Enable or disable MSFS photogrammetry and optimise scenery streaming, with fixes for melted buildings, stutters and restrictive data limits.
To enable photogrammetry in Microsoft Flight Simulator, open General settings, find the Online or Data options, enable Online Functionality and Bing World Data, then turn Photogrammetry on. To disable it, switch Photogrammetry off. For smoother results, use a stable connection, avoid restrictive data limits, and tune rolling cache and level of detail.
How do I turn MSFS photogrammetry on or off?
- Open the online-data settings. In MSFS 2020, use
Options > General Options > Data. In MSFS 2024, look underSettings > General > Online. The precise grouping can differ between PC and console layouts. - Enable the required online services. Turn on
Online Functionalityand the Bing world-data option, labelledBing Data World Graphicsin MSFS 2020. Photogrammetry cannot operate without these master services. - Set Photogrammetry. Turn the switch on to stream scanned 3D cities, or off to replace them with procedurally generated buildings.
- Check the data limit. A reached or overly restrictive bandwidth allowance can stop scenery streaming even though photogrammetry still appears enabled.
- Apply the change and reload the area. Restarting the flight provides a more reliable comparison because scenery tiles already in memory may not be replaced immediately.
Disabling photogrammetry does not remove Bing aerial imagery if Bing world data remains active. It replaces the scanned three-dimensional city mesh with autogen buildings. Our explanation of how scanned city meshes are produced and streamed covers the underlying system in more detail.
Which settings best optimise photogrammetry?
Optimise photogrammetry according to the actual bottleneck: connection problems need different treatment from CPU, GPU or storage pressure.
| Problem | Best first adjustment | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Melted scenery that resolves slowly | Use a stable wired connection where possible and check that no data limit has been reached | Photogrammetry consumes more data than autogen scenery |
| Stutters approaching large cities | Reduce Terrain Level of Detail and Objects Level of Detail incrementally | Distant terrain and buildings lose detail sooner |
| Repeated flights over the same region | Use rolling cache on a fast local SSD | The cache occupies storage and can occasionally need rebuilding |
| Limited or unreliable internet access | Disable photogrammetry | Cities use generic buildings instead of scanned geometry |
| Sharp image but poor frame rate | Lower LOD before reducing render scaling | LOD controls scene complexity; render scaling mainly changes image resolution |
A larger rolling cache does not directly increase frame rate. It can reduce repeated downloads, while excessive Terrain and Objects LOD may still overload the main thread. Our graphics-setting trade-offs for MSFS 2020 and 2024 explain which options affect CPU, GPU and image quality.
Photogrammetry can use substantial bandwidth, especially during low-level flight over unfamiliar cities. If usage is capped, consult our guide to controlling MSFS data consumption. Turning photogrammetry off reduces streaming but does not make MSFS 2024 fully offline because other world assets also use cloud delivery.
Should I use the MSFS rolling cache?
Use rolling cache when you repeatedly fly over the same places or have a connection with good speed but inconsistent delivery. Put it on fast local storage and allocate only as much space as you can comfortably spare.
If scenery that previously worked becomes malformed, clear and rebuild the cache before changing every graphics option. Follow our rolling-cache clearing and management steps; routine deletion is unnecessary when scenery is loading correctly.
Why is MSFS photogrammetry not working or looking melted?
Missing or distorted photogrammetry usually comes from disabled online dependencies, incomplete streaming, stale cached data or limitations in the source scan.
- The city shows generic buildings: confirm Online Functionality, Bing world data and Photogrammetry are all enabled. The location may also lack photogrammetry coverage.
- The option is unavailable: check the master online setting, network connection and any account-level online restrictions.
- Buildings look melted from close range: allow the tiles time to stream, test with rolling cache cleared and compare the area after restarting the flight. If the same structures remain malformed, the source imagery or mesh is probably the limit.
- Photogrammetry stops part-way through a flight: inspect the simulator's data allowance and connection status. Lowering render scaling will not fix a bandwidth interruption.
- Buildings overlap or appear twice: test without third-party city scenery covering the same location, as an add-on may conflict with the streamed mesh.
A World Update may add coverage or handcrafted local assets, but it does not turn every photogrammetry city into complete offline scenery.
Should I leave photogrammetry enabled?
Leave photogrammetry enabled for urban VFR flying when you have an uncapped, stable connection and acceptable performance. Disable it when bandwidth is limited, city approaches repeatedly stutter, the source mesh looks worse than autogen, or an installed scenery package is designed to replace that area.
The setting does not alter the flight model, navigation data or aircraft systems. It is a visual and streaming choice, so disabling it is also one of the quickest tests for determining whether city scenery is causing a performance problem.