Fix the Navigraph Bad Image error in MSFS 2020 by identifying the failing DLL, cleaning Community packages and reinstalling the right component.
The Navigraph “Bad Image” error in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is usually a Windows DLL-loading failure or a stale Navigraph package, not a damaged chart image. Note the file path in the message, remove old Navigraph packages from the active Community folder, repair the named component, then reinstall it through Navigraph Hub.
What does “Bad Image” mean in Navigraph?
A Windows Bad Image dialogue means an executable cannot load one of its required files correctly. The file path shown in the message identifies which part of the installation needs attention.
| Path shown in the error | Likely fault | Best first action |
|---|---|---|
Community or a linked add-on folder | Incomplete, outdated or duplicate Navigraph package | Remove the package and reinstall it through Navigraph Hub |
| A Navigraph application folder | Damaged Hub, Charts or Simlink installation | Reinstall the named Navigraph application |
System32 or SysWOW64 | Damaged Windows component or runtime | Repair Windows and its installed runtime packages |
| Another add-on's folder | Package conflict or an obsolete linked copy | Test Navigraph with the other add-on removed |
Record the complete path and error status before changing anything. A mistake we see constantly is treating every Bad Image message as a Navigraph fault even when the dialogue names a Windows file or an unrelated add-on.
How do I clean and reinstall the Navigraph packages?
A clean package reinstall fixes the error when the dialogue points to the MSFS 2020 Community folder or the problem began after a Navigraph update.
- Close every related process. Exit MSFS 2020, Navigraph Hub, Charts and Simlink. Check that the simulator has finished closing before modifying its packages.
- Find the active Community folder. MS Store and Steam installations can use different locations. If there is any doubt, inspect the
InstalledPackagesPathentry in MSFS 2020'sUserCfg.optfile rather than cleaning a Community folder the simulator no longer uses. - Remove the affected packages through Navigraph Hub. Uninstall the Charts In-Game Panel first when the error appears upon opening the toolbar panel. If the error appears during simulator start-up, also remove the MSFS 2020 navdata package temporarily.
- Clear the remnants. In the active Community folder, remove leftover entries whose names begin with
navigraph. Also disable duplicate copies created by an add-on linker. Do not delete anything from the simulator'sOfficialpackage folder. - Restart Windows. This releases files that Hub or MSFS may have kept locked.
- Reinstall one component at a time. Install the Charts panel, launch MSFS and test it. Add the navdata package afterwards. This reveals which component triggers the message instead of restoring the entire faulty arrangement at once.
If Hub is targeting the wrong simulator installation or the toolbar icon never returns, follow our MSFS 2020 Navigraph installation and package-location checks. Navdata is separate from the chart panel; our navdata repair and reinstall guidance explains which package to replace when only procedures or AIRAC data are affected.
What if the error names a DLL outside the Community folder?
If the dialogue names a file in a Navigraph application or Windows directory, repeatedly reinstalling the in-game panel will not repair it.
- Repair the named application. Uninstall the affected Navigraph app through Windows, restart the PC and install a clean copy. Reinstall Hub only if the path points to Hub; reinstalling every Navigraph component can obscure which one failed.
- Repair the Microsoft runtime entries. In Windows' installed-apps list, use the repair option for the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable packages. Repair both x64 and x86 entries because a 64-bit Windows installation can still run components that require the x86 runtime.
- Check Windows system files. Open Terminal or Command Prompt as administrator, run
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, let it finish, then runsfc /scannow. Restart after both checks complete. - Review security-software history. If a Navigraph file was quarantined during an update, permit the trusted application and reinstall the affected component so it creates a fresh file. Do not download a loose replacement DLL.
What if the Navigraph panel is blank or shows a broken image?
A blank chart panel or broken-image symbol without a Windows Bad Image dialogue is a different fault, usually involving the panel package, sign-in session or online chart content.
Sign out and back in, confirm that the standalone Charts app can display the same chart, then reinstall only the Charts In-Game Panel. If external Charts works but the toolbar panel does not, the account and chart service are functioning; concentrate on the Community package and duplicate-panel checks.
Does Simlink cause the Bad Image error?
Simlink normally supplies aircraft position data and does not render the charts themselves. Repair it only when the error path names Simlink or the charts load but the moving aircraft symbol does not; use our Simlink connection checks for that separate problem.
Why does the error return after reinstalling?
A recurring Navigraph Bad Image error usually means MSFS is loading another copy or the damaged file is being recreated or blocked.
- The package was removed from the wrong Community folder.
- An add-on manager still links an older Navigraph package into the active folder.
- Hub or MSFS remained open while files were being replaced.
- Security software quarantined the newly installed file again.
- The message names a Windows DLL that has not been repaired.
To isolate a stubborn conflict, move all third-party packages out of the active Community folder, install only the Navigraph component that failed and test MSFS 2020. If the error disappears, restore the other add-ons in small groups until the conflicting or duplicated package is identified.