How do I move the MSFS Community folder to another drive?

On a Windows PC, move the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 or 2020 Community folder by copying it to the new drive, renaming the original, then creating an NTFS directory junction from the old path to the new one. The simulator and add-on installers keep using the expected original path.

Which Community folder moving method should I use?

Use a whole-folder junction to relocate every Community add-on; use individual package links when you need profiles or selective activation.

Addons Linker stores the real packages elsewhere and activates them through links in Community. Our guide to storing and activating packages with MSFS Addons Linker explains its folder structure and profiles.

Moving Community does not relocate the core simulator or content under Official and other simulator-managed directories. It also does not guarantee better performance; loading speed depends on the destination drive.

How do I change the MSFS 2024 Community folder location?

A directory junction makes the relocated folder appear at its original path, allowing MSFS 2024 and add-on installers to continue finding it.

1. Close the simulator: exit Microsoft Flight Simulator, its launcher, add-on managers and any installer that may be accessing Community.
2. Find the active path: open the correct release's UserCfg.opt and read the InstalledPackagesPath entry near the end. Community should be directly beneath that package root. Store, Steam, custom, MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 installations can differ, so use our guidance for identifying the active Community folder rather than moving the first folder with that name.
3. Create the destination: use a permanent path such as D:\MSFS 2024 Add-ons\Community. A fixed local NTFS drive is safest. An external NTFS drive can work, but its letter must not change and it must be connected before MSFS starts.
4. Copy the existing contents: copy rather than cut, then confirm that each package folder arrived intact. Package directories normally contain files such as manifest.json and layout.json. Avoid an extra Community\Community or duplicate add-on wrapper level.
5. Rename the original: change the old Community folder to Community.backup. The original Community pathname must not contain an ordinary folder when the junction is created.
6. Create the junction: open Command Prompt as administrator and run mklink /J "C:\full\active\Packages\Community" "D:\MSFS 2024 Add-ons\Community", replacing both paths with the real locations.
7. Verify the move: open the original Community pathname in File Explorer. It should display the files physically stored on the other drive. Launch MSFS and test a known aircraft, livery or scenery package.
8. Remove the backup later: retain Community.backup until several launches and any add-on updates work correctly, then delete it to recover the original drive space.

Keep add-on installers pointed at the original Community path; Windows follows the junction to the new drive. Never create a junction inside another junction that points back to the original folder, as the resulting loop can confuse scanners, installers and add-on managers.

Can I change InstalledPackagesPath instead?

You can change InstalledPackagesPath, but it must point to the package root containing Community, not to Community itself.

1. Back up the configuration: close MSFS and make a copy of the correct UserCfg.opt.
2. Copy the package root: include Community and every other locally installed package directory beneath that root.
3. Edit the path entry: point it at the new root, for example InstalledPackagesPath "D:\MSFS 2024\Packages". Community would then be D:\MSFS 2024\Packages\Community.
4. Launch and verify: confirm that MSFS reads the new location before removing the old files. Do not make UserCfg.opt read-only because the simulator must update other settings there.

Choose this method only when the complete package structure needs moving. Relocating the launcher through Windows, Steam or the Xbox app does not guarantee that a separately configured packages path will follow it. For that larger job, use our guidance on changing the MSFS 2024 installation and package locations.

Does this work with MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024?

Yes, directory junctions work with the Windows PC editions of both releases, but each installation can have a different active Community folder. Use separate destinations such as D:\MSFS 2020\Community and D:\MSFS 2024\Community; sharing one folder risks package and filename conflicts.

Xbox versions, and MSFS 2024 on PlayStation 5 or PS5 Pro, do not expose a Windows-style Community folder. Directory junctions, Addons Linker and manually installed freeware are therefore PC-only.

Why are my add-ons missing after moving Community?

Missing add-ons usually mean the junction is at the wrong path, its destination is unavailable or the packages are nested too deeply.

• “Cannot create a file when that file already exists”: an ordinary folder still occupies the original Community path. Rename or remove it before running mklink.
• An empty Community folder reappears: MSFS is using a different InstalledPackagesPath, so the junction was created at an inactive location.
• The junction is empty or inaccessible: reconnect the destination drive and restore its previous drive letter before starting MSFS.
• Only some packages are missing: inspect their nesting. The package directory containing manifest.json should normally sit directly inside Community, not under Community\AddonName\AddonName.
• MSFS 2020 content appears in MSFS 2024: the wrong UserCfg.opt or Community folder was moved. Keep the two releases on separate active package paths.
• The command reports a privilege error: run Command Prompt as administrator and use an NTFS volume that supports Windows reparse points.
• Marketplace content is unaffected: simulator-managed content is not stored in Community and was never part of this move.
• Only Linker-managed packages are absent: check that the manager targets the active path; our Addons Linker Community-path troubleshooting covers this specific failure.

How do I move the Community folder back?

Remove the junction first, then restore a physical Community folder at the original location. Close MSFS and run dir on the parent directory to confirm that Community is shown as a junction.

1. Remove the junction: run rmdir "C:\full\active\Packages\Community". Used on the confirmed junction without /S, this removes the link rather than the destination files.
2. Restore the folder: move or copy the destination back to the original package directory and name it Community.
3. Test before cleaning up: launch MSFS and load a known add-on before deleting any remaining destination copy or backup.