Why are mods not working or showing in MSFS 2024?

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (MSFS 2024) mods fail because the package is in the wrong Community folder, is still compressed or nested too deeply, lacks the required package files, conflicts with another add-on, or is incompatible with the 2024 simulator. On Xbox and PlayStation 5, loose PC mods cannot be installed; use Marketplace content instead.

How do I fix MSFS 2024 mods not showing?

Start by confirming the installation location and package structure before changing simulator settings or reinstalling anything.

1. Confirm that you are playing on PC. External freeware and loose Community packages cannot be installed on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 or PS5 Pro. Console users are limited to content distributed through the in-simulator Marketplace.
2. Close MSFS 2024 completely. Do not add, remove or replace packages while the simulator is running.
3. Open the active Community folder. Enable Developer Mode in the simulator settings, then use the developer toolbar's virtual file system or package-folders view to open the Community folder. This is safer than relying on a path copied from another PC.
4. Extract the download. A .zip, .rar or .7z archive left inside Community will not load. Extract it first using a suitable archive utility.
5. Check the package level. The folder placed in Community should normally contain manifest.json and layout.json directly inside it. If those files are buried inside another identically named folder, move the inner package up one level.
6. Launch in Normal Mode. Safe Mode deliberately disables Community content. Test the add-on in a simple Free Flight session rather than Career Mode or a restricted activity.
7. Verify its requirements. Check that the mod supports MSFS 2024 and that any required base aircraft, library or companion package is installed.

A mistake we see constantly is opening a familiar folder that actually belongs to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, another store installation or an abandoned custom packages path. If the directory appears wrong or unused, follow our checks for locating an apparently empty Community folder.

What should the Community package structure look like?

A valid package normally looks like Community/mod-name/manifest.json, not Community/mod-name.zip or Community/mod-name/mod-name/manifest.json. Some downloads contain several separate packages inside one outer folder; copy each actual package into Community rather than copying the wrapper.

Do not place Community mods in an Official, OneStore or streamed-content directory. Installer-based utilities are an exception: run their installer and select the active MSFS 2024 packages location if requested. If the structure looks correct but the simulator still ignores it, use our fuller package-detection checklist for missing add-ons.

Marketplace content is handled separately through the simulator's library and content system. It may be streamed or managed without appearing in Community, so an empty Community folder does not prove that a Marketplace purchase is missing.

Why is an installed mod missing from the menus?

An add-on can be loaded correctly without appearing as a separate item in the aircraft selector or main menus.

• Liveries normally appear as variants under their required base aircraft. They are not separate aircraft, and a livery made for a different model or edition will not attach correctly.
• Airport and scenery packages change the world at their specified location. A replacement airport normally retains the existing airport identifier instead of creating a second menu entry. For location and priority problems, see our MSFS 2024 scenery installation checks.
• Career Mode and activities can restrict which aircraft and content are available. Confirm the package in Free Flight before deciding that installation failed.
• External utilities may run as separate Windows applications and connect to the simulator rather than appearing inside it.
• Dependency-based mods remain incomplete when their required aircraft, object library or avionics package is absent or disabled.

If an add-on manager uses symbolic links rather than copying packages directly, confirm that its target drive is connected and that it supports MSFS 2024. Copying one small package directly into Community is a useful way to distinguish a manager problem from a simulator problem.

Are MSFS 2020 mods compatible with MSFS 2024?

Some MSFS 2020 packages work in MSFS 2024, but compatibility is not universal and should never be assumed.

Simple liveries and scenery may transfer successfully, while aircraft with custom avionics, gauges, executable components or older compiled modules are more likely to need a dedicated 2024 release. An old installer may also write to the MSFS 2020 Community folder even when the package itself is compatible.

Choose a native MSFS 2024 version whenever one is supplied. Remove the older edition before installing its replacement, because duplicate package names, overlapping airports and two versions of the same aircraft can produce missing models, blank textures or unpredictable loading behaviour. Do not manually copy encrypted Official or Marketplace packages from an older installation; use the simulator's library system for content attached to your account.

How do I find a conflicting MSFS 2024 mod?

The quickest reliable conflict test is to empty Community temporarily and restore packages in controlled groups.

1. Exit the simulator and create a temporary holding folder outside the MSFS packages directories.
2. Move all third-party Community packages into that holding folder. Do not move or delete Official, Marketplace or streamed simulator files.
3. Start MSFS 2024 in Normal Mode and test the same aircraft, airport and flight. If the problem remains with Community empty, the mod collection is not the immediate cause.
4. Restore the affected mod by itself. If it fails alone, replace it with a clean download or obtain a version made for MSFS 2024.
5. Add the remaining packages in halves. When the problem returns, remove half of the latest group and test again. Repeating this process identifies the conflicting package much faster than adding mods one by one.
6. Remove duplicates and restart. Keep only one release of each aircraft, livery, library or airport, then restart the simulator after every package change.

If installing a mod changes the symptom from “not showing” to a frozen or failed flight load, remove that package first and follow our steps for a flight that stops loading after an add-on change. Avoid disabling security software wholesale; if a trusted installer or executable has been quarantined, review that specific file instead.