Why is the Fenix A320 EFB or tablet not working in MSFS?
In Microsoft Flight Simulator, a Fenix A320 EFB or tablet that will not turn on, stays black or freezes is usually down to aircraft power, a dimmed screen, the Fenix external app failing to start, or a conflicting add-on. Fix those in that order before you reinstall anything.
What usually causes the Fenix A320 tablet to stay black or frozen?
Most dead Fenix tablets are not permanent aircraft faults; they are startup, power or conflict problems. The quickest way to narrow it down is to match the symptom to the rest of the cockpit.
| Symptom | Most likely cause | Best first fix |
|---|---|---|
| Tablet is black and the PFD, ND, ECAM or MCDU are dead too | The aircraft is not properly powered | Turn on the batteries, establish external power or APU power, then reload the aircraft |
| Only the EFB is black; the rest of the cockpit is alive | Tablet brightness is down or the Fenix app did not initialise properly | Check brightness, wait for startup to finish, then fully reload MSFS and the aircraft |
| Tablet lights up but taps do nothing or pages never load | Hung background process, Windows security block, or add-on conflict | Restart the Fenix app, match admin rights, and test with an empty Community folder |
| Tablet works but SimBrief or INIT-related functions fail | Data or connection issue rather than a dead tablet | Treat it as an import or account-sync problem instead |
How do I fix the Fenix A320 EFB in Microsoft Flight Simulator?
Work through the basics in order: power, initialisation, Windows permissions, add-ons, then repair. Skipping straight to a reinstall misses the causes we see most often.
- Bring the aircraft properly to life. From a cold-and-dark start, turn on the aircraft batteries and establish a real power source with external power or the APU. Then check that the tablet is not simply dimmed. If the whole cockpit is dark, start with our checklist for dead Fenix A320 displays. If you need the correct electrical flow, use our cold-and-dark startup walkthrough for the Fenix A320.
- Watch for a brightness or input problem. If the EFB flashes on and immediately darkens again, suspect a brightness setting or a noisy hardware encoder sending repeated input. Temporarily unplug suspect panels or clear any bindings that could be altering cockpit brightness.
- Let Fenix finish initialising, then reload once. The Fenix relies on external systems outside core MSFS. Give it a little time after the aircraft loads; if the tablet is still frozen, return to the main menu and load the flight again. A full reload is more reliable than an in-sim restart.
- Restart the simulator and the Fenix background processes. Fully quit MSFS and close any hung Fenix background app or service before launching again. If the tablet returns after a clean restart, you were dealing with a failed startup rather than broken aircraft files.
- Match permissions and check Windows security. Do not run one program as administrator and the other as a normal app. Keep MSFS and the Fenix software at the same privilege level, and make sure antivirus or firewall software has not blocked or quarantined the Fenix app.
- Test without Community add-ons, then repair if needed. Move non-essential items out of
Community, especially old Fenix liveries, EFB mods, toolbar utilities and cockpit tweaks. Load the default Fenix livery and test again. If the tablet is still dead, use the Fenix installer or updater's repair or validate option if one is available, then reboot Windows.
Is this a power problem or an installation problem?
Call it a power problem when other cockpit screens are dead too or when the EFB wakes up as soon as you establish proper electrical power. Suspect installation, permissions or add-ons when the rest of the aircraft powers up normally but the tablet stays black on every flight.
- Power issue: PFD, ND, ECAM or MCDU screens are also dark, or the EFB returns after external power or APU power is set up.
- Startup or permissions issue: the cockpit is alive, but the tablet stays black or frozen until you fully restart MSFS and the Fenix app.
- Add-on conflict: the problem started after a livery or cockpit mod was added, and disappears with an empty
Communityfolder. - Corrupted install: the issue survives clean restarts and an empty
Communityfolder, often after an update or moving files to a new drive.
If more than the tablet is misbehaving, use our broader checklist for a Fenix A320 that is not working properly in MSFS.
What if the tablet is on but SimBrief or ground services do not work?
If the EFB powers on and you can navigate its pages, this is usually a data or connection problem rather than a dead tablet. Check the relevant login, wait for the service to sync, and if the failure is centred on flight-plan import or INIT functions, follow our steps for INIT REQUEST problems in the Fenix A320.