Install Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 on another drive or partition, set the correct Packages path, and avoid common Steam and Xbox app mistakes.
To install Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 on a different drive, choose that drive in Steam or the Xbox app for the launcher, then select a folder on the target drive at MSFS 2020’s first-launch Installation Manager screen. The second choice matters most because it controls the large Official and Community package folders.
Which MSFS 2020 installation location should I change?
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 uses separate locations for its application, downloaded packages and configuration files.
| Component | Where its location is chosen | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Application or launcher | Steam, Xbox app or Windows app settings | Select the other drive if offered, but leaving this part on C: is normally fine. |
| Official and Community packages | Installation Manager inside MSFS 2020 | Put these on the drive with the most free space. |
| Configuration and small support files | Windows user profile | Leave these in place; some C: usage is normal. |
The packages destination is the crucial setting. Our guide to how MSFS separates its application and Packages locations explains why installing the launcher on another drive does not automatically move the simulator’s main data.
How do I install MSFS 2020 on another drive?
- Prepare the destination. Use a fixed internal SSD where possible and leave ample room for simulator updates, optional content and add-ons. A simple NTFS folder such as
D:\MSFS\Packagesavoids permissions problems associated with protected Windows folders. - Install the application. In Steam, select a library on the required drive when installing. In the Xbox app, select the destination offered by its installation options. Microsoft Store installations may follow Windows’ default location for new applications. The application can remain on C: if the client does not offer a useful choice.
- Launch MSFS 2020. Sign in and allow the simulator to reach its Installation Manager or mandatory-update screen.
- Change the Installation Path. Before starting the large download, use the path selector or browse control and choose
D:\MSFS\Packages, replacing D: with the required drive or partition. - Check the displayed path. Confirm that it shows the new destination rather than an AppData folder on C:, then begin the installation.
- Verify the folders. After installation, the chosen Packages folder should contain
OfficialandCommunity. Depending on the platform, the official content sits beneath a Steam- or Microsoft Store-specific subfolder.
A separate partition works exactly like a separate physical drive once Windows assigns it a drive letter. Moving MSFS from C: to D: on the same physical disk can help organise capacity, but it does not provide the performance benefit of moving from a hard drive to an SSD.
How can I confirm MSFS is using the correct drive?
The active package location is recorded in the InstalledPackagesPath entry inside UserCfg.opt.
Close the simulator before editing that file. Our instructions for finding UserCfg.opt and checking InstalledPackagesPath cover the different Steam and Microsoft Store locations. The entry should point to the folder containing Official and Community, not to either of those subfolders individually.
Why is MSFS still downloading to C:?
The usual cause is changing only the Steam or Xbox app destination and overlooking the separate Installation Path inside MSFS 2020.
- The path reverted: confirm that the target drive is connected, has the same drive letter and allows your Windows account to write to the selected folder.
- A new full download starts: check
InstalledPackagesPath. If it points to an empty or incorrect folder, MSFS assumes its packages are missing. - The folder is rejected: create a normal folder outside
Program Files,WindowsAppsand other protected directories. - C: still loses some space: Windows, the launcher, configuration files and caches can remain there even when the main Packages folder is elsewhere.
What if MSFS 2020 is already installed?
Do not download the entire simulator again merely to change drives. Follow our procedure for relocating an existing MSFS installation, which covers moving the package files and directing the simulator to their new location.
If only downloaded add-ons are consuming too much space, the application and official packages can stay where they are. The separate method for moving the Community folder to another drive uses a Windows junction so MSFS continues to recognise it in the expected location.