Fix Microsoft Flight Simulator not opening or loading on PC, Xbox or PS5 by checking add-ons, updates, sign-in, storage and crashes.
Microsoft Flight Simulator usually fails to open or finish loading because of a broken update, account or Gaming Services authentication, a faulty Community add-on, damaged cache or package files, insufficient storage, or a driver/overlay conflict. Restart cleanly, remove add-ons, confirm sign-in and updates, then repair the platform components before reinstalling the simulator.
What does the startup symptom tell you?
The point at which Microsoft Flight Simulator stops usually identifies the part that needs attention.
| Symptom | Most likely causes | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| No window appears | Stuck background process, platform authentication, security software or Gaming Services | End the process, restart the device and launch from the platform client |
| Stuck checking for updates | Account, network, update service or incomplete package problem | Check sign-in, connection and available storage |
| Stuck on the splash or loading screen | Community add-on, package scan, cache, storage or slow online data | Use Safe Mode or temporarily remove Community content |
| Window opens and then closes | Driver, overlay, unstable hardware setting, damaged files or third-party content | Disable add-ons and overlays, then repair or verify files |
A moving activity indicator does not prove that the simulator is progressing. On PC, check Task Manager: sustained disk, CPU or network activity can mean a slow package scan, while prolonged inactivity with no visual progress points to a hang. Our guide to separating slow MSFS 2020 loading from a frozen screen covers that distinction in more detail.
How do I fix Microsoft Flight Simulator not opening?
The safest approach is to remove the likely causes in order, leaving reinstallation until last.
- Close every simulator process and restart the device. On PC, use Task Manager to end any remaining Flight Simulator, Xbox app, Microsoft Store or gaming-service process before restarting Windows. On Xbox, fully quit the simulator rather than resuming it through Quick Resume. On PS5, close Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and restart the console.
- Launch from the platform client. Open the Xbox app, Microsoft Store, Steam or console library and start the simulator there instead of using an old desktop or home-screen shortcut. Confirm that the platform recognises the game as installed and owned by the account in use.
- Check account authentication. For a Microsoft Store or Xbox app installation, the Xbox app and Microsoft Store should be signed into accounts with access to the simulator. Set the system date and time automatically; an incorrect clock can break authentication. On PS5, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 users can restore licences if the console does not recognise ownership.
- Start without third-party add-ons. Choose Safe Mode if the simulator offers it after a failed start. Otherwise, rename the actual
Communityfolder temporarily and try again. Package locations vary between Store, Steam, custom installations and simulator generations, so make sure you are changing the folder used by that installation; emptying the wrong Community folder is a mistake we see constantly. - Finish platform and simulator updates. Install pending operating-system, platform-client and simulator updates, then restart. Leave enough free space on both the system drive and the drive holding the simulator packages because an update may need working space beyond its advertised download size. If installation or ownership checks fail, follow our focused steps for repairing Microsoft Flight Simulator update errors.
- Test the connection without filters. Restart the router, disable any VPN or proxy temporarily and make sure security software is not blocking the simulator or its platform client. A simulator stalled at the update check needs the more specific authentication and update-loop checks for MSFS 2020.
- Disable overlays and unstable tuning. Turn off recording overlays, monitoring hooks and frame-generation utilities for one test. Return CPU, GPU and memory overclocks or undervolts to stable defaults. Update the graphics driver from its normal control utility; if the fault began immediately after a driver change, a clean installation or rollback may be the better test.
- Repair the installation. Use the platform's repair or file-verification option before choosing reset or uninstall. Repair normally preserves more data, while reset, clearing reserved space or reinstalling can remove downloaded packages and local settings.
What should I repair on each platform?
The repair target depends on where Microsoft Flight Simulator is installed.
| Platform | Repair order | Important caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Store or Xbox app on PC | Update the Store and Xbox app, repair the simulator, then repair Gaming Services if authentication still fails | Use Reset only after Repair; reset can remove local app data or force package checks |
| Steam on PC | Verify the simulator's installed files, restart Steam and sign back into the Microsoft account when prompted | Verification repairs the launcher files but may not fix a damaged package inside a separate content location |
| Xbox Series X|S | Fully quit, restart the console, check game updates and manage installed add-ons | Clearing reserved space can remove locally downloaded content and should not be the first step |
| PlayStation 5 or PS5 Pro | Restart, check the MSFS 2024 update, restore licences and use the console's cache or storage repair tools if needed | Only Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is available on PlayStation; MSFS 2020 was never released there |
Will Safe Mode fix a loading-screen freeze?
Safe Mode is a diagnostic test: if Microsoft Flight Simulator opens there, third-party content is the leading suspect.
Close the simulator, keep the Community folder empty and restore add-ons in small batches until the failure returns. Start with aircraft systems, avionics, traffic tools, scenery libraries and utilities that run outside the simulator, because these can affect startup before a flight is loaded. An add-on that worked before an update is not automatically compatible afterwards.
If the simulator still closes with no Community content and no overlays, treat it as a crash rather than a simple loading delay. Our startup and random-crash checklist for MSFS 2024 and 2020 covers drivers, memory stability, caches and background software.
When should I reinstall Microsoft Flight Simulator?
Reinstall only after clean startup, account, update, storage and repair checks have failed.
Before uninstalling, back up the Community folder and any local files you cannot replace, and record the location of the main package library. Cloud synchronisation may restore profile data, but it should not be treated as a backup of add-ons or every local setting. When reinstalling on PC, select the existing package location if the installer detects and validates it; otherwise it may download the full content library again.
If a completely clean installation still will not open, the remaining cause is usually outside the simulator itself: platform services, account entitlement, security software, a graphics driver or unstable hardware settings.