Learn how to convert MSFS 2020 liveries to MSFS 2024, including compatibility checks, SDK rebuilding, texture fixes and safe testing.
Most MSFS 2020 liveries do not need formal conversion for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: install and test the package first. If it fails, rebuild it against the exact MSFS 2024 aircraft using the 2024 SDK, remap or re-export its textures, regenerate the package metadata, then test it as a separate Community package.
Does an MSFS 2020 livery need converting?
A livery only needs conversion when MSFS 2024 cannot load it correctly or its target aircraft has changed. The simulator can run many legacy packages through its compatibility system, particularly straightforward texture replacements made for an unchanged aircraft model.
Start by checking which MSFS 2020 liveries can work unchanged in MSFS 2024. If the aircraft appears with the correct paint, thumbnail and interior or exterior details, leave the package alone; rebuilding it provides no practical benefit.
| What happens in MSFS 2024 | What to do |
|---|---|
| The livery loads and looks correct | Use the original package without conversion. |
| The aircraft is missing, but its base add-on is not installed | Install a compatible version of the exact base aircraft. |
| The livery is missing although the aircraft is installed | Check package structure, identifiers, dependencies and metadata. |
| Paint is displaced or surfaces remain white | Repaint or remap the textures for the MSFS 2024 model. |
| The 2020 aircraft was replaced by a different 2024 model | Build a new livery rather than renaming the old package. |
How do I rebuild the livery for MSFS 2024?
A proper conversion means creating a clean MSFS 2024 package for the intended aircraft and transferring the artwork into it. There is no universal one-click converter because aircraft models, UV maps, materials and package references can all differ.
- Back up and test the original package. Remove duplicate copies, place the extracted package in the active MSFS 2024 Community folder and restart the simulator. The folder containing
manifest.jsonandlayout.jsonshould not be buried inside an unnecessary second folder; our Community-folder installation procedure covers the normal package layout. - Identify the exact target aircraft. Record the developer, package, model and variant. A livery for one A320, Cessna 172 or 737 implementation is not automatically compatible with another, even when both aircraft carry the same real-world designation.
- Obtain the editable artwork and permission. Layered source files are preferable, although existing DDS textures may sometimes be usable. Technical access to somebody else's textures does not grant permission to modify and redistribute them.
- Create a clean MSFS 2024 livery project. Use the current MSFS 2024 SDK and the supported template or sample for the target aircraft. Give the project its own package identifier so it cannot overwrite or conflict with the MSFS 2020 version. Never edit files inside the simulator's Official or streamed package areas.
- Transfer the paint to the new texture template. If the 2024 aircraft retains the same model and UV mapping, the artwork may line up without substantial changes. If the model or material layout changed, reposition the markings and repaint affected areas against the 2024 template.
- Match the 2024 material setup. Use the texture names, paths, channels, alpha data and export format required by the new aircraft. Copying old files and renaming them blindly can produce black, pink, transparent or unpainted surfaces.
- Replace legacy aircraft references. Point the livery at the exact MSFS 2024 base aircraft or supported dependency. Remove fallback paths tied to a 2020-only package, and assign unique display and variation identifiers where the template requires them. The changes between the two simulator generations explain why internal aircraft assumptions cannot always be carried across.
- Build a fresh package. Use the SDK's package-building tools so the output metadata and file list are generated from the new project. Do not retain an old
layout.jsonafter adding, deleting or renaming textures, because every packaged asset must be represented correctly. - Test the converted livery by itself. Remove the old copy, install only the rebuilt package and restart MSFS 2024. Inspect all sides of the aircraft, control surfaces, landing gear, engine nacelles, cockpit-visible surfaces and distant levels of detail, as well as the aircraft-selection thumbnail.
Why does the converted livery not appear?
A converted livery usually disappears because MSFS 2024 cannot match it to the installed aircraft or cannot read the package cleanly. Work through these common causes before repainting anything:
- Wrong aircraft identity: the package references a 2020 aircraft, edition or add-on variant that is absent or has a different identity in MSFS 2024.
- Extra folder nesting: the actual package root sits one or two levels below the folder placed in Community.
- Stale layout data: textures were renamed or added without rebuilding the package file list.
- Identifier collision: the converted and original packages use the same package or variation identifiers.
- Missing dependency: the livery was made for a separate payware or freeware aircraft rather than the similarly named default model.
Regenerating package metadata can fix an otherwise compatible livery, but it cannot repair changed UV mapping, missing materials or an incorrect base-aircraft reference.
Why is the paint distorted or partly missing?
Distorted artwork means the MSFS 2024 aircraft is using different geometry, UV coordinates or material assignments. Logos crossing fuselage seams are particularly sensitive, while wings, doors, engine parts and control surfaces may have moved to different texture sheets.
Repaint those sections on the proper MSFS 2024 template and check every model variant and level of detail. A common mistake is correcting the main fuselage texture while overlooking separate decals, metallic or roughness maps, cabin-visible geometry and lower-detail models.
Can I convert a livery just by changing the aircraft name?
Changing an aircraft name works only when both versions use the same model, UV map, materials and compatible package references. It cannot turn a livery made for one developer's aircraft into a livery for another developer's model.
If no proper MSFS 2024 paint kit or SDK-supported livery template exists, a reliable conversion may not yet be possible. Guessing internal paths to streamed aircraft files can produce a package that breaks after an aircraft update.
Can converted liveries be installed on Xbox or PlayStation?
Locally converted Community packages are a PC workflow. Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 users cannot copy arbitrary livery folders into a Community directory, so console distribution must use an official in-simulator channel and comply with its packaging and licensing requirements.