Learn how to install mods in MSFS 2024 on PC, locate the active Community folder, choose the correct method and fix add-ons that do not appear.
Yes. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 supports third-party mods on PC, including aircraft, liveries and scenery. Most manual add-ons are extracted into the simulator's active Community folder; Marketplace content is installed through the simulator, while utilities with an installer must follow their own setup instructions.
Which MSFS 2024 mods use the Community folder?
Aircraft, liveries, airports and scenery supplied as simulator package folders normally belong in Community. Not every download uses that method, so identify the add-on type before copying files.
| Add-on type | Installation method | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Manual aircraft, livery or scenery package | Extract its package folder into Community | Copying the ZIP file or an extra outer folder |
| Installer-managed add-on | Run its installer and select Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 when asked | Moving installed files afterwards |
| External utility | Install and run it as a separate Windows application | Placing the application itself in Community |
| Marketplace content | Install and manage it through the simulator | Trying to handle its files as a manual mod |
How do I install an MSFS 2024 mod manually?
- Check compatibility. Confirm that the download explicitly supports Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. When browsing our MSFS freeware and add-on library, do not assume that every MSFS 2020 package will work unchanged.
- Extract the archive. Use Windows extraction tools to unpack ZIP, RAR or other compressed downloads somewhere outside the simulator. Never place the compressed archive directly in
Community. - Find the package root. Open the extracted folders until you reach the directory that directly contains files such as
manifest.jsonandlayout.json. Some downloads contain several separate package folders; copy each required package. - Copy the package into Community. The finished structure should resemble
Community\addon-name\manifest.json, notCommunity\addon-name\addon-name\manifest.json. - Restart the simulator. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 should be fully closed while files are copied. Start it again, then check the aircraft selector, livery list or affected airport to confirm that the add-on loaded.
Scenery can contain multiple packages or optional variants, so use our detailed scenery extraction and installation instructions when an airport download has a more complicated folder structure.
Where is the MSFS 2024 Community folder?
The active Community folder depends on whether MSFS 2024 came from Steam or the Microsoft Store and whether a custom Packages location was selected. Installing into the simulator's application directory or an old MSFS 2020 folder will not work.
The reliable method is to locate UserCfg.opt and read its InstalledPackagesPath entry. That value identifies the active Packages directory; its Community subfolder is the destination. Our guide to finding the Packages path through UserCfg.opt covers the different PC installations without relying on a guessed default path.
Why is my MSFS 2024 mod not showing up?
A missing add-on is usually caused by the wrong Community folder, an unextracted archive or one unnecessary folder level. Check these points in order:
- Confirm that the package is in the Community folder belonging to MSFS 2024, not MSFS 2020.
- Open the installed package and check that its manifest files are not buried inside another identically named directory.
- Remove older or duplicate copies of the same add-on.
- Check whether the add-on requires another package, library or separately installed application.
- Move other Community packages out temporarily, then restore them in small groups to identify a conflict.
- Use a version marked for MSFS 2024 rather than assuming backward compatibility.
For persistent failures, follow our Community-folder detection checks, including path, nesting, manifest and conflict problems.
Do MSFS 2020 mods work in MSFS 2024?
Some MSFS 2020 liveries and straightforward scenery packages work in MSFS 2024, but compatibility is not guaranteed. Complex aircraft, custom gauges, external programs, flight-model changes and scenery tied to altered default assets are more likely to require a dedicated 2024 release.
Choose a package labelled for MSFS 2024 whenever one exists. If separate 2020 and 2024 versions are supplied, install only the 2024 version rather than combining them.
Can PC Community mods be installed on consoles?
No. Manually downloaded Community-folder mods cannot be copied to Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 or PS5 Pro. Console users are limited to compatible add-ons distributed through the in-simulator Marketplace.