Learn how to install add-on aircraft in X-Plane 12, find the correct folder, extract with ZArchiver and fix planes that do not appear.
To install an add-on aircraft in X-Plane 12, extract the download, identify the folder containing its .acf file, and copy that complete folder into X-Plane 12/Aircraft. Keep all supplied subfolders intact, follow any included installer or readme, then restart X-Plane and select the aircraft from the flight configuration screen.
How to get more planes in X-Plane 12
You get more planes in X-Plane 12 by downloading compatible aircraft packages and installing them in the simulator’s Aircraft folder.
Check the package description before downloading. It should explicitly support X-Plane 12, or explain any limitations. Our X-Plane aircraft and add-on library includes package descriptions that help distinguish complete aircraft from repaints, patches and older X-Plane releases.
| What the download contains | Package type | What to do |
|---|---|---|
One or more .acf files with folders such as objects, cockpit, plugins or liveries | Complete aircraft | Copy the complete aircraft folder into Aircraft |
Texture files or a liveries folder, but no .acf | Livery or repaint | Install it into the specified base aircraft, which must already be present |
| Only replacement files, a patch or an updater | Update | Install it over the required original aircraft exactly as the readme directs |
| An executable or application installer | Installer-managed aircraft | Run the installer and select the correct X-Plane 12 installation when asked |
Where do X-Plane 12 aircraft go?
Third-party aircraft belong somewhere under X-Plane 12/Aircraft, not in Custom Scenery or the simulator’s global plugins folder.
The X-Plane root folder is the directory containing Aircraft, Custom Scenery, Resources and the simulator application or executable. Standalone installations can be placed wherever the user chose; for a storefront installation, use its option for browsing the installed files. If several copies are present, our guide to locating the active X-Plane 12 folder on PC will help identify the one you actually run.
User-created grouping folders are allowed. A tidy installation might look like X-Plane 12/Aircraft/My Add-ons/Aircraft Name/Aircraft Name.acf. We recommend keeping third-party models separate and leaving the supplied Laminar Research aircraft untouched.
Aircraft do not require an entry in scenery_packs.ini, and their order inside the Aircraft folder does not control loading priority.
How do I install an add-on aircraft step by step?
- Confirm that it is a complete X-Plane 12 aircraft.
Read the download description and included documentation. Check the supported simulator version and operating system, especially if the aircraft uses custom plugins.
- Extract the archive fully.
Aircraft commonly arrive as
.zip,.7zor.rararchives. Extract the package to a temporary location first; copying the unopened archive intoAircraftwill not install it. - Read the supplied instructions.
A readme may specify a required base aircraft, external dependency, activation process or different installation method. Package-specific instructions take priority over the usual drag-and-drop method.
- Find the actual aircraft folder.
Look for the folder containing the main
.acffile and its companion folders. If the download contains several separate folders with their own.acffiles, they may be different variants; preserve the layout described by the author. - Copy the complete folder into
Aircraft.Do not copy only the
.acffile or flatten folders such asobjects,pluginsandcockpit. Those relative paths are part of the aircraft. Do not merge it into a default aircraft unless the package is explicitly a livery or update for that model. - Complete any installation or activation steps.
Some complex freeware and payware aircraft use their own installer, updater, serial entry or plugin approval process. Use the supplied installer when one is provided rather than trying to reconstruct the package manually.
- Restart X-Plane 12 and select the aircraft.
Open the flight configuration screen and search by aircraft or developer name. Restarting is the most reliable way to force a fresh scan after changing the folder contents.
What should the aircraft folder look like?
A valid aircraft folder normally has its .acf file near the top level, with all of the model’s supporting files beside it in their original structure.
A clean example is X-Plane 12/Aircraft/My Add-ons/Aircraft Name/Aircraft Name.acf. An unopened archive at X-Plane 12/Aircraft/Aircraft Name.zip is not a working installation, nor is a lone .acf copied without its objects, sounds and cockpit files.
A mistake we see constantly is copying the wrong level from an extracted package. Archive tools often create an outer folder such as Aircraft Name v1, with the real aircraft folder inside it. Use the folder identified by the readme and avoid repeated wrapper folders, but never flatten the aircraft’s own internal structure merely to shorten the path.
Why is my add-on aircraft not showing in X-Plane 12?
An aircraft that does not appear is usually in the wrong X-Plane installation, still compressed, incomplete or not a complete aircraft package at all.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No aircraft entry appears | The archive was not extracted | Extract it fully, then copy the resulting aircraft folder |
| No entry after a correct-looking install | The files are in another X-Plane copy, such as a demo or older installation | Open the folder belonging to the executable you actually launch |
No .acf file exists | The package is a livery, patch or incomplete download | Install it into the required base aircraft or obtain the complete aircraft package |
The .acf is buried among documentation or duplicated folders | The wrong package level was copied | Find the complete folder containing the .acf and its supporting folders, then place that folder under Aircraft |
| The aircraft appears but fails during loading | Version incompatibility, a missing dependency or a blocked plugin | Check the readme, operating-system support and X-Plane’s Log.txt |
| The exterior loads but custom systems are dead | A binary plugin did not load | Check security warnings, quarantined files and whether the package includes a plugin for your operating system |
| The aircraft works but has no preview image | The package lacks a compatible thumbnail or preview | This is usually cosmetic and does not mean the installation failed |
After a failed attempt, close X-Plane and inspect Log.txt in the simulator’s root folder. Search for the aircraft folder name and terms such as plugin, error or missing file. For a fuller diagnosis, follow our aircraft detection and loading troubleshooting steps.
Will X-Plane 11 aircraft work in X-Plane 12?
Some X-Plane 11 aircraft load in X-Plane 12, but an X-Plane 11 label alone is not a promise of compatibility.
- Explicit X-Plane 12 support: install it normally and follow the package notes.
- Separate X-Plane 11 and 12 versions: use the X-Plane 12 folder or installer option.
- X-Plane 11 only: the model may appear, but avionics, lighting, sounds, handling or custom systems can fail.
- Aircraft with binary plugins: these are more dependent on simulator and operating-system compatibility than aircraft built only with standard X-Plane systems.
If experimenting with an older aircraft, keep an untouched backup. Loading successfully or receiving only a file-format warning does not prove that every system works correctly.
Do payware and freeware aircraft install differently?
Price does not determine the folder location, but payware and complex freeware are more likely to use installers, activation, updaters and custom plugins.
Plain archive downloads normally use the manual method above. When an installer is supplied, let it manage the package and point it at the correct X-Plane 12 root folder when requested. Moving an installer-managed aircraft afterwards can interfere with its updater or activation, so check its documentation first.
Can I install X-Plane 12 aircraft on ZArchiver?
ZArchiver can extract an aircraft archive on Android, but it cannot install a desktop X-Plane 12 aircraft into the simulator by itself.
If you are trying to do the whole installation on ZArchiver, stop after extraction. Either transfer the original archive to your Windows, macOS or Linux computer and extract it there, or transfer the complete extracted folder containing the .acf file. It must ultimately be placed under the desktop installation’s X-Plane 12/Aircraft folder.
An Android Downloads folder is not X-Plane’s Aircraft directory. Desktop aircraft packages also do not become compatible with X-Plane Mobile simply because ZArchiver can open them.
What changes on Windows, macOS and Linux?
The aircraft path works the same way on all three desktop platforms, but custom plugins must be compatible with the operating system and allowed to run.
Windows
Security software can quarantine plugin files such as .dll files, while protected installation locations can prevent an installer or updater from writing changes. Restore blocked files only after confirming that the package is trusted and intact.
macOS
macOS may quarantine or refuse an unsigned aircraft plugin. Follow the package instructions and use the operating system’s Privacy and Security controls when a specific approval option is offered; do not disable system-wide protection merely to load an aircraft.
Linux
Linux file names are case-sensitive, plugin files may need executable permission, and a package must include Linux-compatible plugin binaries. A Windows-only custom plugin will not work simply because the aircraft’s .acf file loads.