Install photo scenery in X-Plane 11 correctly, including folder structure, DDS conversion, scenery_packs.ini order and fixes when it will not show.
To install photo scenery in X-Plane 11, extract the package into X-Plane 11/Custom Scenery, making sure its Earth nav data folder is not buried inside an extra directory. Start X-Plane once, then place the photo or orthophoto entry below airports and overlays in scenery_packs.ini; restart the simulator.
What should an X-Plane 11 photo scenery package contain?
A complete photo scenery package normally contains compiled terrain tiles and their associated texture files. Inspect the extracted files before moving anything into X-Plane.
| Package contents | What they mean | Required action |
|---|---|---|
Earth nav data, terrain and textures | Compiled, ready-to-run scenery | Install the package folder directly |
| Separate base and overlay folders | Imagery and 3D overlay are supplied independently | Install both folders and prioritise the overlay above the base |
| JPG or PNG textures with conversion instructions | The imagery still needs processing | Complete the specified DDS conversion before launching X-Plane |
| Only source images or project files | Not yet an X-Plane scenery package | Generate or export the compiled scenery first |
For comparison, you can see how a precompiled San Francisco photoreal package is arranged. Some older distributions use a different workflow; the Arizona package's DDS conversion instructions show why the supplied readme must be followed rather than treating every archive alike.
How to install photo scenery in X-Plane 11
- Close X-Plane 11. Do not add or reorder scenery while the simulator is running.
- Extract the complete archive. Never leave photo scenery inside a ZIP, RAR or other compressed file. For a multi-part archive, place all parts together and follow its extraction instructions rather than unpacking every part separately.
- Identify each scenery root folder. The folder moved into
Custom Sceneryshould directly containEarth nav data. A regional download may provide several independent folders; the Western Alps package demonstrates this multi-folder arrangement. Do not merge those folders. - Move the folders into Custom Scenery. A correct path resembles
X-Plane 11/Custom Scenery/Photo Region/Earth nav data. A doubled path such asPhoto Region/Photo Region/Earth nav datais wrong. - Complete any required texture conversion. If the package expects DDS files, let its supplied process create them. Renaming JPG or PNG files to DDS does not convert them and will produce missing-texture errors.
- Let X-Plane register the package. Start X-Plane, wait until the main menu appears, then quit. New folders should now have entries in
Custom Scenery/scenery_packs.ini. - Correct the load order. Back up
scenery_packs.ini, move the photo scenery to the appropriate position, save the file and restart X-Plane fully.
Where should photo scenery go in scenery_packs.ini?
Photo scenery belongs below airports and overlay scenery but above any lower-priority generic mesh it must replace. X-Plane reads scenery_packs.ini from top to bottom, with entries nearer the top receiving higher priority.
- Custom airports, followed by the default airport package
- Road, building, autogen and other overlay packages
- Photo or orthophoto base scenery
- Generic mesh packages that should act as fallbacks
For each geographic tile, X-Plane uses the highest-priority base mesh that covers it. A generic mesh placed above the orthophoto can therefore hide the imagery completely. Our guide to X-Plane 11 mesh priority and folder structure explains this interaction in more detail.
Folder prefixes such as y and z are naming conventions, not permanent priority rules. Once scenery_packs.ini exists, its line order controls loading. Also check that the entry begins with SCENERY_PACK, not SCENERY_PACK_DISABLED.
Why is my X-Plane 11 photo scenery not showing?
Photo scenery usually fails to appear because its package is nested incorrectly, its base mesh loses the priority contest, or required textures were never generated.
- Extra folder level: move the folder containing
Earth nav datadirectly underCustom Scenery. - Wrong load order: place the photo base above competing generic mesh packages, while keeping airports and overlays above it.
- Missing or disabled entry: inspect
scenery_packs.inifor the exact package folder and remove the disabled marker if appropriate. - Incomplete conversion: confirm that the expected DDS textures exist and that the archive finished extracting without errors.
- Wrong test location: verify that the aircraft is inside a tile actually covered by the download. A regional package does not change terrain outside its stated area.
- Resource errors: open
Log.txtin the X-Plane 11 root folder and search for the scenery folder name or messages such asFailed to find resource.
Does photo scenery include buildings and airports?
Regional photo scenery usually supplies ground imagery and a terrain mesh, not 3D buildings, roads or detailed airports. Those objects come from an overlay or separate airport package.
If the aerial imagery appears but the area looks flat and empty, install the supplied overlay folder and place it above the photo base. Texture sharpness also depends on the source imagery, viewing distance and X-Plane's texture-quality setting; a higher setting cannot restore detail absent from the original photographs.