Find which flight simulators work on Windows 11, including MSFS, X-Plane, DCS, Prepar3D, FlightGear and legacy FSX, plus key caveats.
For general PC flight simulation, most modern titles work on Windows 11, including Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and 2020, X-Plane 12, Prepar3D, DCS World, FlightGear and Aerofly FS 4. Older titles such as FSX and FS2004 can also run, but often need legacy components or add-on troubleshooting.
Which modern flight simulators run on Windows 11?
The main actively developed PC simulators run on standard 64-bit Windows 11 systems using Intel or AMD processors.
| Flight simulator | Windows 11 status | Main caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 | Yes | Demanding on the CPU, GPU, storage and internet connection. |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 | Yes | Older aircraft and utilities may need updates after moving PCs or changing simulator builds. |
| X-Plane 12 | Yes | Requires suitable graphics hardware and up-to-date Vulkan drivers. |
| X-Plane 11 | Generally yes | Old plug-ins, aircraft and hardware utilities cause more trouble than the simulator itself. |
| Prepar3D v6 | Yes | Add-ons must match the Prepar3D generation, and users should check the applicable licence. |
| DCS World | Yes | Large installations and complex missions can require substantial memory, storage and graphics performance. |
| FlightGear | Yes, with a recent build | Old packages and graphics drivers can cause launcher or rendering problems. |
| Aerofly FS 4 | Yes | Check controller and VR hardware support before buying equipment specifically for it. |
| IL-2 Sturmovik: Great Battles | Generally yes | Controller software, overlays and VR drivers are common sources of problems. |
Prepar3D users should follow our version-specific Prepar3D setup and compatibility advice. For the open-source option, we also cover FlightGear launcher, graphics and Windows 11 fixes.
Windows 11 Home and Pro make little practical difference to these simulators. Processor architecture matters more: an ARM-based Windows laptop may emulate the simulator itself, but plug-ins, copy protection, anti-cheat components and USB device drivers can still fail. Windows in S mode also restricts conventional desktop software installation.
Will FSX and older flight simulators work on Windows 11?
FSX and FS2004 can work on Windows 11, but they should be treated as legacy software rather than fully modern Windows applications.
FSX on Windows 11
FSX: Steam Edition is usually the simplest FSX release to run. The original boxed FSX and Acceleration releases can also work, although their installers, DirectX-era components, permissions and older add-ons may require attention. Our practical FSX hardware and Windows compatibility notes explain what the old published requirements miss.
FSX remains a 32-bit application. Heavy scenery and aircraft can therefore exhaust its address space even when the PC has plenty of physical RAM. An old simulator is not automatically a good choice for a low-powered Windows 11 computer, either: FSX depends heavily on limited CPU threads.
FS2004 and earlier releases
FS2004 can run after a careful installation, but protected folders, disc-era copy protection and legacy dependencies can prevent it from starting. Use our step-by-step FS2004 installation guidance for Windows 11 rather than applying every compatibility setting at once.
Flight simulators from the Windows 9x era are less predictable. Some use 16-bit installers that 64-bit Windows 11 cannot run natively; others depend on obsolete graphics modes, disc checks or controllers whose drivers were never updated. For these titles, there is no universal promise of compatibility.
Why does a supported flight simulator fail to start?
A Windows 11-compatible simulator can still fail because of its graphics driver, an add-on, a missing runtime or security software. A mistake we see constantly is treating an aircraft or plug-in crash as proof that the whole simulator is incompatible.
- Check the exact simulator version. Confirm that it is a 64-bit modern release or identify it as a legacy title before applying fixes.
- Update Windows and the graphics driver. Restart afterwards; replacing a driver without rebooting can leave old components loaded.
- Launch the base simulator without add-ons. Temporarily disable community content, plug-ins, shader tools, overlays and external utilities. Restore them in small batches once the simulator opens reliably.
- Repair the supplied prerequisites. Older simulators may need legacy DirectX helper libraries or Microsoft runtime packages. Use the simulator's installer or trusted bundled redistributables rather than downloading individual DLL files.
- Check Windows security controls. Controlled Folder Access can block a simulator from writing settings or scenery indexes. Allow the affected application rather than disabling system protection entirely.
- Connect controllers after confirming the simulator starts. Old joystick, yoke and rudder-pedal drivers can cause freezes or missing devices.
- Use compatibility mode last. It can help selected legacy installers, but applying it indiscriminately to MSFS, X-Plane or DCS may create new permission and configuration problems.
Which Windows 11 flight simulator should I choose?
The best choice depends on the aircraft, flying and existing add-ons you want rather than Windows 11 compatibility alone.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: choose it for worldwide scenery, mainstream civilian flying and a modern PC platform.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020: keep or choose it when a required aircraft, utility or cockpit setup has not been verified for the 2024 simulator.
- X-Plane 12: choose it for its aerodynamic model, flexible aircraft ecosystem and desktop procedural training.
- DCS World: choose it for detailed modern military aircraft and combat systems.
- IL-2 Sturmovik: Great Battles: choose it primarily for Second World War combat flying.
- Prepar3D: choose it for a compatible training or professional setup, subject to its licensing and add-on requirements.
- FlightGear: choose it when you want a free, open-source simulator and accept a less uniform aircraft experience.
- FSX or FS2004: retain them for an existing collection of aircraft and scenery, not because they offer the easiest fresh Windows 11 installation.
A simulator marked as compatible can still be limited by unsupported plug-ins, obsolete USB drivers or inadequate hardware. The most reliable installation order is the base simulator first, controllers second and add-ons last.