See realistic Microsoft Flight Simulator download times by internet speed, plus why MSFS 2020 and 2024 may keep installing afterwards.
Microsoft Flight Simulator can take from under an hour to more than a day to download and install. Allow roughly 3–4 hours per 100 GB on a 100 Mbps connection, including normal overhead and unpacking. A slower 25 Mbps line may need 10–13 hours; updates, server load and drive speed can extend either estimate.
How long should the MSFS download take at my internet speed?
The best estimate comes from the amount of data still showing in the installer, not the simulator's advertised storage requirement. Package sizes vary by Microsoft Flight Simulator version, edition, update status and optional content.
| Internet speed | Ideal time per 100 GB | Practical planning time |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Mbps | 22 hours 13 minutes | 24–30+ hours |
| 25 Mbps | 8 hours 53 minutes | 10–13 hours |
| 50 Mbps | 4 hours 27 minutes | 5–7 hours |
| 100 Mbps | 2 hours 13 minutes | 3–4 hours |
| 250 Mbps | 53 minutes | 1–2 hours |
| 500 Mbps | 27 minutes | 45–90 minutes |
These figures assume 100 GB of data and leave time for transfer overhead, package decompression and verification. For 150 GB, multiply the times by 1.5. The mathematical minimum in hours is (remaining GB × 2.22) ÷ connection speed in Mbps, although the actual server rate may be lower.
Do not confuse Mbps with MB/s. A 100 Mbps connection has a theoretical maximum of 12.5 MB/s before overhead.
Why does MSFS keep downloading after it says installed?
The initial platform download is not always the complete simulator installation, particularly with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 on PC.
| Version | How installation works | Effect on download time |
|---|---|---|
| MSFS 2020 | The storefront installs the application first, after which the simulator downloads and unpacks its large Packages collection. | A small initial download can finish quickly, followed by hours of in-simulator installation. |
| MSFS 2024 | The local client is generally smaller because much more content is streamed from the cloud. | Initial installation can be shorter, but flying, caching and optional local content continue to use bandwidth. |
On Xbox, and on PlayStation 5 for MSFS 2024, the console queue primarily reflects the local installation. It cannot account for every later streamed asset or optional content package.
On PC, the application and its large content folders may also be on different drives. Our explanation of where the launcher and Packages data are stored helps identify which drive is actually filling up.
What makes Microsoft Flight Simulator installation slower?
MSFS alternates between downloading, decompressing and writing packages, so a falling network rate does not automatically mean it has stalled.
- Server throughput: the content server may deliver data below the maximum speed of your connection, especially around major simulator updates.
- Drive performance: unpacking thousands of files can become the bottleneck on a slow or heavily used drive.
- CPU and security scanning: each package may be decompressed, verified and scanned before progress continues.
- Insufficient free space: temporary download and extraction data require headroom beyond the final installed size. Check how much drive space to reserve for MSFS, updates and add-ons before starting.
- Unstable Wi-Fi or sleep mode: brief interruptions can trigger retries, while a sleeping PC stops useful progress.
- Optional content: aircraft, scenery, world updates and marketplace packages can add substantial time after the base simulator works.
How can I reduce the download and installation time?
- Check the real remaining data. Use the figure shown by the active MSFS installer rather than the size of the storefront application.
- Use a suitable drive. Select an SSD with generous free space before the large package download begins; changing drives afterwards adds copying or redownloading work.
- Stabilise the connection. Use wired Ethernet where practical, pause other large transfers and prevent the computer from sleeping.
- Install the base simulator first. Leave optional aircraft, scenery and other content until you have reached the main menu successfully.
- Watch both network and disk activity. If the network pauses while the disk remains busy, let decompression finish rather than repeatedly restarting the installer.
How do I know whether the MSFS installer is stuck?
A temporary pause is normal when the package name eventually changes, the byte counter advances or the drive remains active. Treat it as a likely stall when the same package and byte count remain unchanged for roughly 20–30 minutes with no meaningful network or disk activity, or when the installer repeatedly loops back to the same file.
Do not delete random files from the Packages folder as a first response. Use our targeted fixes for failed, frozen or looping MSFS downloads instead. If installation has completed but the simulator itself takes an unusually long time to reach the menu, follow the separate checks for slow MSFS 2020 start-up and loading.