Create or restore an FSX desktop shortcut for boxed FSX and Steam Edition, then fix broken targets, blank icons and launch errors without reinstalling.
For boxed FSX, create or restore the desktop shortcut by locating the installed fsx.exe, right-clicking it and selecting Send to > Desktop (create shortcut). For FSX: Steam Edition, use Steam’s Manage > Add desktop shortcut command instead, so the shortcut keeps Steam’s intended launch method and does not point at the wrong installation.
How do I create a shortcut for boxed FSX?
For boxed Microsoft Flight Simulator X, make the shortcut directly from the installed fsx.exe application.
- Locate the correct executable. A common 64-bit Windows location is
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\fsx.exe, but custom installations can be elsewhere. Use our guide to locating the correct FSX installation folder if necessary. - Confirm that it is the application. File Explorer should identify
fsx.exeas an application. Do not selectfsx.cfg, an installer or an uninstaller. - Create the shortcut. Right-click
fsx.exeand choose Send to > Desktop (create shortcut). On Windows 11, select Show more options first if the Send to menu is hidden. - Rename and test it. Rename the new icon to FSX if desired, then open it and confirm that the intended installation starts.
If the Send to command is unavailable, right-click an empty area of the desktop, select New > Shortcut, browse to fsx.exe and finish the wizard. A mistake we see constantly is moving fsx.exe itself onto the desktop; that removes the executable from its programme folder and can break FSX.
How do I create an FSX: Steam Edition shortcut?
For FSX: Steam Edition, let Steam generate the desktop shortcut from its Library.
- Open the Steam Library. Find Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition.
- Open its management menu. Right-click the game or use its settings button, then select Manage > Add desktop shortcut. The wording can vary slightly between Steam client layouts.
- Test the new shortcut. It should open Steam and then start FSX: Steam Edition.
A Steam-created icon may be an Internet-style shortcut rather than a conventional Windows shortcut pointing directly to fsx.exe. That is normal. If it stops working after moving a Steam library, delete the desktop icon and generate a new one after Steam recognises the installed game.
Why does my restored FSX shortcut not work?
A restored FSX desktop shortcut usually fails because its target refers to an old folder, the wrong FSX edition or an executable that is no longer present.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
Windows cannot find fsx.exe | The shortcut contains an obsolete path, or the executable is missing | Locate the real installation and recreate the shortcut. If fsx.exe is genuinely absent, a shortcut cannot restore it; repair the installation instead. |
| The wrong FSX copy opens | The shortcut targets boxed FSX when Steam Edition was intended, or vice versa | For a manual shortcut, open Properties and inspect the full Target path. Recreate Steam shortcuts through Steam. |
| The icon is blank, but FSX still opens | The stored icon reference is stale | Use Properties > Change Icon and browse to the correct fsx.exe, or recreate the shortcut. |
| FSX reports an XP SP2 requirement | The wrong executable or unsuitable compatibility settings may be involved | Follow our steps for correcting the XP SP2 compatibility error rather than applying random compatibility options. |
| FSX starts, but an add-on installer cannot detect it | The FSX registry path is missing or incorrect; the shortcut is not responsible | Use the procedure for repairing the FSX registry path used by add-on installers. |
For a boxed or manually created shortcut, the Target field should end in fsx.exe, while Start in should contain its installation folder. Windows normally adds quotation marks around paths containing spaces. Remove any optional command-line switches while diagnosing the shortcut, then restore them one at a time.
Will recreating the shortcut reset FSX or its add-ons?
No. Deleting and recreating an FSX shortcut does not remove aircraft, scenery, saved flights, configuration files, logbook data or add-ons.
The only details that may be lost are settings stored in that particular shortcut, such as command-line switches or its Run as administrator option. If the old shortcut still opens its Properties window, record those details before deleting it. Do not enable administrator or compatibility modes automatically merely because FSX is an older simulator.