How do I install and use liveries in X-Plane 11 and 12?
To install a livery in X-Plane 11 or 12, extract its folder into the matching aircraft’s liveries directory, preserving the supplied folder hierarchy. Start X-Plane, select that aircraft in Flight Configuration, open its livery or customisation control, choose the paint scheme, then load or restart the flight.
Where do X-Plane liveries go?
An X-Plane livery belongs inside the specific aircraft package it was made for, not in Custom Scenery or a global liveries folder. The usual structure is:
X-Plane 12/Aircraft/[aircraft folder]/liveries/[livery name]/objects/[texture files]
X-Plane 11 uses the same arrangement beneath its own installation folder. The aircraft folder is the one containing the relevant .acf file; its location within Aircraft can vary between default and third-party aircraft.
- Check the exact aircraft. Match the livery to the aircraft package and variant, not merely the real-world type. Paints made for two different A320 add-ons, for example, are not interchangeable.
- Extract the download. Do not leave the livery inside a ZIP, RAR or 7z archive. If archive handling or X-Plane’s main folders are unfamiliar, see our archive extraction and X-Plane folder guide.
- Find the aircraft’s own folder. Open
Aircraft, locate the package containing the aircraft’s.acffile, and open or create its lower-caseliveriesfolder. - Copy the individual livery folder. If the download contains several airlines or registrations, each one normally needs its own folder directly beneath
liveries. - Inspect the final structure. A common mistake is an extra wrapper folder, producing
liveries/Livery Pack/Airline Name/objects. X-Plane normally needsliveries/Airline Name/objects. - Keep the supplied hierarchy intact. Most replacement textures sit inside
objects, while some packages include preview images or aircraft-specific configuration files. Do not merge these files into the aircraft’s originalobjectsfolder or overwrite its base textures.
A true livery is primarily a set of replacement textures. If the download contains another flyable .acf and a complete aircraft folder, it may be a full aircraft or modification rather than a simple repaint.
How do I select or change a livery in X-Plane?
Select liveries from the chosen aircraft’s Customize panel in Flight Configuration. Choose the aircraft first, open its customisation options, select the livery by name or preview image, and then start the flight.
To change paint after loading, return to Flight Configuration, choose the same aircraft with the new livery, and reload or restart the flight. This is more reliable than expecting every aircraft to repaint immediately while its systems and external model remain loaded.
Some complex add-ons also use an EFB or aircraft-specific menu for registrations, cabin layouts or equipment options. Leave any included configuration files in the locations supplied by the livery author; the main paint scheme should still be installed beneath that aircraft’s liveries folder.
Why is my X-Plane livery not showing?
A livery that does not appear is usually one folder too deep or installed under a different aircraft package. Check the directory structure before renaming textures or editing the aircraft.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Livery is absent from the list | Nested folder, unextracted archive or wrong aircraft directory | Place the individual livery folder directly inside the matching aircraft’s liveries folder. |
| Livery is listed but the default paint loads | Texture names or internal paths do not match that aircraft | Reinstall the package without changing filenames and confirm it supports the exact aircraft version. |
| Aircraft is white, grey or only partly painted | Missing files, an incomplete repaint or incompatible texture mapping | Restore the complete download or use a livery made for that precise aircraft and variant. |
| Name appears without a preview image | The package has no compatible aircraft-selection icon | Load the livery to test it; a missing thumbnail does not necessarily mean the textures are broken. |
| It works on one operating system but not another | Capitalisation differs between folder or texture names | Match names such as liveries and objects exactly, especially on case-sensitive file systems. |
Why is lettering reversed on one side?
Reversed lettering usually comes from mirrored texture mapping in the aircraft model, not an installation error. If both sides of the model reuse the same texture area, a conventional repaint cannot place readable asymmetric text on each side unless the aircraft itself provides separate mapping.
Can X-Plane 11 liveries work in X-Plane 12?
An X-Plane 11 livery can work in X-Plane 12 only when the X-Plane 12 aircraft retains the same object names, texture filenames and UV mapping. A simulator upgrade alone does not convert a repaint for a remodelled or separately packaged aircraft.
If the same aircraft package is supported in both simulators, copy the livery into each installation’s own aircraft folder and test it. Changed materials may alter reflections or surface appearance even when the paint aligns correctly. Our breakdown of X-Plane 11 and 12 compatibility changes explains why some older add-ons transfer cleanly while others require dedicated versions.
Where can I find compatible X-Plane liveries?
Use downloads that identify the exact aircraft package, variant and supported X-Plane generation. Aircraft-specific paints are available in our X-Plane 11 and 12 add-ons library, but the description and included readme should still be checked before installation. A file labelled only as a “737 livery” is too vague unless it names the aircraft package it was designed to paint.