Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 download: how do I install it?

To download and install Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, use the platform that owns your licence: Steam, the Microsoft Store/Xbox app on PC, or your Xbox library. Install the small application first, launch it, choose a Packages folder with ample free space, then allow the Installation Manager to download every mandatory package and update.

Where can I download Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020?

The safe download routes are Steam, the Microsoft Store/Xbox app, an owned Xbox library or the official boxed-disc installer. There is no legitimate standalone MSFS 2020 installer that bypasses licence activation, the platform client and the large in-simulator package download.

The 2020 release may appear in a library as Microsoft Flight Simulator or Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary Edition. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a separate product with its own licence and installation, so check the exact title before downloading.

Steam and Microsoft Store licences are not interchangeable. If you bought the simulator through Steam, it will not appear as an owned Microsoft Store download, and the reverse also applies.

Is there a Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 free download?

There is no legal free download of the complete Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. Access may be included in an eligible paid subscription catalogue, but that is not a permanent free copy and availability can vary by account, region and subscription.

A torrent, crack or repack is not a substitute for the licensed simulator. Apart from the security and legal risks, MSFS depends on account services, mandatory package updates and online data that unofficial copies cannot reliably provide. Free aircraft and scenery are add-ons and still require an installed copy of the simulator.

MSFS 2020 supports Windows PC and Xbox Series X|S. It has no native macOS or Linux release and was never released for PlayStation; the Flight Simulator title available for PS5 is Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, not 2020.

How to download and install MSFS 2020 on PC

On a Windows PC, the storefront installs the application first and the simulator then downloads most of its aircraft, scenery and core data through its own Installation Manager.

1. Confirm which account owns the licence. Open the Steam Library or Xbox app while signed into the correct account. For the Microsoft Store edition, use the same Microsoft account in both the Store and Xbox app.
2. Prepare the PC and storage. Install pending Windows and platform-client updates, then check the space available on both the application drive and the intended Packages drive. The required size changes as mandatory and optional content is updated, so leave substantial headroom for downloading and decompression.
3. Install the application. Select Install in Steam or the Xbox app. This initial platform download is only part of the simulator, even if the platform reports that installation is complete.
4. Start Microsoft Flight Simulator. Steam users must sign into a Microsoft/Xbox account when prompted. Allow any platform or launcher update to finish before the Installation Manager opens.
5. Choose the Packages folder. Select a fast, writable local drive with ample free space. Choose the parent folder that will contain Official and Community; do not select either of those subfolders directly. A simple dedicated path such as D:\MSFS\Packages is easier to recognise later. Our guide to placing the launcher and large simulator packages on different drives covers split-drive installations.
6. Download every mandatory package. Keep the PC awake and the connection stable. Network activity can fall to zero temporarily while a large package is being decompressed, so check disk activity before assuming the installer has frozen.
7. Check edition and optional content. Once the main menu loads, open Content Manager and confirm that the aircraft and scenery belonging to your Standard, Deluxe or Premium Deluxe edition are installed. World Updates and other optional packages can be added separately.

The three main editions use the same installation procedure. Deluxe and Premium Deluxe ownership unlocks additional packages; it does not require a different launcher.

Which drive should I use for the MSFS 2020 Packages folder?

Choose an SSD with enough spare capacity for the base packages, future mandatory updates, optional scenery and temporary decompression files. An HDD can hold the packages, but loading and package processing will generally be slower.

The application folder and Packages folder are separate, and their default locations differ between Steam and Microsoft Store installations. Before moving or deleting anything, use our explanation of how to find the separate MSFS application, Official and Community locations.

A mistake we see often is choosing a new empty folder after repairing the launcher or installing an update. MSFS then sees no Official content and offers to download the simulator again. Point the Installation Manager to the existing parent folder containing Official and Community.

Avoid cloud-synchronised folders and storage that is frequently disconnected. Even when the Packages folder is on another drive, retain free space on the Windows and application drives for platform updates and temporary files.

Why does Microsoft Flight Simulator appear to download twice?

MSFS 2020 appears to download twice because Steam or the Xbox app installs the application and launcher, while the simulator downloads its much larger content packages after it starts.

Updates may follow the same pattern: the platform updates the application, then the Installation Manager updates packages inside Official. Steam's file-verification tool primarily checks the Steam-managed application files; it does not replace the simulator's own package check.

Do not assume that the second progress screen is a duplicate download. It contains the aircraft, airports, scenery and other data needed to run the simulator.

How do I install MSFS 2020 from physical discs?

The boxed PC edition begins with its supplied disc installer, but it still needs activation, a Microsoft account and a substantial online update before the simulator is ready to use.

Insert the discs in the order requested, choose the package storage location carefully, and do not expect the disc data to represent the fully updated simulator. The complete boxed-disc installation sequence and package guidance covers the extra steps specific to that edition.

How do I install Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 on Xbox?

On Xbox Series X|S, open the owned-games or eligible subscription library, select Microsoft Flight Simulator and choose Install. Allow the base download and all mandatory updates to finish, then manage optional aircraft and scenery from inside the simulator.

The locally installed Series X|S version must run from compatible high-speed storage. A conventional external USB drive may store the game, but it cannot normally run the Series-optimised installation; move it back to internal or compatible expansion storage before launching.

Xbox One cannot install MSFS 2020 locally. Cloud play may be offered through an eligible subscription, region and device, but that streams the simulator rather than downloading it to the console.

What should I do if the MSFS 2020 download is stuck or restarts?

Most stuck, looping or repeated MSFS downloads are caused by an account mismatch, insufficient temporary space, a changed Packages path or interrupted package decompression.

• Install button missing: verify that the active Steam or Microsoft account owns the correct 2020 edition. Microsoft Store users should check that the Store and Xbox app use the same owning account.
• Full download offered again: browse to the existing Packages parent folder. Do not create a fresh empty directory if Official already exists elsewhere.
• Progress pauses while decompressing: check whether the drive is still active and wait. Closing the installer during package processing can leave an incomplete file that must be downloaded again.
• Repeated low-space error: free room on the application, Windows and Packages drives. A compressed download may need additional working space before its final files are written.
• Connection repeatedly drops: remove any VPN or restrictive proxy, check that no download limit is enabled where the installer provides one, and use a stable wired connection when practical.
• Microsoft Store or Xbox app error: install available Store, Xbox app and Gaming Services updates, restart Windows, then retry. Repair the affected app through Windows before using more destructive reset options.
• Steam launcher problem: let Steam finish its own update and verify the Steam-managed files. Remember that this does not validate every package under Official.
• Update fails on an older installation: temporarily move third-party packages out of Community and retry. Do not place add-ons inside Official.
• Security software reports a block: review the named file and permit the legitimate platform or simulator process if appropriate. Do not disable security software indiscriminately.

Do not delete the entire Official folder as a first repair step. It contains most of the simulator, so removing it usually turns a path, account or single-package problem into another complete Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 download.