Fix missing or black FSX screenshots: restore the V key, find BMP files, repair Pictures permissions and troubleshoot Steam F12 capture.
In FSX and FSX: Steam Edition, press V from the active flight window. FSX saves numbered BMP files in Pictures\Flight Simulator X Files without showing confirmation. If nothing appears, check the screenshot key binding, redirected Pictures location, folder write access and file-number sequence; for black images, test windowed mode.
How do I fix FSX not taking screenshots?
Most failed FSX screenshots are caused by lost keyboard focus, a changed key assignment, an unexpected save location or Windows blocking access to the Pictures folder.
- Return to the flight window. Close open menus and dialog boxes, click inside the simulator view and press V once. Do not expect a shutter sound, thumbnail or confirmation message.
- Check the Capture Screenshot assignment. Open
Options > Settings > Controls, select the keyboard and inspect the Buttons/Keys assignments. FindCapture Screenshotand assign V if it is blank or incorrect. Remove a conflicting assignment if FSX reports one. Our guide to inspecting and reassigning FSX keyboard controls covers restoring defaults without needlessly losing every custom binding. - Find the actual Pictures folder. The standard local path is
%USERPROFILE%\Pictures\Flight Simulator X Files, but Windows or OneDrive may redirect Pictures elsewhere. Open Pictures from File Explorer and inspect any OneDrive Pictures entry as well. Sort the files by date modified. - Test whether FSX can write there. Create and delete a small text file inside the destination folder. If that fails, correct the folder permissions and check available drive space. Review Windows Security protection history too: Controlled folder access can block
fsx.exefrom writing to Pictures. Allow the trusted FSX executable rather than disabling the protection feature. - Archive old numbered BMP files. A less common legacy failure occurs when FSX cannot allocate its next numbered filename. Move existing FSX screenshots into a separate archive folder, restart the simulator and take a new test capture. Do not delete the entire Pictures library.
Running FSX once as administrator may help identify a permissions problem, but it is a poor permanent solution. It can also stop the Steam Overlay from attaching when Steam and FSX run with different privilege levels.
Where did my FSX screenshot go?
Built-in V-key screenshots normally go to the Flight Simulator X Files folder inside the active Windows Pictures location.
| Capture method | Use it when | Result and location |
|---|---|---|
| FSX V key | You want the simulator’s own capture in boxed FSX or Steam Edition | A numbered BMP in Pictures\Flight Simulator X Files |
| Steam F12 | You use FSX: Steam Edition and want a Steam-managed screenshot | Stored and displayed through Steam’s screenshot manager, not the FSX Pictures folder |
| Windows capture | You need a cropped image or an alternative capture method | Win+Shift+S opens the snipping interface; Win+PrtScn normally saves under Pictures\Screenshots |
The mistake we see most often is checking only the local Pictures path after OneDrive has redirected that library. Search both locations for recently modified BMP files before assuming V failed.
Why does Steam F12 not take an FSX screenshot?
F12 is a Steam Overlay shortcut, not an FSX command, so it works only with FSX: Steam Edition when the overlay and its screenshot shortcut are enabled.
- Confirm that the Steam Overlay is enabled globally and for FSX: Steam Edition.
- Check whether Steam’s screenshot shortcut has been changed from F12. On some keyboards, the function row also requires the Fn key.
- Close other overlays or recording applications that may be intercepting F12.
- Run Steam and FSX at the same privilege level, preferably without forcing either application to run as administrator.
- Look in Steam’s screenshot manager rather than
Flight Simulator X Files.
If F12 still does nothing, follow our checks for enabling the Steam Overlay and repairing its shortcut. The built-in V command does not depend on Steam’s overlay and remains available in Steam Edition.
Why does FSX save a black screenshot?
A black image usually means the capture method could not read FSX’s full-screen rendered frame, even though it successfully created an image file.
- Try the V key first. FSX’s internal capture is usually more dependable than capturing the full-screen window through Windows or another overlay.
- Switch to windowed mode. Press Alt+Enter, wait for the display to settle and capture again. Windows snipping tools are more predictable in windowed mode.
- Remove competing graphics hooks. Temporarily disable recording overlays, shader injectors, post-processing tools and similar applications. Test them one at a time to identify the conflict.
- Test without DX10 Preview. If V-key BMP files are also black, turn off DX10 Preview in FSX’s display settings, restart the simulator and test again. This is a diagnostic step because changing the rendering mode can affect add-ons and visual behaviour.
If changing modes causes scaling, focus or display problems, use our FSX full-screen troubleshooting steps for Windows before changing graphics settings at random.
Can FSX save screenshots as JPEG or in another folder?
No: FSX’s built-in V-key capture saves BMP files to the active Pictures library and provides no normal in-simulator setting for selecting JPEG or a different destination.
Use the BMP as the high-quality original and convert or move it afterwards. Choose Steam F12 for Steam-managed captures, or a Windows capture shortcut when you need cropping or control over the saved format and destination.