Fix missing engine sound in MSFS 2020 by checking engine state, sound sliders, output routing, add-on packages and aircraft-specific faults.
Missing engine sound in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 usually comes from a muted Aircraft Engines slider, the wrong Windows output device, an aircraft that is not actually running, or a broken add-on sound package. Check whether the fault affects every aircraft and both cockpit and external views before reinstalling anything.
How can I identify what is causing the missing sound?
The quickest diagnosis is to change one variable at a time: aircraft, view and audio type.
| Symptom | Likely cause | First check |
|---|---|---|
| Engine instruments are stopped and the propeller or fan is not turning | The engine is off or the start failed | Load a runway departure in a default aircraft |
| ATC and interface sounds work, but every aircraft is silent | Aircraft Engines volume or main audio output | Check Sound options and the selected output device |
| Sound works outside but not in the cockpit | Cockpit mix, headphone simulation or missing interior sounds | Raise cockpit audio and test another stock aircraft |
| Only one aircraft is silent | Incomplete, incompatible or conflicting aircraft package | Test the aircraft without liveries or sound mods |
| No simulator audio works | Windows mixer, output device or wider simulator fault | Test another application on the same device |
How do I restore engine sound in MSFS 2020?
Restore engine audio by proving the engine is running, resetting the aircraft-audio mix, testing a stock aircraft and then isolating output or add-on faults.
- Confirm that the engine is running. Check RPM, propeller movement or jet N1 rather than relying on cockpit lighting. An APU can supply power and produce its own sound while the main engines remain stopped. A runway start will normally load a default aircraft with its engine running.
- Compare a stock aircraft and both views. Test a default aircraft in cockpit and external view. If it works, the simulator's main sound system is functioning and the original aircraft or one of its add-ons is responsible.
- Reset the relevant volume controls. Open General Options and the Sound page, then make sure Master, Aircraft Engines and Cockpit volumes are above zero. Our explanation of which controls affect engine, ATC and cockpit audio covers the separate mixers without requiring every slider to be set to maximum.
- Check the active output device. In Windows Volume Mixer, confirm that Microsoft Flight Simulator is not muted and is using the intended speakers, headset or VR device. Select the same main output inside the simulator, fully quit MSFS and relaunch it; the simulator can retain an audio endpoint that was disconnected during play.
- Temporarily remove sound-related add-ons. On PC, move suspect aircraft, livery and sound-mod packages out of the
Communityfolder and restart the simulator. If the culprit is unclear, test with that folder empty. Xbox installations have no accessible Community folder, so disable or remove the relevant optional package through the simulator or console add-on management instead. - Repair only the affected package first. Check Content Manager for an aircraft update, then remove and reinstall that aircraft package if necessary. Use the platform's repair or verification function for the core simulator only when stock aircraft are also affected. If every type of sound is missing, follow our complete simulator-wide audio troubleshooting sequence.
Why can I hear ATC but not the engine?
ATC and engine audio can use separate sliders and output devices, so audible radio calls do not prove that the main aircraft-audio route is correct.
Set both the main output and communications output deliberately. This matters after connecting a USB headset, Bluetooth device or VR headset, because communications may remain on one endpoint while aircraft sounds go to another. Our guide to routing aircraft audio and radio communications separately explains how those device assignments interact.
Why does the engine work outside but not in the cockpit?
External-only engine sound points to the cockpit mix, headphone simulation or the aircraft's interior sound bank rather than a Windows output failure.
Raise the Cockpit and Aircraft Engines controls and temporarily disable Headphone Simulation if that option is enabled. A quieter engine inside a closed cockpit is intentional; complete silence is not. If stock aircraft have interior sound but one add-on does not, repair the add-on rather than reinstalling MSFS.
Why is only one aircraft missing engine audio?
A single silent aircraft nearly always has an aircraft-package, dependency, livery or compatibility problem.
Test its default livery with unrelated sound mods disabled. Third-party packages may omit required sound files, depend on another installed component or conflict with a package that replaces the same audio assets. Use our focused checklist for diagnosing an add-on aircraft with no sound before downloading the entire simulator again.