Where is the FSX screenshot folder, and can I change it?

By default, FSX and FSX: Steam Edition save native screenshots taken with V as BMP files in Windows’ Pictures\Flight Simulator X Files folder. Open it with shell:My Pictures. To change the location, close FSX and edit ScreenshotDir under [Display] in the active configuration file; Steam F12 captures use a separate folder.

How do I find the FSX screenshot folder?

The most reliable method is to open the Pictures folder assigned by Windows, as it may have been redirected to OneDrive, another drive or a network location.

1. Press Windows key + R.
2. Enter shell:My Pictures and press Enter.
3. Open Flight Simulator X Files.
4. Look for BMP images whose names normally begin with fsx; sorting by date modified makes a new capture easier to spot.

Do not confuse this with Documents\Flight Simulator X Files. FSX uses the same final folder name for saved flights and related files, but native screenshots belong under Pictures unless ScreenshotDir has been changed.

Did FSX, Steam or Windows take the screenshot?

The capture method determines the storage location, even when every image was taken while FSX: Steam Edition was running.

A mistake we see repeatedly is searching the FSX folder for an image captured through Steam. If you pressed F12, use our instructions for finding and changing Steam’s own screenshot folder; editing FSX will not move those images.

“It’s not there” or “je ne trouve pas”: why is the folder missing?

If the folder is not there, no native V-key capture has created it yet, Windows has redirected Pictures, ScreenshotDir points elsewhere, or another capture system took the image.

1. Make a fresh native capture. Load a flight, make the simulator window active and press V once.
2. Open the real Pictures location. Use shell:My Pictures rather than an old shortcut or a path typed from memory.
3. Check the key assignment. If V does nothing or has been remapped, see our practical guide to FSX’s V-key capture controls.
4. Inspect the active configuration file. An existing ScreenshotDir= entry overrides the normal Pictures location.
5. Check the destination. Create it manually and confirm that your Windows account can write there. Avoid protected locations such as Program Files.

How do I change the FSX screenshot folder?

Close FSX, create the destination folder and change the ScreenshotDir value in the simulator’s active per-user configuration file.

1. Close FSX completely. If it remains open, it may overwrite your edit when it exits.
2. Create the new folder. For example, make D:\FSX Screenshots. A folder owned by your Windows account is the safest choice.
3. Open the configuration location. Boxed FSX and many Steam-only installations use %APPDATA%\Microsoft\FSX\fsx.cfg. PCs where boxed FSX and Steam Edition have coexisted may instead use %APPDATA%\Microsoft\FSX-SE\fsx_se.cfg.
4. Back up the file. Copy it to a safe location before editing.
5. Find the Display section. Under [Display], replace the existing ScreenshotDir= value. If the entry is absent, add it beneath that section.
6. Enter the complete path. For the example above, use ScreenshotDir=D:\FSX Screenshots. Do not put quotation marks around it, and keep only one ScreenshotDir entry.
7. Save and test. Start FSX, load a flight, press V and check the new folder for a BMP file.

The change applies only to future native screenshots. Existing BMP files remain in their previous folder.

How do I know which FSX configuration file is active?

If both configuration locations exist, the active file is normally the one FSX updates when it closes.

Start the simulator, change a harmless display preference, exit normally and compare the files’ modified times. Edit the file that was just updated rather than assuming Steam Edition must use FSX-SE. These files are stored under AppData, not in the FSX installation directory.

Why is FSX ignoring the new screenshot path?

FSX usually ignores a changed path because the wrong configuration file was edited, the destination is unavailable or the image was not captured by FSX itself.

• FSX was running during the edit: close it, edit the file again and save before restarting.
• The wrong file was changed: this is especially common after boxed FSX and Steam Edition have both been installed.
• The destination does not exist: create the complete folder structure manually.
• Windows denied access: use a folder owned by your account rather than a system or installation directory.
• The configuration file is read-only: remove that attribute before saving, then check that the new line remains after closing the editor.
• There are duplicate entries: keep one correctly formed ScreenshotDir= line under [Display].
• The capture came from Steam or Windows: ScreenshotDir controls only FSX’s native V-key screenshots.

Does changing ScreenshotDir move saved flights?

No. ScreenshotDir changes only where future native screenshots are written. Saved flights and flight plans retain their own locations, normally under the separate Documents\Flight Simulator X Files folder.

Can FSX save screenshots as JPG or PNG instead of BMP?

FSX’s native V-key capture saves BMP images; ScreenshotDir changes the folder, not the format. Convert the files afterwards or use Steam or a Windows capture tool when you need JPG or PNG output directly.