How much storage does Microsoft Flight Simulator need?

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 needs about 150 GB for its core PC installation; reserve 200 GB or more for updates, cache and add-ons. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has a 50 GB published PC storage requirement because it streams far more content, but extra free SSD space is still needed for cache, downloaded packages and updates.

How many GB is Microsoft Flight Simulator?

The answer depends on the simulator version and how much optional content you keep locally. These planning figures describe drive space to make available, not a promise that every installation will occupy exactly that amount.

Those are PC planning figures. Xbox installation sizes can vary with the build, edition and installed add-ons, so the console's storage management screen is the authoritative figure before downloading.

Edition also affects the result. Premium aircraft and airports increase your entitlement, but the final footprint depends on which packages are installed or streamed rather than the edition name alone.

How much space does MSFS 2020 take up?

MSFS 2020 should be treated as a 150 GB minimum PC installation and given at least 200 GB of working room if you expect to keep it installed.

The small download shown by a store or launcher may only be the initial application. MSFS 2020 then downloads its main package library separately, including mandatory simulator data and any optional content selected through Content Manager.

World Updates, detailed airports, aircraft and Marketplace packages can push the installation well beyond its original size. User-installed add-ons in the Community folder sit outside the core application but still count against the same drive unless you deliberately place or link them elsewhere.

Windows may therefore report a surprisingly small application size while the separate Official and Community package folders consume most of the storage. This mismatch is one of the most common reasons simmers underestimate an MSFS 2020 installation.

How much storage does Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 take?

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has a published PC storage requirement of 50 GB, far below MSFS 2020 because its architecture streams much more scenery and aircraft content from the cloud.

That does not mean every long-term installation stays at 50 GB. Rolling cache, locally downloaded content, Community add-ons and temporary update files all add to the total. We recommend having around 100 GB available if possible, while recognising that this is a practical allowance rather than the official minimum.

The smaller local footprint also comes with a trade-off: content not retained on the drive must be streamed again when needed. A larger rolling cache uses more storage but can reduce repeat downloads; a smaller cache saves disk space but places more reliance on the internet connection. Streamed scenery is not permanently storing the entire world on your SSD.

Why does the Microsoft Flight Simulator storage size keep changing?

The storage size changes because Microsoft Flight Simulator is a package-based platform rather than one fixed application folder.

• Core simulator packages change when mandatory updates replace or add files.
• Optional content includes aircraft, handcrafted airports and, in MSFS 2020, separately installed World Updates.
• Community add-ons range from tiny liveries to airports and scenery packages occupying many gigabytes.
• Rolling cache reserves local space for streamed scenery. The cache file may be allocated up to the limit chosen in the simulator.
• Update working files can temporarily require more room than the final patch because packages must be downloaded, unpacked and replaced.

A store listing normally describes the initial requirement, not the size after several simulator updates and a growing add-on collection.

How can you check how much storage MSFS is actually using?

Check the package library, add-on folder and cache as well as the application entry shown by Windows.

1. Check the destination drive. Use Windows storage settings or File Explorer to see its used and free capacity.
2. Find the package location. In MSFS 2020, the InstalledPackagesPath entry in UserCfg.opt identifies the package root if you are unsure where it was placed.
3. Measure the content folders. On PC, inspect the properties of the Official and Community folders. Calculating a large folder can take a while.
4. Review content inside the simulator. Use Content Manager in MSFS 2020 or the library and content controls in MSFS 2024 to identify optional packages.
5. Check the rolling cache allocation. It is managed through the simulator's data settings and may account for a large single file.

Do not rely solely on the Windows installed-apps figure. When the package library lives in a custom location, that figure can represent the launcher while omitting most of the simulator's content.

Can you reduce the storage space without breaking the simulator?

Yes. Remove optional content through the simulator first and reserve manual file deletion for add-ons you installed yourself.

1. Uninstall unused optional packages. In MSFS 2020, start with World Updates, aircraft and airports for regions you do not use.
2. Clean the Community folder. Remove duplicate liveries, obsolete versions and abandoned test packages. Archive them on another drive if you may want them again.
3. Reduce or clear the rolling cache. Do this through the simulator's data settings so the cache is recreated correctly.
4. Move rather than squeeze the installation. If both simulator versions are competing for space, use our guidance on choosing drives for separate MSFS 2020 and 2024 installations.

Avoid deleting files from the Official package folder at random. That can leave the content database out of step with the files on disk, causing missing aircraft, repeated downloads or an update loop.

What size SSD should you buy for Microsoft Flight Simulator?

A 500 GB SSD is a sensible starting point for one simulator version, while 1 TB is the better choice for keeping MSFS 2020 and 2024 together or building a substantial add-on library.

• 500 GB: suitable for one version with moderate optional content, provided the drive is not already crowded.
• 1 TB: the more comfortable choice for both versions, multiple detailed aircraft and several large airports.
• Larger than 1 TB: useful for extensive third-party scenery collections or several simulators sharing one drive.

Use an SSD rather than a mechanical hard drive. NVMe is preferable where available, but the largest practical improvement comes from avoiding a hard disk for the main package library. Our complete Microsoft Flight Simulator PC specifications guide covers how storage fits alongside processor, graphics and memory requirements.

Do not choose a drive whose advertised capacity only just matches the expected installation. Formatted capacity is lower than the number printed on the box, and updates need unused working space.

Why does the installer say there is not enough disk space?

An insufficient-space warning often means the updater lacks temporary working room, even when the completed simulator appears capable of fitting.

• The wrong drive was checked. The launcher, package library, rolling cache and Windows temporary files can occupy different volumes.
• The package drive is nearly full. An update may need room for both the old package and its replacement while files are unpacked.
• The system drive lacks temporary space. Keeping packages on another SSD does not prevent Windows or the launcher from using the system drive during installation.
• A previous download was interrupted. Partial update data can remain until the launcher or platform repair process clears or replaces it.

Verify both the package destination and the system drive, free more space than the displayed shortfall, then restart the installer. Keeping a healthy SSD buffer is far safer than running Microsoft Flight Simulator within a few gigabytes of a full drive.