Install and manage MSFS 2024 mods correctly on PC: find the active Community folder, fix nested packages, update safely and resolve conflicts.
On PC, install most Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 mods by extracting each package into the active Community folder, then restart the simulator. Keep MSFS 2024 add-ons separate from MSFS 2020, verify compatibility, and disable packages in batches when troubleshooting. Xbox and PlayStation users cannot install arbitrary Community-folder mods.
Install MSFS 2024 mods on PC
A manual MSFS 2024 mod normally consists of one or more package folders containing files such as manifest.json and layout.json. The simulator must be closed while you copy or replace them.
- Confirm MSFS 2024 compatibility. An add-on labelled only for MSFS 2020 may work, but compatibility is not guaranteed. Aircraft systems, scenery materials, avionics and external utilities are common failure points.
- Extract the download first. Unpack ZIP, RAR or 7z archives into a temporary folder. Do not place the compressed archive itself in Community.
- Find the active Community folder. Installations from different PC platforms and custom drives can use different package paths. Do not assume that the first Community folder found by Windows is active.
- Identify the package root. The intended structure is usually
Community/addon-name/manifest.json, notCommunity/download-name/addon-name/manifest.json. If the archive contains several package roots, copy each one separately. - Copy the package into Community. If the download provides a dedicated installer, use its MSFS 2024 option and follow its path instructions instead. Some companion applications run outside the simulator and do not belong in Community.
- Launch and test the add-on. Test a new aircraft, airport or utility before installing a large batch. This makes a broken package or missing dependency much easier to identify.
Airport and landmark packages can include several interdependent folders; our walkthrough of scenery package installation and folder checks covers that case in more detail.
Choose the correct installation method
| Download type | Where it goes | How to manage it |
|---|---|---|
| Manual package | Active Community folder | Remove or replace its complete package folder |
| Add-on with an installer | The MSFS 2024 path requested by that installer | Use its updater or uninstaller where supplied |
| Marketplace or simulator-library content | Managed internally by the simulator | Install, update or remove it through the in-simulator library/content interface |
| External companion utility | Its own application folder | Run and update it separately; install a Community component only if supplied |
Where is the MSFS 2024 Community folder?
The active Community folder is inside the package root recorded by MSFS 2024, which may be on a custom drive rather than beside the simulator executable. The InstalledPackagesPath entry in UserCfg.opt identifies that root; Community is normally beneath it.
A mistake we see constantly is copying an add-on into an abandoned Community folder left by another installation or MSFS 2020. Use our instructions for finding the active package path through UserCfg.opt instead of relying on a generic default path.
How should I organise and update MSFS 2024 mods?
The safest system is to keep a master add-on library outside Community and activate only the packages needed for a particular aircraft, region or flight.
- Keep versions separate: never point MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 at one shared Community folder. Store compatible packages separately even when the same download supports both simulators.
- Use category folders outside Community: organise the master library by aircraft, scenery or utility, but place actual package roots directly inside Community. Extra category layers can stop packages being recognised.
- Replace updates cleanly: remove the old package before copying the new release. Merging files can leave obsolete models, scripts or configuration data behind.
- Track dependencies: retain any required library packages and update them alongside the main add-on. A missing dependency can produce invisible objects, blank avionics or loading errors.
- Avoid duplicate editions: do not leave both an old and new copy of the same airport, livery or aircraft installed under different folder names.
- Test after simulator updates: start with a reduced Community set, then restore packages gradually. This separates a simulator problem from an outdated mod.
Large collections can be stored on another drive and activated with supported links or an add-on manager. Follow the precautions in our guide to moving or linking the Community library without breaking its path; dragging the folder elsewhere by itself is not enough.
Two packages that modify the same airport, aircraft or core resource may conflict even when both work independently. Renaming one folder with a prefix such as zzz is not a dependable fix; disable one package or use the priority and dependency method explicitly supported by those add-ons.
Why is an MSFS 2024 mod not showing or working?
Most missing MSFS 2024 mods are caused by the wrong Community folder, an unextracted archive, an extra nested directory, missing dependencies or an incompatible MSFS 2020 package.
- Open the package and confirm that its manifest and layout files are near the top level.
- Check that Windows did not create a second identically named folder during extraction.
- Remove older copies of the same add-on.
- Confirm that every required library or base package is installed.
- Try a short extraction path if Windows reports long-path or file-copy errors.
- Disable another mod covering the same aircraft or location.
For an unknown conflict, close the simulator, move all third-party packages out of Community, and confirm that MSFS 2024 starts cleanly. Return half the packages at a time until the fault reappears, then repeat with that group. Our package-detection troubleshooting checklist covers invalid manifests, compressed files and nested folders in depth.
Can Xbox and PlayStation install MSFS 2024 mods?
No. Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 users cannot access a Community folder or sideload arbitrary PC mods into Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Console add-ons must be distributed through the simulator's supported Marketplace or library system, and availability can differ between platforms.