Learn how to download and install MSFS 2024 add-ons on PC, find the active Community folder, fix missing packages, and understand console limits.
On PC, download an MSFS 2024-compatible add-on, extract its archive, and copy the package folder containing manifest.json and layout.json into the simulator’s active Community folder, then restart the sim. Marketplace add-ons install through My Library. Xbox and PlayStation users cannot manually install Community-folder files; they must use in-sim Marketplace content.
Which MSFS 2024 installation method should I use?
The add-on’s delivery format determines how it should be installed.
| Download type | Installation method | Where it belongs |
|---|---|---|
| ZIP, RAR or 7Z package | Extract it and copy each valid package folder | The active Community folder |
| Installer or add-on manager | Run it, select Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and verify the destination | Chosen by the installer |
| Marketplace item | Acquire it in the simulator and manage it through My Library | Managed by MSFS 2024 |
| External utility | Install and launch it as instructed by its documentation | Outside the Community folder |
You can browse our downloadable MSFS aircraft, scenery and utilities, but check each file’s compatibility notes before installing it. Some Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 packages work in MSFS 2024, but compatibility is not guaranteed; use a native 2024 release when one is provided.
Marketplace content is handled differently. Open the in-sim Marketplace, acquire the item, then use the controls presented in My Library. MSFS 2024 can stream eligible content rather than storing every item as a conventional local package, so do not copy or move Marketplace-managed files into Community.
How do I manually install downloaded add-ons on PC?
Manual PC packages are installed by extracting them and placing the correct package root inside the active MSFS 2024 Community folder while the simulator is closed.
- Confirm compatibility. Read the download description and included instructions. Do not install FSX or Prepar3D files, and do not assume an MSFS 2020 package is fully compatible with MSFS 2024.
- Close the simulator. MSFS scans packages during start-up, so files added while it is running may not be recognised until the next launch.
- Extract the archive. A ZIP, RAR or 7Z file must be unpacked first. The compressed archive itself does not belong in
Community. - Find the package root. Open the extracted folders until you find one containing
manifest.jsonandlayout.json. Copy that folder, not an outer wrapper containing another folder of the same name. If the archive contains several sibling package folders, install each one unless its instructions say otherwise. - Locate the active Community folder. Its location varies between Microsoft Store, Steam and custom package installations. Our guide to finding and configuring the active MSFS 2024 Community folder covers the reliable methods. A common mistake is copying files into an old MSFS 2020 folder that the 2024 simulator never reads.
- Copy the package and restart MSFS. The expected structure is
Community/package-name/manifest.json, notCommunity/package-name/package-name/manifest.json. - Check the correct place in the sim. Aircraft appear in aircraft selection, liveries appear under their required base aircraft, and scenery should be checked at its airport code or location on the world map. External utilities may need to be launched separately.
Our full PC mod installation walkthrough explains archive extraction and package-root identification in more detail. Aircraft can introduce installer paths, base-model dependencies and livery nesting, covered in our aircraft-specific installation guidance.
For a large collection, an add-on manager can store extracted packages elsewhere and activate them through links. Our guide to organising packages with MSFS Addons Linker explains that approach; compressed archives still need to be extracted first.
Why is my MSFS 2024 add-on not showing?
An add-on usually fails to appear because it is in the wrong Community folder, nested one level too deep or incompatible with the simulator.
- Wrong folder: Confirm that you are using the active MSFS 2024 path, not a leftover MSFS 2020 folder or an unused default location.
- Extra wrapper folder: The folder directly inside
Communityshould normally containmanifest.jsonandlayout.json. - Archive not extracted: MSFS does not load add-ons directly from ZIP, RAR or 7Z files.
- Missing dependency: A livery may require a specific base aircraft, while some scenery packages depend on a separate library included with the download.
- Duplicate versions: Remove older copies rather than keeping two releases of the same airport, aircraft or livery active together.
- Package conflict: Temporarily move recently added packages out of
Community, then restore them in small groups to identify the conflict. - Safe Mode: If MSFS starts in Safe Mode after a crash, Community content is disabled for that session. Relaunch normally before deciding that the installation failed.
- Wrong product generation: A package designed only for FSX, Prepar3D or another simulator cannot be converted by placing it in the MSFS 2024 folder.
If a Marketplace item is missing, verify that the simulator is signed into the account that acquired it and inspect its status in My Library. Use the download, streaming or enablement controls shown there rather than attempting a manual Community-folder installation.
Can I install third-party add-ons on Xbox or PS5?
No. Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro do not expose a Community folder, so users cannot sideload downloaded ZIP packages, PC installers or external utilities.
Console add-ons must be distributed through the in-sim Marketplace and approved for that platform. Marketplace availability can differ between PC, Xbox and PlayStation, so check the platform information before acquiring an item; a separately downloaded PC add-on will not become installable on a console.