Move Microsoft Flight Simulator to another drive without reinstalling. Follow the safe app and Packages-folder method and avoid downloading it all again.
To move Microsoft Flight Simulator to another drive without reinstalling, use Steam, the Xbox app or Windows to move the platform-managed app, then copy the separate package root and update InstalledPackagesPath in UserCfg.opt. Test the simulator before deleting the old files; otherwise a wrong path can trigger a full redownload.
What parts of Microsoft Flight Simulator need moving?
Microsoft Flight Simulator on PC is split between the platform-managed application and a separate package root containing most locally installed content.
| Component | How to move it | Key detail |
|---|---|---|
| Steam or Xbox/Microsoft Store app | Use the platform's storage or move control | Do not drag the protected application folder manually |
| Installed packages | Copy the active package root and edit UserCfg.opt | Preserve the complete folder structure |
| Community add-ons | Move with the package root or relocate separately | Confirm that you have found the active Community folder |
| Rolling or manual cache | Recreate or relocate it through the simulator's cache controls | It may remain on the old drive after the main move |
Moving only the Steam or Xbox-managed application does not necessarily move the much larger package data. Conversely, changing InstalledPackagesPath does not move the platform application itself.
How do I move MSFS without downloading it again?
The safest method is to copy the package data first, point Microsoft Flight Simulator at the copy, and delete the source only after a successful test.
- Close Microsoft Flight Simulator completely. Finish or cancel any active content downloads, then close Steam or the Xbox app. If using an external drive, give it a stable drive letter and make sure it will remain connected whenever you start the simulator.
- Find the active package root. Search your Windows user profile for
UserCfg.opt, open it in a text editor and find theInstalledPackagesPathline. Steam, Microsoft Store and different MSFS editions store this file in different profile locations. If several copies exist, use the path matching your populated package folder. Our guide to identifying the active package path when Community appears empty helps avoid choosing an abandoned or duplicate folder. - Move the platform-managed application.
- For Steam, create or select a library on the destination drive under Steam's storage settings, then use the game's Properties and Installed Files controls to move the installation.
- For an Xbox app or Microsoft Store installation, use the game's Manage and Files storage control. Some installations instead expose Move under Windows Installed apps.
If Windows offers no move control, leave the application where it is rather than dragging files out of
WindowsApps. The separate package root usually contains the data people most need to relocate. - Copy the complete package root. Create a destination such as
D:\MSFS\Packagesand copy everything from the path recorded inUserCfg.opt. Do not flatten, rename or selectively combine the folders. In MSFS 2020, the destination root should directly contain folders such asOfficialandCommunity, with their existing subfolders intact. - Change InstalledPackagesPath. Back up
UserCfg.opt, then replace the old path with the destination, for exampleInstalledPackagesPath "D:\MSFS\Packages". Keep the quotation marks, save the file with its original.optextension and make sure the path points to the package root rather than toOfficialor one of its subfolders. - Launch and verify the installation. If the installation or content screen asks for a location, select the destination containing the copied data. It should scan or recognise the existing packages. Stop if it proposes downloading the entire library, because that normally means the path or folder level is wrong.
- Test before deleting anything. Load into an airport, check that an installed aircraft and a Community add-on appear, then close the simulator. Only after that should you remove the old package folder and empty the Recycle Bin.
Without reinstalling does not mean without transferring the files: moving between physical drives still copies every locally stored byte once. This method avoids downloading and reinstalling that content from the internet. We recommend copying rather than cutting whenever the destination has enough free space.
Why does MSFS want to download everything after the move?
A full download prompt almost always means Microsoft Flight Simulator is reading the wrong package path or the copied folders are nested one level too deeply.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The installer reports little or no installed content | InstalledPackagesPath points above or below the real package root | Point it at the folder that directly contains the preserved package structure |
| Official content works but add-ons are missing | The wrong Community folder was copied, or it was left on the old drive | Check the active path and copy the populated Community folder |
The destination contains Packages\Packages | The source folder itself was copied into a destination already named Packages | Correct the nesting or change the configuration path to the inner folder |
| Windows reports access denied | The protected platform application was moved manually | Restore it and use Steam, the Xbox app or Windows storage controls |
| The old drive is still full | The verified source, rolling cache or another package copy remains | Check each location before removing the redundant data |
When both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 are installed, each can have its own configuration and package location. Editing the wrong UserCfg.opt changes nothing and may send you back to the installation screen.
Does the method differ between MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024?
The same app-plus-package principle applies to both editions, but Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 streams more world content instead of keeping all of it permanently on the drive.
MSFS 2020 users usually recover the most space by moving the complete package root containing official content and Community add-ons. In MSFS 2024, move the locally installed packages, Community content and any cache you deliberately retain; streamed scenery does not need migrating.
Control profiles, account entitlements and cloud-associated data are not normally stored inside the package root. Some add-ons keep configuration files elsewhere in the Windows user profile, so moving Community content does not necessarily relocate every add-on setting.
Should I move only the Community folder instead?
If add-ons are consuming the space, moving only Community is quicker and leaves official packages untouched.
For the older simulator, use our instructions for relocating only the MSFS 2020 Community folder. MSFS 2024 users should follow the separate MSFS 2024 add-on-folder moving methods, which account for its package handling. A junction or add-on management tool is often preferable when only third-party content needs another drive.
Can I move Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox or PS5?
Console editions must be transferred with the console's built-in storage controls; the UserCfg.opt method is for Windows PCs only.
- Xbox Series X|S: use the console's move or copy control. A Series-optimised game can run from internal storage or a compatible expansion card; ordinary USB storage can hold it for archiving but cannot run that version directly.
- PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 can run from the internal SSD or a compatible installed M.2 SSD. USB extended storage can archive the PS5 game, but it must be copied back to playable storage. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 was never released for PlayStation.