Find the MSFS 2020 Content Manager and use it to install, update or remove Marketplace and World Update packages, plus fix missing content.
In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, open the main menu, select Profile, then Content Manager. It lists official, edition, World Update and Marketplace packages tied to your account. Use its search and filters to find content, then select a package to download, update or delete it; Community-folder mods are managed separately.
Where is Content Manager in MSFS 2020?
The menu path on both PC and Xbox is Main Menu > Profile > Content Manager. If you are already flying, return to the main menu first; Content Manager is not part of the in-flight toolbar, pause menu or General Options.
The simulator may require a mandatory update before it lets you reach the main menu. Finish that process first, because Content Manager handles optional and package-level content rather than every part of the simulator update.
How do I install or update content?
Selecting a package reveals the action available for its present state: download, update or delete. The exact button placement can shift with interface updates, but the process remains the same.
- Open Content Manager: From the main menu, choose Profile and then Content Manager.
- Find the package: Search by product, aircraft, airport, region or publisher. Clear any active filters if an expected result is missing; internal package names do not always match the Marketplace title exactly.
- Check its status: Look for labels such as Installed, Not Installed or Update Available.
- Select the item: Tick its selection box, or use the available bulk-selection control when updating several packages.
- Choose the action: Download uninstalled content, update an outdated package or delete optional content you no longer need.
- Let processing finish: Do not close the simulator while it is downloading or decompressing files. Restart MSFS after major aircraft or scenery changes if the new content does not appear immediately.
Avoid selecting every available package without checking its size. World Updates and edition content can consume substantial storage, and you do not need every regional package installed for the simulator to run.
What does Content Manager actually control?
Content Manager primarily controls packages delivered through Microsoft Flight Simulator itself, while simulator client updates and manually installed mods use different mechanisms.
| Content type | Use Content Manager? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Official and edition packages | Yes | Includes base content and aircraft or scenery supplied with eligible simulator editions. |
| Marketplace purchases | Yes | Owned products may appear as Not Installed until their package files are downloaded. |
| World Updates | Yes | Obtain the free Marketplace listing where required, then install or remove its regional components in Content Manager. Our package-by-package World Update instructions explain how to choose the regions worth keeping. |
| Simulator client and mandatory core update | Not entirely | The platform launcher or store and the simulator's start-up updater handle these stages. Follow our MSFS 2020 platform and in-sim update sequence if package updates are unavailable. |
| Community-folder add-ons | Not reliably | Some valid packages may be detected or listed, but Content Manager does not obtain or update manually installed files. |
Why is my add-on not showing in Content Manager?
A missing add-on usually belongs to the wrong account, is hidden by a filter or was installed manually rather than through the Marketplace. For Marketplace content, confirm that MSFS is signed into the Microsoft/Xbox account that owns it, clear the search and filters, and check both Not Installed and Installed items.
Downloads and entitlement refreshes need an online connection. In MSFS 2020, check Options > General Options > Data > Online Functionality, then restart the simulator if the catalogue remains incomplete.
For a manually installed mod, inspect the Community folder instead. The add-on's package folder should normally contain manifest.json and layout.json directly inside it; an extra nested folder is a common reason it fails to load. Our Community-folder installation steps cover the correct structure.
If a Marketplace package is installed but its aircraft, livery or scenery remains absent, use our checklist for MSFS add-ons that fail to load rather than repeatedly downloading unrelated packages.
What if Content Manager is empty or stuck loading?
An empty or indefinitely loading package list usually points to connectivity, account synchronisation or an unfinished simulator update. Work through these checks in order:
- Return fully to the main menu and reopen Profile > Content Manager.
- Clear the search box and reset all package filters.
- Confirm Online Functionality is enabled and the simulator is not in offline mode.
- Verify that you are using the account that owns the simulator edition and Marketplace products.
- Close MSFS completely, install any pending platform or mandatory simulator update, then relaunch it.
- Check available storage before retrying a package that repeatedly stops during download or installation.
Can I safely delete packages from Content Manager?
Deleting an optional package removes its local files but does not normally remove the entitlement from your account. You can download an owned aircraft, airport or World Update again later; deleting it is not a refund.
MSFS generally withholds the delete option from mandatory packages. For optional scenery, remove only components you recognise—especially when investigating duplicate airports or reclaiming storage—and restart the simulator after the deletion finishes.