Disable Aerosoft VDGS in MSFS for one session or permanently, with Community-folder steps and fixes if the driver still loads.
To disable Aerosoft VDGS in Microsoft Flight Simulator, close its external driver for a temporary stop, or uninstall the VDGS component through Aerosoft One for a permanent one. If it was installed manually, close the simulator and move every VDGS package out of the active Community folder; renaming folders in place is not enough.
How do I turn off Aerosoft VDGS temporarily?
For the remainder of a session, quit the separate Aerosoft VDGS driver using its normal Exit command. It may start again with Microsoft Flight Simulator or its launcher the next time you fly.
Closing the VDGS toolbar panel is not the same as disabling the add-on. That only hides the panel; the driver and simulator package can remain active in the background.
How do I disable Aerosoft VDGS permanently?
Use whichever installer owns the VDGS package rather than deleting files at random. Our VDGS installation and operation notes explain how the driver relates to supported airport scenery.
| Installation type | Best way to disable it | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Aerosoft One | Find VDGS among the installed products and uninstall that component. | The shared driver is removed. Check that you have selected VDGS rather than the airport itself. |
| Manual Community installation | Move every VDGS-related package completely outside the active Community folder. | The add-on remains available for restoration without being scanned by MSFS. |
| Bundled airport component | Run the airport installer or configurator and deselect its optional VDGS component, if that choice is provided. | Only that airport's integration is removed; the shared driver can remain available elsewhere. |
- Close MSFS and the VDGS driver. Never change an active package while the simulator is loading or running.
- Identify the installation source. Check Aerosoft One first. Use manual folder management only when VDGS was installed that way.
- Remove or relocate the component. For a manual installation, keep the package intact in a storage folder outside
Community. Our explanation of how MSFS packages and the Community folder work can help you identify the active location. - Restart Microsoft Flight Simulator. The VDGS toolbar entry should disappear once its simulator-side package is no longer loaded.
- Restore it when required. Reinstall through Aerosoft One or move the unchanged package back into
Community.
The same package-management principle applies to MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 on PC, although each simulator can use a different Community folder.
Why does Aerosoft VDGS still load after I disable it?
A VDGS component still appearing usually means another copy remains installed or only one half of the system was removed.
- The folder was only renamed. MSFS scans package directories regardless of names such as disabled, backup or old. Move the folder outside
Community. - You changed the wrong Community folder. Separate MSFS versions and installations can point to different package locations.
- A duplicate package exists. Check for another VDGS copy, including packages linked from an external add-on library.
- Only the driver was closed. The toolbar package can remain visible even though live docking guidance no longer works.
- Only the simulator package was removed. The external driver may still launch independently until it is exited or uninstalled.
- An installer restored it. Aerosoft One or an airport update may reinstall VDGS when it is treated as a dependency.
Clearing the rolling cache will not fix package discovery and is unnecessary for this problem.
What stops working when VDGS is disabled?
Supported docking displays will no longer provide live stand guidance, distance information or stop indications. The physical VDGS model may remain because it is part of the airport scenery, so a blank or static display does not mean the driver is still running.
Disabling the shared VDGS package affects every installed airport that depends on it. It also does not guarantee that MSFS will substitute a default marshaller; that behaviour is defined by each scenery package. If the problem affects only one airport, disable its optional VDGS integration through the airport's installer when that option exists.