Simulator Community folder sits inside the active Packages location, beside Official. Find the live location by opening UserCfg.opt and reading its InstalledPackagesPath entry, then open the Community subfolder there. Xbox consoles do not provide a normal user-accessible Community folder for manually installed add-ons.

The quickest way to find the active Community folder

Reading InstalledPackagesPath is more reliable than copying a default path because Microsoft Flight Simulator lets you store its packages on another drive.

1. Close the simulator. This prevents add-on files from being read while you move or replace them.
2. Find UserCfg.opt. Standard Microsoft Store, Xbox app and PC Game Pass installations keep it below %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages. Steam installations usually keep it below %APPDATA%. The common full locations are listed in the next section.
3. Open the file in Notepad. Look near the bottom for a line beginning with InstalledPackagesPath.
4. Copy the path between the quotation marks. Paste it into File Explorer's address bar and press Enter.
5. Open Community. You should normally see it beside Official. Manually installed aircraft, scenery and liveries belong in Community, not Official.

A mistake we see constantly is searching inside the Steam library, WindowsApps or the Xbox app's programme-installation directory. Those contain the simulator application, but they are not necessarily its active packages location.

Where are the MSFS 2020 and 2024 Community folders?

These are the standard retail default paths, but the path recorded in your active UserCfg.opt takes precedence over every example.

You can paste a path containing %LOCALAPPDATA% or %APPDATA% directly into File Explorer. Windows expands it to the profile of the signed-in user.

MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 use separate active package locations. Do not assume that finding your 2020 folder also finds the 2024 one, and do not point both simulators at the same Community folder indiscriminately: an add-on compatible with one version may not work correctly in the other. For the next step, see our MSFS 2024 scenery installation instructions.

I didn't find it — why does Windows say the folder does not exist?

A missing-path message usually means the displayed default is not the location your installation actually uses.

• You copied a placeholder literally. A path containing text such as YourName must be changed to your Windows user name. Using the environment-variable paths above avoids this problem.
• You selected a custom packages location. If you chose another SSD during setup, the Community folder may be on D:, E: or another drive rather than under AppData.
• AppData is hidden. Paste the path into File Explorer or enable Hidden items instead of trying to browse to it manually.
• You found an old UserCfg.opt. Previous installations, test versions and another Windows account can leave extra files behind. Use the file belonging to the simulator edition and account you actually launch.
• The packages drive is disconnected or its letter changed. The recorded path can still point to a drive Windows no longer mounts under the same letter.
• Initial content setup has not completed. Run the simulator through its first installation before expecting the complete Packages structure.

If the path from UserCfg.opt opens and Official is present but Community is missing, close the simulator and create a folder named exactly Community at that level. Do not create an entire guessed AppData path merely because one appeared in a search result.

Can the MSFS Community folder be on drive D:?

Yes. If InstalledPackagesPath points to drive D:, the live Community folder is the Community subfolder there, regardless of where the Xbox app, Microsoft Store or Steam installed the simulator itself.

• To store all package content on D: relocate the active Packages location, including its Community and Official content, then confirm the resulting path in UserCfg.opt.
• To store only add-ons on D: an add-on manager or Windows directory junction can keep the expected Community path while storing files elsewhere. This is more flexible but adds another failure point when troubleshooting.

Simply dragging Community to another drive without updating or redirecting its expected location makes the simulator continue reading the old folder. Moving package content incorrectly can also prompt MSFS to download Official content again, so keep a backup before changing storage locations.

What is the Community folder used for?

The Community folder stores most manually installed Microsoft Flight Simulator packages, including freeware aircraft, airports, scenery, liveries and compatible utilities. Marketplace-managed content is handled separately and should not be dragged into Community or moved out of Official.

ZIP and archive files normally need to be extracted first; placing the unopened archive in Community will not install a standard package. Our complete MSFS 2020 manual mod-installation process covers extraction, copying and checking the result.

What should a correctly installed add-on look like?

A standard package normally has manifest.json and layout.json near the top level of its own folder.

The expected structure is usually Community\AddOnName\manifest.json, not Community\AddOnName\AddOnName\manifest.json. That extra nested folder is one of the most common reasons an aircraft or scenery package fails to appear. Some products use their own installer, so follow its instructions rather than rearranging files blindly; our guide to checking and installing an aircraft package correctly explains the folder test in context.

Is there a Community folder on Xbox or Game Pass?

Xbox consoles and Xbox Cloud Gaming do not expose a PC-style Community folder, so you cannot install drag-and-drop freeware there. Add-ons available to console users must be delivered through the simulator's supported in-game content system.

PC Game Pass is different. If you installed Microsoft Flight Simulator on Windows through the Xbox app, you have a normal PC Community folder; use the Microsoft Store/Xbox app method above. For console-compatible purchasing options and their restrictions, see our explanation of how Marketplace content differs from manually installed add-ons.