How do I install, enable or repair SimConnect in MSFS?
SimConnect is built into Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, so there is normally nothing to enable or install. Start the simulator, load a flight, then launch the compatible companion app. If it cannot connect, repair the app first, install only the legacy SimConnect runtime it supplies, and repair the simulator package last.
These instructions apply to the PC versions of Microsoft Flight Simulator. SimConnect consists of a server provided by the simulator and a client used by tools such as flight planners, hardware interfaces, trackers and aircraft companion apps.
Does Microsoft Flight Simulator need SimConnect installed?
No separate SimConnect installation is required for ordinary MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024 use. The server starts with the simulator, and there is no SimConnect switch in the options menu.
You do not need Developer Mode or the Microsoft Flight Simulator SDK simply to run a compatible tool. The tool should install or carry the client component it needs.
SimConnect is also not a normal Community-folder add-on. Do not put loose SimConnect.dll or SimConnect.msi files there. Some products have two parts: a simulator package and a separate Windows app. Our guide to the correct Community-folder structure for MSFS mods covers the package half; the external app must still be installed or launched separately. The same distinction applies when installing aircraft with companion software.
How do I fix an app waiting for SimConnect?
Repair the companion app before repairing Microsoft Flight Simulator, because a failure affecting only one tool is usually on the client side.
- Load a flight for the test. Start MSFS and wait until the cockpit is fully loaded before opening the tool. Some apps connect from the main menu, but testing in a loaded flight removes timing and simulator-state problems.
- Check simulator compatibility. Confirm that the app explicitly supports MSFS 2020, MSFS 2024 or both. A programme written for MSFS 2020 is not automatically compatible with MSFS 2024, even though both use SimConnect.
- Update both sides. Complete any mandatory simulator update, then install the companion app version intended for that simulator. If the problem began after a simulator update, the app may also require an update.
- Run both under the same Windows account. Normally, run MSFS and the companion app without administrator privileges. Mixed privilege levels can interfere with some tools, plug-ins and process-detection methods.
- Repair or reinstall the companion app. Use its normal installer rather than copying DLL files manually. Check whether Windows Security quarantined part of the trusted installation, but do not disable security software globally.
- Install a named legacy runtime only when required. If the app supplies a
SimConnect.msiinstaller or explicitly asks for an FSX-era SimConnect runtime, run that exact installer. Restart Windows afterwards before testing again. - Remove custom connection settings temporarily. Rename any
SimConnect.cfgorSimConnect.xmlfiles that you created, then retest locally. A stale host address, incorrect port or malformed XML can prevent a connection that would otherwise use MSFS defaults. - Repair the simulator package last. On Steam, use the installed-files integrity check. For an Xbox app or Microsoft Store installation, use the available Repair or Verify option in the app or Windows Installed Apps settings. Avoid Reset unless other repairs fail, because it can remove local data or trigger a substantial download.
If every SimConnect tool fails, concentrate on the simulator, custom configuration files and security rules. If only one fails, reinstall or update that particular tool.
When should I install a legacy SimConnect runtime?
Install a legacy SimConnect runtime only when the affected programme explicitly requires that version or includes its installer.
Older FSX-derived tools may depend on an earlier side-by-side SimConnect assembly even when they are being used with MSFS. Multiple legitimate SimConnect runtime versions can coexist, so installing the named legacy package does not mean replacing the MSFS server.
An error mentioning a missing SimConnect.dll, a failed side-by-side configuration or an absent assembly usually points to the companion app or its prerequisite package. Do not download a loose DLL, copy one into Windows system folders or run regsvr32 against it. SimConnect is not repaired by registering a random DLL as a COM component.
How do I enable SimConnect over a network?
Remote SimConnect requires explicit configuration on both PCs; local applications normally need no network configuration or inbound firewall rule.
- Configure the simulator PC. Place the required
SimConnect.xmlin the per-user MSFS configuration location specified by the companion app. Store and Steam installations use different configuration paths, as do MSFS 2020 and 2024. - Configure the client PC. Create or edit
SimConnect.cfgin the location expected by the client programme. Set it to the simulator PC's local network address and the same protocol and port defined inSimConnect.xml. - Allow private-network traffic. Permit the selected app and port through the Windows firewall on the private network profile. Do not expose or forward a SimConnect port to the public internet.
- Keep the address stable. Give the simulator PC a reserved local address in the router or update the client configuration whenever that address changes.
- Test locally first. Confirm that a SimConnect tool works on the simulator PC before troubleshooting a second computer. This separates a broken runtime or incompatible app from an IP, port or firewall problem.
The XML and CFG values must agree exactly. A common mistake we see is changing the port in one file but not the other, followed closely by using an old IP address after the router has reassigned the simulator PC.
Which SimConnect symptom identifies the fault?
The pattern of the failure usually identifies which component needs attention.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Best first action |
|---|---|---|
| One app remains on “waiting for simulator” | Unsupported or damaged companion app | Check MSFS 2020/2024 support, then repair the app |
| Every local SimConnect app fails | Simulator not fully loaded, custom configuration or damaged installation | Load a flight, remove custom config files and verify MSFS |
Missing SimConnect.dll error | Incomplete client installation or missing named runtime | Reinstall the app and its supplied prerequisites |
| Local connection works but remote connection fails | Address, port, XML/CFG or firewall mismatch | Compare both configuration files and test the private-network rule |
| Connection stopped after an MSFS update | Companion app compatibility problem | Install the app's matching update before reinstalling MSFS |
Can SimConnect be installed on Xbox or PlayStation?
No, ordinary Windows SimConnect clients cannot be installed on an Xbox or PlayStation console. The console versions do not provide access for installing MSI or DLL files, editing desktop SimConnect configuration files or running Windows companion executables; use only integrations specifically supported by the console and the product concerned.