Fix Prepar3D Scenery.cfg permission errors: find the active file, remove read-only status, correct Windows access rights and prevent lost edits.
Close Prepar3D and every scenery or add-on manager, back up the active Scenery.cfg, then open your text editor as administrator and edit the file from there. If Windows still denies the save, remove the file’s Read-only attribute or grant your user account Modify permission to that file only—not the whole ProgramData tree.
Which Scenery.cfg file does Prepar3D use?
The active file is normally %PROGRAMDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D vX\scenery.cfg, where vX is your installed Prepar3D major version. Paste %PROGRAMDATA%\Lockheed Martin into File Explorer because ProgramData is hidden by default.
Each major Prepar3D version has its own configuration folder, so confirm that you are editing the folder matching the version you launch. Do not confuse Scenery.cfg with Prepar3D.cfg, and do not assume a same-named file found elsewhere is the active copy.
How do I restore write access safely?
Use administrator elevation before changing Windows permissions, because that fixes most access errors without altering the folder’s security settings. Follow these steps in order:
- Shut down every program that may write the file. Close Prepar3D, scenery installers, add-on managers and configuration utilities. If Windows reports that the file is in use, check that the Prepar3D process has fully exited.
- Open the correct version folder. Go to
%PROGRAMDATA%\Lockheed Martinand select the folder for the Prepar3D version concerned. - Back up the active file. Copy
Scenery.cfgto a separate safe folder before changing its attributes, permissions or contents. - Clear the file’s Read-only attribute. Open the file’s Properties, untick
Read-onlyif selected, and apply the change. The shaded Read-only box shown on a parent folder is not a reliable indication of the individual file’s status. - Run the editor as administrator. Start a plain-text editor with
Run as administrator, use its Open command to load the active file, and then save. Opening the file by double-clicking it may start the editor without elevated rights. - Repair permissions only if elevation fails. In the file’s Properties under Security, give your Windows account
ModifyandWritepermission. If the editor saves by creating a temporary file and replacing the original, it may also need Modify permission on that specific Prepar3D version folder. - Verify the saved filename. Confirm that the result is still named
scenery.cfg, notscenery.cfg.txt. Preserve the existing text format and avoid editing configuration files in a word processor.
Do not grant Everyone full control, take ownership of the entire ProgramData directory or disable Windows security features. An explicit Deny entry overrides Allow permissions; on a managed computer, that restriction should be handled by its administrator rather than removed casually.
Why does Scenery.cfg still refuse or undo edits?
A persistent error usually comes from a file lock, the wrong copy, a damaged access-control entry or software that regenerates the file.
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| “Access denied” when saving | The editor is not elevated, or the file lacks Write permission | Run the editor as administrator first; change the file’s permissions only if that fails |
| “File is being used by another process” | Prepar3D or an add-on utility still has the file open | Close those programs and wait for their processes to exit; restart Windows if the lock cannot be identified |
| The save succeeds but Prepar3D shows no change | You edited another version’s file or created scenery.cfg.txt | Check the active ProgramData path and display file extensions in File Explorer |
| Changes disappear after the next launch | An add-on manager is rebuilding its entries, or the edit is malformed | Make the change through the managing utility or use Prepar3D’s supported scenery-registration method |
| Prepar3D cannot save Scenery Library changes | The file or its version-specific folder is read-only or lacks Modify permission | Correct the narrowest affected permission rather than changing the whole ProgramData tree |
Should I edit Scenery.cfg manually?
Manual editing should be reserved for repairs or changes that cannot be made through Prepar3D’s Scenery Library or an add-on package. Where supported, add-on.xml registration avoids direct changes to the central file; our guide to scenery registration and add-on.xml installation methods explains the safer choices.
A mistake we see constantly is making Scenery.cfg permanently read-only to stop an installer changing it. That may preserve one entry, but it also prevents Prepar3D and legitimate scenery tools from updating the library. Backups are safer than using Read-only as a lock.
What if Prepar3D fails after the edit?
Restore your backup as soon as Prepar3D rejects the edited file or scenery disappears. Permission repair only allows Windows to save the file; it does not correct duplicate area sections, invalid layer values, truncated entries or bad scenery paths.
Do not delete Scenery.cfg blindly, because rebuilding it can change priorities and remove legacy registrations. If the configuration is already damaged, use our steps for backing up and rebuilding the scenery configuration and indexes rather than repeatedly changing permissions.