Install repaints and liveries in MSFS, FSX, Prepar3D, X-Plane and FlightGear, with correct folders and fixes for missing paint schemes.
To install repaints and liveries in flight simulators, first extract the download, confirm it matches the exact aircraft and simulator version, then place its files in that simulator’s livery or aircraft folder. MSFS uses packaged Community add-ons; X-Plane uses a liveries folder; FSX and Prepar3D often require an aircraft.cfg entry.
Where do livery files go in each simulator?
The correct destination and installation method depend on the simulator and how the aircraft itself was packaged.
| Simulator | Typical installation method |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024 on PC | Copy the extracted package into the active Community folder. A normal package has files such as manifest.json and layout.json at its package root. Our MSFS Community-folder walkthrough explains how to find the correct folder and select the paint. |
| FSX and legacy Prepar3D aircraft | Copy the supplied texture.name folder into the aircraft folder, then add the supplied [fltsim.x] block to aircraft.cfg. Follow our FSX texture-folder and aircraft.cfg procedure for the complete sequence. Prepar3D packages using an add-on structure should retain the structure supplied by the developer. |
| X-Plane 11 and 12 | Place the livery inside that aircraft’s liveries directory, normally as Aircraft Name/liveries/Livery Name/. Preserve its internal objects folders and filenames. Our X-Plane livery-folder instructions cover installation and paint selection. |
| FlightGear | Preserve the hierarchy included with the repaint because the destination can vary between aircraft packages. The FlightGear livery installation procedure explains how definitions and texture files fit together. |
How do I install a downloaded repaint safely?
A safe installation starts by checking compatibility before moving or editing any files.
- Confirm the required aircraft. A repaint normally contains textures, not the complete aeroplane. It must match the named base aircraft, model variant and simulator generation. A paint for one developer’s 737, for example, will not fit another developer’s 737.
- Extract the archive. Do not place a ZIP, RAR or 7z archive directly in an aircraft or add-ons folder unless the simulator explicitly supports importing it. Use the extracted files.
- Read the included instructions. Some commercial aircraft use a dedicated livery manager or installer. Use that tool when specified rather than dismantling its package and copying textures manually.
- Find the actual package root. Downloads are often wrapped in an extra folder containing documentation. In MSFS, the usable package is generally the folder containing
manifest.jsonandlayout.json. Do not flatten a bundle containing several separate packages. - Back up editable configuration files. Before changing an FSX or Prepar3D
aircraft.cfg, save a copy. Add the new block without overwriting an existing aircraft entry. - Install and restart the simulator. Select the correct aircraft first, then choose the new livery from its paint or variation selector. Many simulators do not rescan aircraft cleanly while a flight is loaded.
Does a repaint include the aircraft?
No—unless the download explicitly says it is a complete aircraft, a repaint or livery supplies only an alternative exterior and sometimes cockpit texture set.
The base aircraft remains essential because it supplies the 3D model, flight dynamics, systems and shared textures. If the required aircraft is missing or the repaint targets a different model variant, the livery may not appear at all or may show white, black, misplaced or incomplete surfaces.
Why is my installed livery not showing?
A livery usually goes missing because of incorrect folder depth, an aircraft mismatch or a registration error.
- Extra nested folder: the simulator sees
Community/Livery/Livery/manifest.jsoninstead of the package root, or X-Plane sees an extra directory above the expected livery folder. - Wrong aircraft or simulator version: similarly named aircraft can use different 3D models and texture mappings. MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 compatibility should not be assumed unless the package states it.
- Archive not extracted: the compressed download remains unopened in the destination folder.
- Bad FSX or Prepar3D registration: the
[fltsim.x]number ortitle=value duplicates another entry, ortexture=namedoes not match thetexture.namefolder. - Missing dependency: the repaint was made for a separate freeware or payware aircraft that has not been installed.
- Case mismatch: Linux installations can treat
Objectsandobjectsas different names. Preserve the supplied capitalisation. - Stale aircraft list: close and reopen the simulator after installation rather than merely returning to the aircraft selector.
If removing the newly installed folder makes the aircraft work again, restore any backed-up configuration file and reinstall the repaint one step at a time. Do not delete shared texture folders from the base aircraft.
Can I install custom liveries on console or mobile?
Downloaded desktop livery packages generally cannot be installed manually on consoles or mobile devices because those platforms do not expose the simulator’s add-on folders.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on Xbox and PlayStation, and MSFS 2020 on Xbox, can use liveries distributed through their supported in-simulator content systems, but ordinary Community-folder packages cannot be copied in from a PC. Mobile simulator support varies by app; manual installation is possible only when the app provides its own documented import function.