How do I install mods in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

On PC, install most Microsoft Flight Simulator mods by extracting the download and placing its top-level package folder—containing manifest.json and layout.json—in the active Community folder. Installer-based add-ons must target the correct simulator version. Xbox and PlayStation consoles accept only content supplied through the supported in-sim Marketplace, not PC-style manual mods.

Which installation method should I use?

The correct method depends on your platform and how the developer packaged the add-on.

How do I install a downloaded MSFS mod on PC?

A manual MSFS mod is installed by extracting its actual package folder into the active Community directory.

1. Close Microsoft Flight Simulator. Packages are scanned during start-up, and changing files while the simulator is running can produce an incomplete load.
2. Check the supported simulator version. MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 use separate package locations, and compatibility with one does not guarantee compatibility with the other.
3. Extract the downloaded archive. Do not copy the compressed archive itself into Community.
4. Find the package root. Open the extracted folders until you find the folder containing manifest.json and layout.json. Some downloads contain several separate packages.
5. Copy each package folder into Community. A correct result resembles Community/developer-package/manifest.json. Do not place it in the simulator-managed official-content directory.
6. Restart the simulator and test the content. Check the aircraft selector for aircraft and liveries, or load the relevant location for scenery. Some utilities must also be started separately.

When updating a manually installed add-on, remove its old package before copying in the replacement unless its documentation or installer explicitly handles upgrades. Merging new files over an old version can leave obsolete files behind.

Where is the MSFS Community folder?

The active Community folder location varies with the simulator version, PC edition and any custom packages path selected during installation.

Do not use the first similarly named folder you find: having multiple inactive Community folders is common. Follow our version-specific MSFS 2024 PC installation workflow or the MSFS 2020 Community-folder instructions to identify the active location.

Which add-ons should not go in the Community folder?

Installers, external applications and Marketplace-managed packages should be handled by their intended installation system.

• Installer-based aircraft or scenery: select the correct simulator and packages path when prompted. Check the result carefully if both MSFS versions are installed.
• Traffic injectors, flight-planning connectors and similar utilities: these normally run outside the simulator, even if they also install a small companion package.
• Marketplace content: manage it through the in-sim library rather than copying or editing its protected package files.
• Add-on managers: these can store packages elsewhere and create links in Community. For a large collection, our guide to organising packages with MSFS Addons Linker explains that approach.

Can I install MSFS mods on Xbox or PlayStation?

Manual PC mods cannot be installed on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 or PS5 Pro because those versions do not provide user access to a Community folder.

Console users must obtain compatible add-ons through the simulator’s supported Marketplace and library system. Our explanation of Xbox mod and Marketplace restrictions covers the Xbox process in detail. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 was never released for PlayStation; only MSFS 2024 is available there.

Why is my Microsoft Flight Simulator mod not working?

Most missing mods are caused by an extra folder layer, the wrong Community directory or an incompatible package.

• Extra folder nesting: if the path resembles Community/download-name/package-name/manifest.json, move package-name up one level.
• Wrong Community folder: confirm that you used the active folder for the version you actually launched.
• Compressed download: extract the archive fully; renaming or copying the archive does not install it.
• Wrong simulator version: check whether the package explicitly supports MSFS 2020, MSFS 2024 or both.
• Duplicate versions: remove older copies and similarly named packages. Two versions of the same aircraft, livery or scenery can conflict.
• Missing dependency: some liveries, avionics modifications and scenery packages require a separate base aircraft, library or world update.
• Conflict with another add-on: temporarily remove recently added packages, then restore them in small groups until the failure returns.

If the simulator crashes during loading, start without third-party packages or use Safe Mode when it is offered. Once the simulator loads normally, reintroduce packages in batches rather than returning the entire collection at once.

Can MSFS 2020 mods be used in MSFS 2024?

Only use an MSFS 2020 add-on in MSFS 2024 when its developer identifies it as compatible or provides an updated package.

Some older content may load, but aircraft systems, gauges, scenery materials and external utilities are more likely to require changes. Keep the two Community folders separate and test compatible packages individually instead of copying a complete MSFS 2020 collection into MSFS 2024.