Find the FSX scenery.cfg location for boxed and Steam editions, identify the active copy, back it up, edit safely and recover from errors.
In FSX and FSX: Steam Edition, the active scenery.cfg is normally at %ProgramData%\Microsoft\FSX\scenery.cfg. A side-by-side Steam installation may instead use %ProgramData%\Microsoft\FSX-SE\scenery.cfg. Close FSX, identify the copy containing your live Scenery Library entries, back it up, and edit it only with a plain-text editor.
FSX scenery.cfg locations
The live scenery.cfg is stored in Windows' shared ProgramData area, not the usual FSX installation directory or your roaming AppData folder. Press Windows key + R, enter %ProgramData%\Microsoft, and inspect the appropriate subfolder.
| FSX installation | Likely active location |
|---|---|
| Boxed FSX on Windows Vista or later | %ProgramData%\Microsoft\FSX\scenery.cfg |
| FSX: Steam Edition installed without boxed FSX | Usually %ProgramData%\Microsoft\FSX\scenery.cfg |
| Steam Edition alongside boxed FSX | Typically %ProgramData%\Microsoft\FSX-SE\scenery.cfg |
%ProgramData% usually expands to C:\ProgramData, which Windows hides by default. Do not assume that every Steam installation uses the FSX-SE folder; Steam-only installations commonly retain the standard FSX name.
Which scenery.cfg copy is active?
The active copy is the one whose Title= entries match the areas displayed in that installation's Scenery Library. This check matters when both FSX and FSX-SE folders exist or an old configuration remains after reinstalling the simulator.
- Open FSX and note the exact title of a distinctive add-on area in the Scenery Library.
- Exit FSX completely before opening either configuration file.
- Search each candidate
scenery.cfgfor that title and confirm that its other add-on entries also match the library.
A modified date can support this check, but it is not proof by itself: installers sometimes update an inactive file. If the file contains missing paths, duplicate areas or damaged numbering, our scenery.cfg error-repair procedure covers the diagnostic steps.
How do I edit FSX scenery.cfg safely?
The safe method is to close FSX, preserve an untouched backup and make the smallest possible plain-text change. FSX can rewrite the file when its Scenery Library changes, so editing while the simulator is open risks losing your work.
- Exit FSX: wait until the simulator has closed fully before touching the file.
- Back up the active file: copy
scenery.cfgto a safe folder and give the copy a recognisable name such asscenery.cfg.backup. For wider protection, follow our guide to backing up FSX settings and add-ons. - Use a plain-text editor: Notepad is sufficient. Preserve the existing encoding where possible, and make sure Windows does not save the file as
scenery.cfg.txt. - Change only the intended entry: verify the complete
[Area.nnn]section rather than editing a matching line elsewhere by mistake. - Check the syntax: retain the section brackets, equals signs and existing field names. Do not create duplicate area headers or layer numbers.
- Save and test: start FSX, open the Scenery Library and load a flight in the affected area. If anything is wrong, close FSX before restoring the backup.
If Windows reports access denied, do not weaken permissions across the whole ProgramData tree. Use the safer copy-edit-replace methods in our FSX file-permission guide.
The fields most often involved are:
Title=— the name shown in the Scenery Library.Local=— the scenery folder path; it must exist and point to the intended add-on.Layer=— the area's scenery priority layer.Active=TRUEorFALSE— whether FSX loads that area.Required=TRUE— treat these entries as protected; they commonly belong to essential default scenery.
Should I change FSX scenery order manually?
Use FSX's Scenery Library for ordinary priority changes rather than manually renumbering Area and Layer values. The simulator can maintain the numbering itself, while hand-edited duplicates, gaps or mismatched layers are common causes of configuration errors.
Our explanation of safe FSX scenery priority and library order shows where airports, regional scenery, mesh and default layers normally belong. Manual editing is best reserved for repairing a known bad path or entry when the Scenery Library cannot open or save correctly.
How do I recover from a bad scenery.cfg edit?
Restore the untouched backup first, then restart FSX and confirm that the original Scenery Library returns. If FSX identifies a particular area number, compare that entire section with the backup and check whether its Local= directory still exists.
Do not delete the whole file as a first response. Rebuilding may restore default scenery but discard every add-on library entry, leaving installed scenery on disk without telling FSX to load it.