Fix the MSFS 2020 game disc error by restoring licence checks, repairing Gaming Services, handling boxed DVDs and setting up offline mode.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020’s “Please insert the Microsoft Flight Simulator Game Disc” message usually means the platform cannot verify your licence; it rarely means a digital buyer needs a disc. Restore internet access, sign into the owning account, confirm its entitlement, then repair Gaming Services if needed and launch through the correct client.
Why does a digital copy of MSFS 2020 ask for a disc?
For digital copies, the game-disc message is normally a failed ownership check rather than a missing installation file. Common causes include mismatched Microsoft accounts, an expired Game Pass subscription, damaged Gaming Services, lost offline credentials or starting the Steam edition outside Steam.
| MSFS 2020 edition | What proves ownership | First check |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Store or Xbox app purchase | The purchaser’s Microsoft Store licence and any Digital Ownership component supplied with the edition | Sign into Microsoft Store and Xbox app with the owning account |
| PC Game Pass | An active subscription on the account using the Xbox app | Confirm the subscription is active and MSFS appears in the account’s library |
| Steam | The Steam account that bought the simulator | Run Steam online and start MSFS from its Steam library entry |
| Boxed PC DVD edition | The original physical media and its activation | Insert the required original disc, normally Disc 1, into a readable drive |
How do I clear the MSFS 2020 game-disc error?
Work through these checks in order; most cases are fixed without reinstalling the simulator’s large content packages.
- Restore internet access and automatic time settings. Licence authentication can fail if Windows has the wrong date, time or time zone. Disable any VPN temporarily and restart the computer after correcting them.
- Identify where you obtained MSFS. Do not troubleshoot a Steam licence through Microsoft Store, or assume a Game Pass installation remains licensed after its subscription ends.
- Sign back into the owning account. Quit Microsoft Flight Simulator, Microsoft Store and Xbox app. Sign out of both Microsoft apps, reopen them and sign in with the account that purchased the simulator or holds Game Pass. Windows permits different Store and Xbox identities, but that split is a frequent source of ownership confusion.
- Confirm the entitlement appears in the library. For a Store purchase, check that the base simulator and its Digital Ownership item, if listed for your edition, are associated with the account. For Game Pass, verify the subscription itself rather than relying on the fact that files are still installed.
- Update the licensing components. Install pending updates for Microsoft Store, Xbox app, Gaming Services and Windows, then reboot. Steam owners should update Steam and verify that it is logged into the purchasing account.
- Repair Gaming Services. In Windows Apps settings, find Gaming Services, open its advanced options and try Repair. Use Reset only if repair fails, as it can require another sign-in. If Gaming Services is missing, will not open or immediately breaks again, follow our Gaming Services recovery procedure.
- Launch from the correct client. Start Store and Game Pass installations from Xbox app or the account’s library. Start the Steam edition from Steam, not by opening
FlightSimulator.exedirectly or using an obsolete shortcut. - Repair the launcher before reinstalling everything. If the entitlement is visible but the message remains, use the applicable client’s repair or file-verification function. Our platform-specific MSFS file repair steps explain the safer options. Do not delete the
OfficialorCommunityfolders merely to fix a licence check.
If the simulator does not appear in the purchaser’s library at all, treat this as an account, purchase or subscription problem. Reinstalling the same files will not create an entitlement, and buying a second copy should not be the first response.
What changes on Xbox Series X|S?
On Xbox, sign in with the profile that owns MSFS 2020 or has the required subscription, fully quit the simulator and restart the console. If another profile purchased it, that profile or its Home Xbox sharing arrangement must provide the licence; Windows Gaming Services repairs do not apply.
What if I own the boxed DVD edition?
The boxed PC edition can genuinely require its original disc as a physical ownership check. Insert the required disc before starting MSFS and confirm that Windows can read it in File Explorer.
If the drive cannot see the disc, reconnect the drive before launch, inspect and clean the media carefully, and test another compatible optical drive if available. A copied image, unrelated game disc or empty drive will not satisfy the check. Do not assume that entering the boxed edition’s activation code automatically converted it into a disc-free digital purchase.
Can MSFS 2020 run offline without showing this error?
A digital edition can run with reduced functionality offline only after its platform has authenticated and cached the licence while connected. Configure offline permissions through the purchasing client, launch MSFS successfully online at least once, close it normally and then test without the connection.
The exact preparation differs between Microsoft Store, Game Pass and Steam, so use our instructions for preparing MSFS 2020 for offline use. Streamed scenery, live weather and other online services will remain unavailable, while a boxed edition may still require its physical disc.
Why is MSFS stuck checking for updates after the disc error?
Passing the licence check can expose a separate connection, cache or package-location problem at the Checking for updates screen. Avoid repeating account resets if ownership is now recognised; instead, use the targeted fixes for an MSFS update-check loop.