Which Garmin avionics mods are available for MSFS?

Microsoft Flight Simulator’s main Garmin enhancement options are the built-in Working Title G1000 NXi, G3000/G5000, GNS 430/530 and G3X upgrades, plus third-party PMS50 GTN 750 and TDS GTNXi packages. Choose by the instrument fitted to the aircraft, its panel integration, simulator version and platform; many older G1000 mods are obsolete.

Available Garmin avionics packages

The useful choices are the updated Garmin systems supplied with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, two major GTN replacements, and aircraft-specific integration packages.

Our list of MSFS 2020 aircraft fitted with G1000-family panels helps identify where the stock NXi should already be present. For a concrete example of multiple supported configurations, the RV-7 package includes G3X, GNS 530 and TDS GTN-equipped variants.

Do I still need a G1000 NXi mod?

No. On a fully updated copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the Working Title G1000 NXi is part of the simulator’s avionics framework rather than a separate enhancement that most users need to install.

Remove old pre-NXi G1000 replacement packages unless an aircraft’s documentation explicitly requires one. Leaving a retired G1000 package in the Community folder can override newer files, causing black displays, missing softkeys, broken flight plans or autopilot behaviour that differs between aircraft.

Some high-fidelity add-on aircraft use custom avionics or a modified interface to the stock NXi. In that case, use the aircraft developer’s supported configuration rather than forcing a global Garmin package into it. Once the correct system is working, our guide to G1000 flight planning, CDI selection, approaches and autopilot operation covers the controls that are often mistaken for mod faults.

Which GTN 750 enhancement should I choose?

Choose PMS50 for a comparatively straightforward GTN-style upgrade with wide integration support; choose TDS GTNXi when trainer-based GTN Xi workflows matter more than simple installation.

• PMS50 GTN 750: A good fit when an aircraft already advertises PMS50 support, when you want a toolbar or panel navigator, or when you prefer avionics tied closely to the simulator’s own systems. Confirm which functions require the licensed edition.
• TDS GTNXi: Better suited to Windows users seeking a trainer-based GTN Xi implementation. It requires its companion components, consumes more system resources and may use navigation data that does not exactly match the simulator’s World Map.

Neither package automatically replaces every GPS in every aircraft. A GTN core package may run as a pop-up while the virtual cockpit continues to show a GNS 530 or blank bezel; that means the aircraft lacks the required panel integration.

Safe installation order

Install the core avionics package first, then add only the integration intended for the exact aircraft and simulator version.

1. Update the simulator and aircraft. This ensures the built-in Garmin framework and the aircraft’s panel code are on compatible releases.
2. Remove retired avionics packages. Move old G1000, G3000 or GTN replacements out of Community rather than installing a new package over them.
3. Install the core package. Follow its supplied installer or extract it correctly. With a manual package, manifest.json and layout.json should not be buried inside an extra wrapper folder.
4. Add one aircraft integration. Check that it targets the correct aircraft edition. Similar aircraft names do not mean their panel files are interchangeable.
5. Test before adding anything else. Load the aircraft cold and dark, power the avionics, create a Direct-To leg, select the correct CDI source and test autopilot NAV tracking.

Our explanation of the Community-folder installation and removal process covers manual packages and the usual nested-folder mistake.

Why is the Garmin display black or not following the route?

A black Garmin display usually indicates missing electrical power, a package conflict, an absent dependency or an incompatible aircraft integration; failure to follow the route is more often an avionics setup issue.

• Every display is black: Verify the battery, avionics master, alternator or generator and relevant circuit breakers before changing files.
• Only the modified unit is black: Remove duplicate avionics packages, confirm the core package is installed and check that the integration matches the aircraft.
• The pop-up works but the cockpit unit does not: The navigator is installed, but the aircraft lacks the correct virtual-cockpit integration.
• NAV mode will not capture: Check that the CDI source is GPS rather than VLOC, remove flight-plan discontinuities and confirm that NAV is armed rather than merely selected on the display.
• Procedures or runways differ: The simulator, aircraft and trainer-based avionics may be using different navigation databases. Verify the procedure inside the active navigator instead of assuming the World Map route will transfer unchanged.
• A simulator update causes a new fault: Test with the integration removed and then with an otherwise empty Community folder. Reinstall only a release declared compatible with that simulator version.

Can Garmin avionics mods be installed on Xbox or PS5?

Console editions cannot sideload PC Community-folder packages or run Windows companion software.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is available on PC and Xbox, while Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is also available on PS5. Console users are limited to avionics included with the simulator, supplied inside an aircraft, or distributed through the simulator’s approved content system. TDS GTNXi requires Windows; a directly installed PMS50 Community package is also a PC option.

These packages are simulation aids, not certified Garmin equipment, and must not be used for real-world navigation or training credit.