Install MSFS 2020 on a different drive: set the launcher and Packages paths, choose an SSD, and fix downloads that still go to C:.
To install Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 on a different drive, choose that drive for the Steam or Xbox app installation if offered, then select a folder on it in MSFS’s first-launch Installation Manager. The second choice is crucial: it places the much larger Official and Community package folders on the new drive.
Which MSFS 2020 installation location should I change?
Change the Packages location if your aim is to keep the main simulator data off C:.
| Component | Where it is set | Recommended choice |
|---|---|---|
| Application files | Steam library or Xbox app installation options | Any suitable local drive; leaving these on C: is normally fine |
| Official and Community packages | Installation Path in MSFS 2020’s Installation Manager | The SSD with the most suitable free space |
| Configuration and user-profile files | Managed by Windows and MSFS | Leave them in place |
| Rolling cache | Configured separately inside the simulator | Move or resize it only if it is consuming unwanted space |
A mistake we see constantly is moving the Steam or Xbox app installation while leaving the large package path unchanged. The application and Packages folders are separate, so they can sit on different drives.
How do I install MSFS 2020 on another drive?
- Prepare the destination. Create a normal folder such as
D:\MSFS\Packages, replacing D: with your chosen drive. A fixed internal NTFS SSD is the simplest option; avoid Windows-controlled locations such asWindowsAppsandProgram Files. - Check the available capacity. Allow space for mandatory content, optional aircraft and scenery, updates and Community add-ons. The total varies with the edition and content you install, so leave generous headroom rather than filling the drive.
- Install the application. In Steam, choose a library on the desired drive. In the Xbox app, use the installation destination it offers. If the client will not place the application there, leave it on C: and continue—the package choice in MSFS is the one that saves most space.
- Start MSFS 2020. Sign in and wait for the Installation Manager or mandatory-update screen to appear.
- Change the Installation Path. Use the path field or browse control before starting the main download, then select
D:\MSFS\Packages. - Confirm the parent folder. The chosen path must be the folder that will contain both
OfficialandCommunity. Do not select either subfolder itself. - Begin the download and verify it. Once content is being installed, the destination should contain
CommunityandOfficial. Official content normally appears farther down under a platform-specific folder such asOneStoreorSteam.
A separate partition is treated like another drive after Windows assigns it a drive letter. It can improve organisation and free capacity on C:, but a second partition on the same physical disk does not provide the performance improvement of moving from a hard drive to an SSD.
Where is MSFS 2020 installed?
MSFS 2020 is installed in more than one place: the client stores its application files, while the simulator’s active Packages folder holds most of the downloadable content.
- Steam application: beneath the Steam library selected during installation.
- Microsoft Store or Xbox app application: in a protected, client-managed Windows application location that should not be edited manually.
- Common Steam package default:
%APPDATA%\Microsoft Flight Simulator\Packages. - Common Microsoft Store package default:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Packages. - Custom installation: wherever the Installation Manager’s Installation Path was pointed.
Those are common defaults, not proof of the active location. Our summary of the typical Steam, Microsoft Store and Xbox app locations for MSFS 2020 explains which folder contains each part.
The definitive setting is InstalledPackagesPath near the end of UserCfg.opt. Close MSFS before changing it; our instructions for finding UserCfg.opt and reading InstalledPackagesPath cover the platform-specific file locations. It should name the parent folder containing Official and Community.
Should I install MSFS 2020 on an SSD?
An SSD is the preferred destination because MSFS reads many aircraft, scenery and package files during loading and flight.
| Drive choice | When to use it | Main caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Internal SSD | Best general choice for speed and reliability | Keep enough unused capacity for updates |
| External USB SSD | Useful when internal storage is limited | Keep it connected and assign a stable drive letter |
| Hard drive | Usable when capacity matters more than loading speed | Expect slower loading and content access |
| Another partition on the same disk | Useful for organising space | No physical disk-speed improvement |
If using an external SSD, connect it before launching MSFS. A missing drive or changed drive letter makes the configured path unavailable, which can cause the simulator to present an empty installation folder and request another large download.
“Nein, hat nicht funktioniert”: what if changing the drive did not work?
If the result is “nein, hat nicht funktioniert” (“no, that did not work”), check the active package path before reinstalling anything.
Why is MSFS still downloading to C:?
The usual cause is that only the Steam or Xbox app destination was changed; the Installation Manager still points to the old Packages folder.
- The path reverted: make sure the destination is connected, has the same drive letter and can be written to by your Windows account.
- MSFS requests the full download again: stop before downloading and inspect
InstalledPackagesPath. It may point to an empty folder or to the wrong directory level. - Existing packages are not detected: select the parent that directly contains
OfficialandCommunity, notOfficial,Communityor their platform-specific subfolders. - C: still loses a small amount of space: this can be normal. The application, Windows-managed files, configuration data, caches and temporary update data may remain on C:.
The destination is blocked—how do I get around that?
Create a folder you own, such as D:\MSFS\Packages, instead of forcing access to a protected directory. Do not take ownership of WindowsApps or disable Windows security globally merely to install the packages.
Test the destination by creating and deleting a small text file there in File Explorer. If that fails, choose another ordinary folder or correct that folder’s permissions before asking MSFS to use it.
“oui”—how do I confirm the new drive is active?
The answer is oui (“yes”) only when InstalledPackagesPath names the target folder and its Official directory grows while MSFS downloads content. Seeing some files remain on C: does not mean the package installation failed.
What if MSFS 2020 is already installed?
Do not select an empty destination and download the simulator again. An existing Packages folder can be copied to the new drive, assigned through InstalledPackagesPath, verified in MSFS and then removed from the old drive.
Keep the original copy until the simulator opens and recognises the installed content. Follow our safer sequence for moving the existing Packages folder without downloading MSFS again; moving the Steam or Xbox application by itself will not relocate those packages.