How do I install FreeMeshX in FSX or Prepar3D?

To install FreeMeshX in FSX or Prepar3D, extract every downloaded region, preserve its folder structure, then add each folder that directly contains a scenery subfolder to the simulator’s Scenery Library. Keep FreeMeshX below airport and local scenery, restart the simulator, and allow the scenery database to rebuild.

Install FreeMeshX step by step

FreeMeshX is installed as conventional BGL terrain scenery, with each downloaded region normally activated as a separate Scenery Library area.

1. Download the required regions. Consult the region-by-region package instructions and compatibility notes, especially when using Prepar3D.
2. Keep split archive parts together. If a region uses a multipart archive, place every part in the same folder and start extraction from the first or main volume. Do not extract each numbered part separately.
3. Extract to a permanent location. FreeMeshX does not have to be inside the FSX or Prepar3D installation directory. A dedicated add-on folder on a fixed drive is easier to manage and avoids permissions problems under Program Files.
4. Check the folder structure. The finished path should resemble FreeMeshX [Region]/scenery/*.bgl. Preserve any additional folders supplied with the package.
5. Open the Scenery Library. In FSX, use Settings > Scenery Library; in Prepar3D, the library is normally available from the World menu, although labels vary between versions.
6. Add each region. Select the regional folder containing the scenery subfolder, give the area a recognisable name, and make sure it is enabled. Repeat this for every installed region.
7. Set the priority and restart. Place FreeMeshX below airport, city and local correction scenery. Confirm the changes, close the simulator if requested, then restart it so the scenery database can rebuild.

Which folder should I add to the Scenery Library?

Add the folder immediately above scenery, not the scenery folder itself and not a higher archive wrapper. A mistake we see constantly is an extra nesting level such as FreeMeshX/FreeMeshX [Region]/scenery; in that example, the second folder is the one to select.

On some FSX installations, the folder picker appears not to accept the selected area. After choosing the correct regional folder, try right-clicking a blank white area in the folder window. This is an old FSX interface quirk rather than a FreeMeshX fault.

What Scenery Library priority should FreeMeshX use?

FreeMeshX should sit below detailed local scenery but above the simulator’s default terrain entries.

Do not rearrange the simulator’s default numbered or base areas unnecessarily. New add-ons usually appear near the top, so move FreeMeshX down beneath local airports while leaving the defaults alone.

Terrain resolution also affects which mesh the simulator samples, so priority cannot always force a coarse mesh to override a finer one. If two global mesh products cover the same location and produce seams or spikes, deactivate one rather than relying only on library order.

What mesh resolution should I select?

Set the simulator’s Mesh Resolution no coarser than the installed FreeMeshX data, otherwise FSX or Prepar3D cannot display all of its elevation detail.

A finer simulator setting does not create detail absent from the source mesh. The installation notes for the higher-detail USA package cover that regional exception, while our terrain-mesh settings and configuration reference explains how resolution, complexity and scenery priority interact.

Why is FreeMeshX not showing or causing terrain problems?

• No visible difference: confirm that the region is ticked in the Scenery Library, check the folder depth, restart the simulator and test a mountainous area. Flat terrain may show little obvious change.
• Missing-volume extraction error: one or more multipart archive files are absent, renamed or stored in another folder. Reassemble all parts before extracting from the first volume.
• Terrain spikes or sharp seams: disable other overlapping mesh products temporarily. If the fault remains, re-extract the affected FreeMeshX region because an incomplete BGL can produce abnormal terrain.
• Airport plateaux or sunken runways: the airport’s published elevation or flatten may disagree with the improved terrain. Keep airport scenery above FreeMeshX and use an airport-specific elevation correction where one is supplied.
• The library entry stops working after a move: Scenery Library entries use the stored folder path. Remove the broken entry and add the region again from its new permanent location.

Does FreeMeshX replace photoreal scenery or landclass?

FreeMeshX changes terrain elevation only; it does not add aerial imagery, ground textures, buildings, roads or corrected coastlines. It can run alongside those scenery types. Image-based ground coverage must be installed separately using the appropriate photoreal scenery folder and activation procedure.