How do I install liveries in MSFS 2020 and 2024?

Download an MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024 livery labelled for your exact aircraft. On PC, extract a standard package and put its package folder in that release’s active Community folder; use the supplied installer, in-simulator Marketplace or PMDG Operations Center instead when required. The two simulators normally use separate Community folders.

Where to download MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 liveries

Download liveries from an established community library, the aircraft developer or Microsoft Flight Simulator’s own Marketplace.

• Community freeware libraries: Our MSFS freeware aircraft and livery library and Flightsim.to carry individual repaints and livery packs. Read the complete description and supplied documentation rather than relying only on the aircraft name.
• In-simulator Marketplace: Marketplace liveries are installed and managed through the simulator’s library or content-management system. They should not be manually copied into Community.
• Aircraft developers: Check the developer’s official download area, customer account or support page. This is often the safest source after an aircraft update changes its models or texture mapping.
• Developer installation tools: Some aircraft use a dedicated installer, updater or livery manager. PMDG’s .ptp packages are a common example.

Before downloading, verify four details: the stated simulator release, the aircraft developer and product, the exact model or engine variant, and any required base aircraft or dependencies. Also check whether the file is a normal ZIP, RAR or 7z package, an executable installer, a PMDG .ptp file or Marketplace content.

Which livery installation method should I use?

The file format and the author’s instructions determine how the livery must be installed.

Individual liveries versus livery megapacks

An individual repaint is easier to update, remove and diagnose, while a megapack is convenient when you want many registrations or operators at once.

A megapack can be one package containing many liveries, or an outer archive containing several separate package roots. If it contains multiple folders that each have their own manifest.json and layout.json, every one of those folders must sit directly inside Community. Do not copy the outer wrapper folder unless it is itself the package root.

How to install liveries in MSFS 2020 on PC

To add liveries to MSFS 2020, extract the correct package and place its package root in the active MSFS 2020 Community folder.

1. Confirm MSFS 2020 compatibility. Match the repaint to the aircraft developer, product, model, engine option and any stated dependencies.
2. Close Microsoft Flight Simulator. A package added while the simulator is running may not be detected until a full restart.
3. Extract the archive. Unpack ZIP, RAR or 7z files to a temporary location. Do not place the unopened archive in Community.
4. Find the package root. Open the extracted folders until you reach the folder containing manifest.json and layout.json at its top level.
5. Locate the active MSFS 2020 Community folder. Its location varies with the PC storefront, drive and any custom packages path. On installations containing UserCfg.opt, the InstalledPackagesPath entry identifies the packages root beneath which Community sits. Our MSFS 2020 folder-location instructions cover the common installation arrangements.
6. Copy the complete package folder. The expected structure is Community\publisher-livery-name\manifest.json. Do not merge the repaint into the base aircraft, scatter loose texture files in Community or install it manually under Official.
7. Restart MSFS 2020 and select the repaint. Choose the supported aircraft, then open its livery, appearance or paint-scheme selector. Most repaints do not create another aircraft tile, although some add-ons package variants separately.

How to install liveries in MSFS 2024 on PC

To add liveries to MSFS 2024, use the same package-root process but install the files in MSFS 2024’s own active Community folder.

1. Choose the MSFS 2024 version. Do not assume an MSFS 2020 repaint is compatible merely because the aircraft has the same visible name.
2. Close MSFS 2024 and extract the download. Read any supplied instructions before moving files, particularly when the archive includes an installer or several variants.
3. Identify every package root. A valid standard package has manifest.json and layout.json at the top of its folder. Megapacks may contain several such folders.
4. Open the active MSFS 2024 Community folder. MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 normally use separate package locations, even when installed on the same PC or drive. Do not rely on an old shortcut or a Community folder left behind after moving or reinstalling the simulator. See our MSFS 2024 Community-folder guidance if the active path is unclear.
5. Copy each complete package folder into Community. Avoid the nested structure Community\download-name\actual-livery-package\manifest.json; move actual-livery-package up one level.
6. Launch MSFS 2024 and choose the livery. Select the matching aircraft and variant, then use its appearance or livery selector. The exact wording depends on the aircraft interface.

A mistake we see constantly is installing a repaint in the correct-looking folder for the wrong simulator. Keep separate shortcuts or clearly named external storage folders for MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 packages.

Does a livery need the exact same aircraft?

Yes; a livery must support the installed base aircraft, its developer and the specific model variant you intend to fly.

A repaint usually contains textures and references for an existing aeroplane, not the complete aircraft. A livery made for one developer’s A320 will not automatically fit another developer’s A320. Passenger and cargo models, engine options, product revisions and edition-specific variants can all use different models or texture mapping.

Install and test the required base aircraft before adding its repaint. If that aircraft is missing, disabled or available only in another simulator edition, the livery cannot load correctly.

Can MSFS 2020 liveries work in MSFS 2024?

An MSFS 2020 livery should be used in MSFS 2024 only when the author or updated documentation confirms compatibility.

Some simple repaints may work across both releases, but compatibility is not automatic. Changes to aircraft definitions, materials, model variants or texture references can make the livery disappear, attach to the wrong model or show broken textures. Keep separate copies of packages specifically released for each simulator.

Why is my installed livery not showing?

A missing MSFS livery is usually caused by the wrong active Community folder, an unextracted or nested package, or an aircraft compatibility mismatch.

• Active-folder check: Confirm that Community belongs to the exact simulator installation you launched. Reinstalls, custom drives and side-by-side MSFS 2020 and 2024 installations can leave unused folders behind.
• Extraction check: MSFS cannot load a ZIP, RAR or 7z archive placed directly in Community. Extract it first.
• Nested-folder check: The folder containing manifest.json and layout.json should normally be an immediate child of Community, not buried under a download-name wrapper.
• Aircraft and version check: Recheck the simulator release, aircraft developer, product revision, model, engine and passenger or cargo variant.
• Dependency check: Install and enable the required freeware, payware or edition-specific base aircraft before testing its repaint.
• Restart check: Close and restart the simulator after adding, replacing or removing Community packages.
• Safe Mode check: Community packages are disabled when MSFS starts in Safe Mode. Relaunch normally before deciding that the livery has failed.
• Selection check: Look in the supported aircraft’s livery selector. If the package adds a separate model variant, also check the main aircraft list.
• Duplicate-package check: Remove older copies and duplicate versions of the same repaint. Megapacks can unknowingly reinstall a livery already present as an individual package.
• Pink, black, blank or chequered textures: These usually indicate missing assets, incorrect texture references or an incompatible aircraft version. Install an updated package for the exact variant rather than moving loose textures between folders.

For conflict testing, remove the repaint and confirm that the base aircraft loads correctly. Then install only that livery and its stated dependencies. If it works with other Community add-ons removed, restore those add-ons in batches until the conflict returns.

Can I install downloaded liveries on Xbox or PlayStation?

No; console editions do not provide a Community folder into which users can copy arbitrary PC livery packages.

Xbox Series X|S users cannot copy Flightsim.to downloads, ZIP archives or other PC packages into the simulator and must use supported in-simulator distribution systems such as the Marketplace and library. The same restriction applies to MSFS 2024 on PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 was never released on PlayStation.

Can I rename or organise livery folders?

You can usually rename the top-level folder of a manually installed Community package, but its internal files and directory structure should remain unchanged.

Do not add category folders inside Community if they create an extra level between Community and the package root. Installer-managed packages may also expect their original folder names. For a cleaner setup, keep inactive or archived liveries outside Community and move in only the packages needed for that simulator release.