How do I install and activate GSX Pro in MSFS?
On PC, close Microsoft Flight Simulator, run the latest official FSDreamTeam Universal Installer, select the detected MSFS 2020 or 2024 installation, register GSX Pro with the licence key from your order, and choose Install. Let the installer add Couatl and its package links, then launch the simulator and open GSX from the toolbar.
Install and activate GSX Pro step by step
- Prepare the simulator. Start the relevant edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator once after installing or moving it, then close it completely. This creates the package configuration that the GSX installer needs to detect.
- Download the official installer. Use the FSDreamTeam Universal Installer supplied through your purchase account or order. Extract it before running it and approve the normal Windows security prompt.
- Select the correct simulator. Choose MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024 when the installer presents its detected targets. If MSFS 2024 is installed but not listed, update the Universal Installer rather than directing its MSFS 2020 entry to the 2024 folder.
- Register the licence. Use the installer's Register or Activate control and enter the GSX Pro serial or licence key exactly as supplied. The wording can differ between installer releases. Do not enter the order or transaction number in place of the product key.
- Install the managed packages. Select GSX Pro and allow the installer to add its required packages, Couatl components and links. Do not interrupt the process or move the linked folders afterwards.
- Run the update check. Reopen the product entry and use its update, check or repair function if offered. This catches incomplete components left by a blocked download.
- Test from a parking stand. Launch MSFS, load at a gate and open GSX from the simulator toolbar. Allow Couatl to finish loading before requesting boarding, stairs, catering or pushback.
If you use third-party airports, run the GSX airport or jetway configuration scan after installing your scenery. Excluding custom airports from the worldwide jetway replacement prevents doubled or overlapping jetways.
Does GSX Pro go in the Community folder?
GSX Pro is a managed installation, not an add-on that should be copied manually into Community. Its main files normally remain in the developer's Addon Manager location, while the installer creates package links inside the active Community folder.
A mistake we see constantly is moving those links, copying them between MSFS 2020 and 2024, or deleting the external files because the linked folders appear to contain the add-on. Use the Universal Installer's relink, check or repair function instead. This differs from how ordinary MSFS mods use the Community folder.
MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 can use different package locations. If both are installed, configure each detected target separately rather than assuming one set of links serves both simulators.
How do I know GSX Pro is activated correctly?
Activation is working when the installer identifies GSX Pro as registered, Couatl starts with the simulator, and the GSX toolbar panel opens without a licence warning. At a suitable parking position, the panel should offer the services supported by that aircraft and stand.
SimBrief integration is separate from product activation. If GSX opens normally but cannot import your flight, follow our checks for a GSX Pro SimBrief ID that is not being detected.
Why is GSX Pro installed but not showing in MSFS?
A missing toolbar icon usually means the installer targeted the wrong package location or its Community links are broken; a panel stuck on loading more often points to Couatl not running.
| Symptom | Likely cause | First fix |
|---|---|---|
| Simulator is not detected | MSFS has not been launched once, or the installer is outdated | Launch and close MSFS, then update and reopen the installer |
| GSX toolbar icon is absent | Wrong Community folder, broken link or disabled package | Confirm the simulator target and run the installer repair or relink function |
| GSX panel remains on loading | Couatl was blocked, stopped or started with different permissions | Close MSFS, restart Couatl through the supplied controls and update GSX |
| Licence key is rejected | An order number was entered, the key was mistyped or the wrong product was selected | Copy the GSX Pro licence key directly from the order details |
| Two jetways appear at a custom airport | GSX replacement jetways and airport scenery are both active | Run the third-party airport exclusion scan |
Also check Windows Security or antivirus quarantine for a blocked Couatl component. Restore a file only when it came from the official installer, then create the narrowest necessary exception; do not disable security software permanently. MSFS and Couatl should normally run under the same standard Windows account and privilege level.
Remove duplicate or manually copied GSX folders before repairing the installation. To test for a conflict, temporarily remove other Community add-ons while retaining the links created by the GSX installer.
Can I move GSX Pro to a new PC or use it on console?
On a new PC, install GSX Pro afresh with the Universal Installer and register it using the same legitimate licence. If the installer or account provides a deactivate or release option, use it on the old computer first. Copying its old Community links will fail because they still point to the previous installation; our guide to reinstalling MSFS and restoring add-ons on a new PC covers the wider simulator move.
GSX Pro cannot be installed on Xbox Series X|S or PlayStation 5. It depends on the Windows-side Couatl program and externally managed package links, neither of which console editions permit.