Fix MSFS Addons Linker using the wrong Community folder: find the active Packages path, clear stale links and point the tool to the right folder.
To fix MSFS Addons Linker using the wrong Community folder, close Microsoft Flight Simulator, identify the active InstalledPackagesPath in the simulator’s UserCfg.opt, remove links from the old Community folder, then point Addons Linker at InstalledPackagesPath\Community. Re-enable one add-on first and confirm it appears in the simulator.
This applies to Microsoft Flight Simulator on Windows. Addons Linker cannot manage console installations because Xbox and PlayStation do not expose a PC-style Community folder.
Why does Addons Linker choose the wrong Community folder?
MSFS Addons Linker usually targets an obsolete installation path, the wrong simulator generation or an inactive profile. Common causes include:
- Moving the MSFS Packages directory without updating Addons Linker.
- Installing MSFS 2024 while retaining an MSFS 2020 configuration.
- Having separate Microsoft Store and Steam installations or leftover configuration files.
- Changing the main path while a per-simulator configuration or profile still points elsewhere.
- Restoring an old Addons Linker configuration after reinstalling Windows or the simulator.
Automatic detection is useful, but it can select a stale UserCfg.opt when several copies exist. In that situation, set the Community path manually rather than editing the simulator’s package path to match the tool.
How do I find the Community folder MSFS actually uses?
The reliable Community folder is the Community directory inside the active InstalledPackagesPath recorded by MSFS.
- Exit the simulator normally. This ensures its active configuration has been written to disk.
- Locate
UserCfg.opt. Search the hidden%LOCALAPPDATA%and%APPDATA%locations associated with your MSFS installation. MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 use separate configuration files. - Open the file in a text editor. Find the line beginning with
InstalledPackagesPath. - Append
\Communityto that path. If the line points toD:\MSFS Packages, for example, Addons Linker should targetD:\MSFS Packages\Community. - Check the directory. It should sit alongside the simulator’s
Officialfolder. Do not select the Packages root, theOfficialfolder or your external add-on library.
If several UserCfg.opt files exist, match the file to the edition and generation you actually launch. Our Community package detection checks cover inactive paths and other reasons MSFS may ignore an otherwise valid folder. MSFS 2024 users can also follow our MSFS 2024 Community-path troubleshooting.
How do I change the Addons Linker path safely?
Disable the old links before changing the path so symbolic links are not left behind in an obsolete Community folder.
- Record your source folders and profiles. These are the external directories containing the real add-on files; they are not the Community folder.
- Disable linked packages. While the old Community path is still configured, untick or disable its active add-ons so Addons Linker can remove their links.
- Change the Community path. Open the tool’s options or simulator configuration and select the exact active
Communitydirectory identified fromUserCfg.opt. - Check the selected configuration. If your Addons Linker release provides separate simulator configurations or profiles, make sure you edited the one being used.
- Refresh the library. Restart or rescan Addons Linker if the displayed package state does not update.
- Enable one package. Confirm that a new symbolic link appears directly inside the correct Community folder.
- Start MSFS and test it. Check the aircraft, livery or scenery itself rather than assuming every Community package will be listed in the same in-simulator menu.
If you could not disable the old links through the tool, remove only confirmed symbolic links from the obsolete Community folder. Do not delete ordinary folders: they may contain physically installed add-ons. Our Addons Linker configuration and profile walkthrough explains the source-library side of the setup.
Why are linked add-ons still missing from MSFS?
A correct Community path does not fix malformed packages, broken links or links created at the wrong directory level.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Links return to the old folder | An unused profile was edited, or automatic detection restored a stale path | Select the active simulator configuration and enter the path manually |
| The link exists but MSFS ignores it | The link targets a wrapper folder rather than the package root | Ensure the linked folder resolves to the directory containing manifest.json and layout.json |
| The link is broken | The external drive, network location or source folder has moved | Reconnect the storage or update the source-library path, then recreate the link |
| No link is created | Windows denied symbolic-link creation | Use the permission method supported by your Windows setup, then enable one package again |
| It works in MSFS 2020 but not MSFS 2024 | Both simulator generations are pointing at the same Community folder | Give each simulator its own Community target and profile |
A correct linked package normally looks like Community\package-name, with that entry resolving to an external folder whose top level contains the package files. A common mistake we see is linking the parent directory, producing an extra level such as Community\wrapper\package-name.
Can one Addons Linker library serve MSFS 2020 and 2024?
Yes, one external library can be organised through separate profiles, but MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 must each target their own active Community folder.
Do not assume every package is compatible with both simulators. Keep version-specific add-ons in separate source groups or presets, and enable shared packages only when their developer identifies them as compatible. This prevents a path correction from turning into duplicate-package or compatibility problems.