Download free MSFS scenery add-ons for MSFS 2020 and 2024, with PC installation steps, compatibility checks and fixes for missing scenery.
PC users can download free Microsoft Flight Simulator scenery add-ons from our curated MSFS downloads library, including airports, cities, landmarks, terrain and regional enhancements for MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024. Check the supported simulator, dependencies and installation notes first. Xbox and PlayStation users cannot sideload these Community-folder downloads.
Where can I find MSFS free scenery downloads?
The fastest approach is to search for the place you intend to fly, then narrow the results by scenery type. Airport packages are usually identified by ICAO code, while city, landmark and terrain add-ons tend to use a city, region or country name.
- Airport scenery replaces or enhances terminals, aprons, taxiways, markings, lighting and surrounding objects.
- City and landmark scenery adds recognisable buildings, bridges, towers and visual reference points.
- Terrain or mesh changes elevation data, coastlines or major landforms.
- Aerial or photoreal scenery supplies detailed ground imagery for a defined area.
- Regional packages may combine airports, landmarks and terrain across a wider area.
Read the complete file description rather than choosing from screenshots alone. Confirm the coverage boundary, simulator edition, required libraries or World Update content, installation method and known conflicts.
Where can I get free airports for MSFS 2024?
Search for free MSFS 2024 airports by ICAO code first, because a city can have several airports with similar names. Our method for finding freeware airports by ICAO code or location also explains how to check whether a package is intended for MSFS 2020, MSFS 2024 or both.
Does “MSFS free download” mean the simulator is free?
No. A free scenery download is an add-on, not a free copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator. It requires a compatible, licensed installation of MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024, and some freeware also depends on separately installed base content or object libraries.
Most scenery is supplied as a ZIP, RAR or 7z archive. Extracting an archive is normal; an unexpected request to disable security software, install an unrelated downloader or bypass the simulator’s licence is not. A documented installer can be legitimate for a complex package, but ordinary scenery rarely needs an executable.
How do I choose the right scenery add-on?
Choose scenery by compatibility, geographical coverage and conflicts—not by file size or screenshots.
| Scenery type | Choose it when | Check before installing |
|---|---|---|
| Airport | You regularly operate from a specific airfield | ICAO code, runway layout and any existing replacement for that airport |
| City or landmark | You fly visually and want recognisable reference points | Coverage area and overlap with streamed photogrammetry or another city pack |
| Terrain or mesh | Mountains, coastlines or elevation are inaccurate | Possible runway elevation problems and overlap with other mesh |
| Aerial imagery | Default ground textures lack local detail | Storage use, imagery boundaries, colour matching and performance impact |
| Regional pack | You want several related improvements together | Which components it contains and whether any duplicate packages already installed |
Do not install two replacements for the same airport and assume renaming their folders alphabetically will choose the winner. MSFS package priority is not reliably controlled that way. Keep only one airport replacement active unless the creators explicitly document compatibility.
Will MSFS 2020 scenery work in MSFS 2024?
Not automatically. Some straightforward MSFS 2020 airport and landmark packages work in MSFS 2024, but changes to scenery systems, materials, dependencies and custom modules mean that a 2020 label alone is not confirmation of compatibility.
Prefer a native MSFS 2024 release when both versions are available. Otherwise, look for an explicit compatibility statement from the creator or reliable installation notes for the exact package version. Our guide to PC freeware for MSFS 2024 covers the wider differences between Community-folder downloads and console content.
| Simulator and platform | Web-downloaded freeware | What to use |
|---|---|---|
| MSFS 2020 on PC | Yes | Packages listed for MSFS 2020 |
| MSFS 2024 on PC | Yes | Native 2024 packages or 2020 packages explicitly confirmed as compatible |
| MSFS 2020 or 2024 on Xbox Series X|S | No sideloading | Content made available through the simulator’s built-in system |
| MSFS 2024 on PS5 or PS5 Pro | No sideloading | Content made available through the simulator’s built-in system |
Can Xbox and PlayStation install downloaded scenery?
No. Console editions do not expose the Community folder, so ZIP, RAR and 7z scenery downloaded from the web cannot be installed manually. This applies to MSFS on Xbox Series X|S and to MSFS 2024 on PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro; MSFS 2020 was never released for PlayStation.
How do I install free MSFS scenery on PC?
On PC, most freeware scenery is installed by extracting the actual package folder into the active Community folder.
- Close Microsoft Flight Simulator. Do not add, remove or overwrite scenery while the simulator is running.
- Extract the archive to a temporary location. Never place the unopened ZIP, RAR or 7z file in
Community. - Find the package root. It normally contains
manifest.jsonandlayout.json. Some downloads wrap this folder inside another directory; copying that outer wrapper is a common reason scenery does not load. - Read the included instructions. A package may contain several component folders or require a separate object library. Copy only the folders the creator identifies as installable packages.
- Copy the package into the active Community folder. Its location varies by simulator, installation source and any custom packages path. Do not put freeware in the
Officialfolder, and do not assume an old Community folder left by a previous installation is still active. - Start the simulator and test the exact location. For an airport, load at the matching ICAO code and temporarily remove any other add-on affecting the same airport.
When updating scenery, remove the old package before copying the replacement unless its instructions say otherwise. Overwriting can leave obsolete files that are no longer present in the new release.
Why does my downloaded MSFS scenery not appear?
Missing scenery is usually caused by an incorrect folder level, the wrong Community folder, an unmet dependency or incompatible simulator version.
- Check that the archive was extracted. MSFS cannot load scenery directly from a compressed archive.
- Inspect the folder depth. The folder containing
manifest.jsonshould be the package placed inCommunity, not buried beneath unnecessary wrapper folders. - Confirm the active packages location. Multiple MSFS installations, reinstalls and custom paths can leave several Community folders on one PC.
- Verify compatibility and dependencies. Check the exact simulator edition and install every required library or base-content package.
- Test the precise coverage area. Some city and terrain enhancements cover a much smaller area than their names suggest.
- Run the package by itself. Temporarily remove other scenery for the same airport or region, restart MSFS and test again.
Do not begin by deleting the rolling cache. Cache problems can affect streamed ground imagery, but they rarely explain why an entire Community package is not detected.
Why do I see duplicate buildings, sunken runways or pink textures?
Duplicate objects usually mean two packages modify the same location, while raised or sunken runways often indicate competing airport or terrain elevation data. Pink or chequered textures generally point to missing assets, an unmet dependency or damaged package files.
- Remove other packages covering the same ICAO code or geographical area.
- If the add-on replaces a handcrafted or World Update airport, disable only the exact conflicting package when the creator’s instructions recommend it; removing an entire regional update may break dependencies elsewhere.
- For pink textures, reinstall the package cleanly and confirm that all required libraries are present.
- If scenery appears only after other packages are removed, use our guidance to manage MSFS scenery priority and isolate conflicts.
- If the airport is present but distant ground imagery looks blurry, investigate data streaming, cache and level-of-detail settings rather than repeatedly reinstalling the airport.