How do I uninstall Microsoft Flight Simulator X completely?

To completely uninstall Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX or FSX: Steam Edition), remove its add-ons first, uninstall the simulator through Windows or Steam, restart, then delete the leftover installation, AppData, ProgramData and Documents folders. Back up saved flights and add-ons beforehand; do not remove shared SimConnect, DirectX or Visual C++ components.

This procedure is specifically for the Windows PC releases Microsoft Flight Simulator X and FSX: Steam Edition. Do not use these folder paths for Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) or Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024; uninstall those releases through the platform that installed them because their package and data structures are different.

What should I back up before uninstalling FSX?

Back up anything you may want after the uninstall, especially saved flights, controls, add-ons and records needed to reinstall licensed products.

• Saved flights, flight plans and Logbook.BIN from the Flight Simulator X Files folder in Documents.
• Custom aircraft, gauges, effects, sounds, missions and scenery stored inside the FSX installation folder.
• Scenery and utilities installed outside FSX, together with their installers and licence details.
• fsx.cfg, control profiles, dll.xml and exe.xml from the FSX configuration folder.
• The location of your main FSX folder and any external scenery directories. Record these before the uninstaller removes shortcuts and configuration files.

If the purpose is a repair rather than permanent deletion, follow our backup and restoration precautions for keeping FSX add-ons and settings. Do not copy an entire old installation or configuration folder over a clean reinstall: that often restores the faulty module, path or configuration you were trying to remove.

How do I delete Microsoft Flight Simulator X completely?

Remove FSX in the order of add-ons, simulator, remaining folders and final restart.

A mistake we see constantly is deleting the FSX directory first. That can destroy add-on uninstallers and leave Windows with broken installation records, so use the registered uninstallers before deleting files manually.

1. Close running software: Exit FSX, Steam, weather engines, traffic tools, add-on managers and any background utility connected to the simulator.
2. Uninstall add-ons first: Use each product’s own uninstaller while the original FSX path still exists. Steam removes only files it manages, so use our method for finding and removing untracked FSX: Steam Edition add-on files when necessary.
3. Remove boxed-edition components: Open Windows Settings under Apps, or Control Panel’s Programs and Features list. If Acceleration appears as a separate entry, uninstall it before Microsoft Flight Simulator X. Remove the FSX SDK separately only if you no longer need it.
4. Remove FSX: Steam Edition: In the Steam Library, open the simulator’s Manage options and select Uninstall. Do not delete the whole Steam library.
5. Restart Windows: This releases files held open by FSX, Steam or an add-on service.
6. Delete the remaining installation folder: The uninstaller commonly leaves manually added aircraft, gauges, effects and scenery behind. Delete the FSX folder itself, not its parent Microsoft Games or Steam library folder.
7. Delete residual user folders: Remove the applicable AppData, ProgramData and Documents locations listed below. Check both FSX and FSX-SE names where relevant.
8. Inspect external add-on locations: Delete external scenery, texture libraries and utility folders only after confirming that another simulator or add-on does not share them.
9. Finish the removal: Empty the Recycle Bin and restart Windows again.

Which FSX folders should I delete after uninstalling?

A complete FSX removal includes the main installation directory and the edition-specific configuration, cache and user-data folders that uninstallers often preserve.

The Steam edition may use FSX or FSX-SE folder names depending on whether another FSX edition has been installed on that PC. If you are keeping one edition, identify its folders before deleting either set.

I didn’t see those folders—where are they?

Missing FSX folders are usually hidden, redirected, stored under another Windows account or already removed by the uninstaller.

Press the Windows key and R, enter %APPDATA%\Microsoft, and inspect the folder that opens. Repeat with %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft and %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft. You can also enable Hidden items in File Explorer, but using the environment paths avoids guessing your account name.

If a listed folder does not exist, skip it; there is nothing to delete there. For saved flights, check the actual Documents location used by the Windows account that ran FSX, including a redirected OneDrive Documents folder.

Are you sure these folders are safe to delete?

Yes, the specific FSX leaf folders are safe to remove after uninstalling and backing up your files, but their parent folders are not.

Delete Microsoft Flight Simulator X, FSX or FSX-SE only after verifying the path. Never delete the entire Microsoft, Microsoft Games, ProgramData, AppData or Steam library directory. Treat external scenery and shared add-on folders separately because Prepar3D or another simulator may use them.

I did that, but it’s still there—what remains?

If FSX still appears after these steps, the remaining item is usually a shortcut, second installation, locked folder, synchronised file or stale installer record.

• Only an icon remains: A desktop or Start-menu shortcut can survive after its target has gone. Check its target, then delete the shortcut.
• FSX still launches: The shortcut probably points to a second installation or another Steam library. Inspect the executable path before deleting anything.
• The folder cannot be deleted: Restart Windows, close Steam and all simulator utilities, then try again. A background add-on process may still have a file open.
• Old settings return: Check both FSX and FSX-SE under the AppData locations, the Windows account used to run FSX and any synchronised Documents folder.
• Windows still lists FSX as installed: The uninstall record may be damaged. Reinstalling or repairing the same edition in the same location can restore its uninstaller; otherwise use our steps to remove stale FSX installer records and abandoned installation paths.
• An add-on is still present: Its files may be in an external scenery library or utility directory rather than the main FSX folder.

How do I uninstall GSX Pro instead of FSX?

GSX Pro should be removed with the installer that manages it; you do not need to uninstall Microsoft Flight Simulator X.

GSX Pro is an add-on for the newer Microsoft Flight Simulator platform, not an FSX component. The older FSX product is normally identified simply as GSX, so first confirm which simulator and product you have.

1. Close the simulator: Exit Microsoft Flight Simulator and any GSX-related background program.
2. Open the product installer: Launch the FSDT Installer used to install GSX Pro, select GSX Pro and choose Uninstall.
3. Check the active Community folder: After the installer finishes, remove only residual package folders or links that are clearly identified as GSX. Do not delete the entire Community folder.
4. Preserve shared support files: A remaining Couatl or shared FSDT component does not necessarily mean GSX Pro is still installed. Leave it in place if another installed product uses it.

If you did that but GSX Pro is still shown inside the simulator, restart the PC and confirm that you checked the Community folder actually used by that installation; Microsoft Flight Simulator can store packages on a custom drive. For classic GSX on FSX or FSX: Steam Edition, use its own uninstaller before removing FSX and do not apply the newer simulator’s Community-folder procedure.

Should I remove SimConnect or FSX registry entries too?

No—do not routinely remove SimConnect, DirectX, Visual C++ runtimes or broad groups of registry entries during an FSX uninstall.

Several SimConnect versions can coexist because different FSX add-ons depend on different releases. DirectX and Visual C++ components are also shared by unrelated programs. Removing them can break other software without making the FSX reinstall cleaner.

Avoid registry-cleaning utilities and never delete every entry containing “Flight Simulator”. Manual registry work is justified only when setup detects an installation that no longer exists, uses an abandoned drive path or cannot repair its uninstall record. Export the relevant key first and change only data confirmed to belong to the removed FSX edition.

For a fresh installation after removal, follow the correct edition-specific FSX reinstall order for a modern Windows PC rather than restoring the deleted folders wholesale.