Microsoft Flight Simulator needs a lot of disk space, and the safe answer is to budget far more than the initial download suggests. For most players, we recommend having at least 150 to 200 GB free on an SSD for the sim itself, updates, caches and a bit of breathing room.
How much space should you actually allow?
The exact size is not fixed. Microsoft Flight Simulator installs in stages, and the number you see before installation is often smaller than the final footprint once core packages, aircraft, airports, world updates and mandatory content are in place.
If you want a practical rule rather than a marketing number, this is the one we use:
| Use case | Free space to allow | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Base installation only | At least 150 GB | Gives room for the simulator, core packages and immediate updates |
| Typical long-term install | 150 to 200+ GB | Accounts for world updates, extra content and rolling cache |
| Heavy add-on use | 200 GB and up | Extra aircraft, scenery and liveries can push usage much higher |
If your drive is already nearly full, expect trouble. Large sim updates need working space during download and unpacking, so a drive that technically has just enough room can still fail mid-install.
Why does Microsoft Flight Simulator take so much space?
Because the simulator is not just one game folder. It usually includes a launcher, a large package library, streamed or cached scenery data, handcrafted airports, aircraft, optional world content and any add-ons you install later.
Over time, disk use rises for a few common reasons:
- World and city updates add scenery, terrain and airport data.
- Aircraft and airport add-ons can range from small liveries to very large scenery packages.
- Rolling cache stores streamed scenery locally to improve loading and reduce repeated downloads.
- Temporary update files may briefly increase required space while the sim patches itself.
Does Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 need the same space as 2024?
Not exactly. The two versions do not have identical storage behaviour, and the total can change as updates arrive. Even so, the same advice applies: leave plenty of SSD space rather than trying to squeeze the sim onto a nearly full drive.
If you are choosing a drive for either version, we would still treat 150 to 200 GB of free space as the sensible starting point, then add more if you plan to keep lots of extra content installed.
Do I need an SSD, or will a hard drive do?
An SSD is the right choice. Microsoft Flight Simulator will load data constantly, and slow storage can make startup times, texture loading and general responsiveness noticeably worse. A mechanical hard drive may work, but it is not where we would put a modern sim this large.
NVMe is better again if you have it, but the main jump is from HDD to SSD. If you only have space on one fast drive, the simulator should get priority over less demanding games.
How much extra space do add-ons need?
That depends entirely on what you install. A simple livery may take very little space, while a detailed airport, photogrammetry-style scenery area or a complex aircraft can be much larger.
If you regularly download extra content, leave headroom. It is easy for an MSFS installation to grow well beyond the base footprint once you start building a hangar and scenery library. If you use freeware, keep it organised and remove packages you no longer fly. Our own library at Fly Away Simulation Downloads is a good example of the kind of content that can gradually expand your install.
How can I check how much space MSFS is using?
You can check it in two places: in Windows storage settings and inside the simulator's content management area. Windows shows the total size on disk, while the in-sim content manager usually gives a better view of which packages are installed and which ones can be removed.
- Check Windows storage to see how much space the installation drive has left.
- Open the simulator's content manager and review installed packages.
- Look for optional content such as extra world packages or aircraft you do not use.
- Review rolling cache settings if you are short on space.
Can I reduce the amount of storage space it uses?
Yes, within limits. You cannot shrink the core sim very much, but you can control the extras.
- Uninstall optional packages you do not need.
- Remove unused add-ons from your Community or equivalent add-on folder.
- Lower or clear the rolling cache if it has grown large.
- Move the packages location to a larger SSD if the simulator supports that in your setup.
Be careful not to delete core files manually unless you know exactly what belongs to the base install and what is optional. Using the sim's own package management is safer.
Why does the required space seem different from what the installer says?
Because the installer figure is often only part of the story. Microsoft Flight Simulator commonly downloads additional content after the first launch, and later updates can change the total substantially. Compression also hides the real on-disk size until files are unpacked.
That is why we do not recommend planning around the smallest number you see on a product page or initial installer screen. In practice, the final install will usually be larger.
What is the safest answer?
If you just want a simple buying decision: give Microsoft Flight Simulator its own SSD space and aim for at least 150 to 200 GB free. If you know you will install lots of aircraft, airports and scenery, plan for more. That avoids failed updates, constant space warnings and the need to reshuffle files every few weeks.