Where should I install MSFS 2020, and how do I move it?

Install Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020’s large Packages folder on an internal SSD with enough free space, ideally in a short path such as D:\MSFS\Packages. To move it, close MSFS, copy the complete Official and Community folders, change InstalledPackagesPath in the active UserCfg.opt, then verify the move before deleting the original.

What’s the MSFS 2020 install path?

MSFS 2020 has two relevant locations on PC: the application installed by Steam, Microsoft Store or the Xbox app, and the much larger Packages folder containing simulator content. Moving one does not automatically move the other.

These are typical defaults, not proof of the active location. A custom path selected during installation overrides them, and old configuration folders can remain after reinstalling or changing edition.

The authoritative path is the InstalledPackagesPath line at the end of the active UserCfg.opt file. The usual configuration locations are:

• Steam: %APPDATA%\Microsoft Flight Simulator\UserCfg.opt
• Microsoft Store or Xbox app: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\UserCfg.opt

Press Windows key + R, paste the appropriate path and open the file in a plain-text editor. The recorded folder should contain Official and Community as siblings. Our breakdown of the edition-specific folders and ways to confirm the active MSFS path helps when more than one configuration file exists.

Where is the best place to install MSFS 2020?

An internal SSD with generous spare capacity is the best place for the Packages folder. A short, user-controlled path avoids permission problems and is easier to recognise when installing add-ons or troubleshooting an update.

Avoid placing the Packages folder inside WindowsApps, Program Files, a cloud-synchronised directory or a removable drive that is not always connected. Paths such as D:\MSFS\Packages or E:\Flight Sim\MSFS 2020 are easier to manage.

Is a 500 GB (500 Go) SSD enough for MSFS 2020?

A 500 GB — written 500 Go in French — SSD can hold MSFS 2020 and a moderate content library, but it is not generous once optional world content, Marketplace aircraft, Community add-ons, updates and cache files accumulate. Windows also reports less usable capacity than the nominal figure printed on the drive.

Do not plan around one quoted installation size because installed content varies substantially. A 500 GB drive is reasonable when you install selectively; choose more capacity when you expect a large scenery or aircraft collection, and always retain free space for package updates and temporary files.

Can I install MSFS 2020 on another drive?

Yes. The PC application can remain on one drive while the large Packages folder sits on another.

For a new installation, choose your intended Packages folder when MSFS presents the content download location. If you also want the Steam or Xbox application itself on the other drive, select that library or app drive through the client’s storage controls. Our instructions for a clean MSFS 2020 installation on a different drive cover that initial setup without confusing the app and package locations.

On Xbox Series X|S, use the console’s storage and game-management controls. Xbox does not expose editable Official, Community or UserCfg.opt files. MSFS 2020 was never released on PlayStation.

How do I move the MSFS 2020 Packages folder?

You can move an existing PC Packages folder without deliberately downloading all simulator content again, provided the complete folder structure is copied and MSFS is pointed to the correct parent directory.

1. Confirm the active source. Open the appropriate UserCfg.opt and read its InstalledPackagesPath line. Check that this folder contains both Official and Community.
2. Create the destination. Make a simple folder such as D:\MSFS\Packages. Ensure the destination has enough space for the existing files plus future updates.
3. Close everything. Exit MSFS 2020 completely, then close Steam or the Xbox app so that package files and configuration data are not being updated.
4. Copy, rather than cut, the folders. Copy the complete Official and Community folders into the destination. Keeping the original intact provides a safe rollback until the new location works.
5. Edit the active configuration file. Change the final line to the new parent folder, for example InstalledPackagesPath "D:\MSFS\Packages". Do not point it directly at Official, Official\OneStore, Official\Steam or Community.
6. Save the file correctly. Retain the name UserCfg.opt; do not let the editor create UserCfg.opt.txt. Preserve the quotation marks around the path.
7. Start MSFS and verify the move. If the installation screen asks for a package location, select the same parent folder. Confirm that installed aircraft, scenery and Marketplace content appear before removing anything from the old drive.
8. Delete the old copy only after testing. Load a flight and restart the simulator at least once from the new location. You can then remove the old Official and Community folders to reclaim space.

Where is the gear icon (“Wo ist das Zahnrad?”)?

You do not need a gear icon to move the Packages folder. Older Xbox app instructions may refer to a cog that later layouts place under the profile settings or replace with a game’s three-dot Manage menu.

To move the smaller application, use the Xbox app’s available Files or storage control, the Windows Installed apps Move option where offered, or Steam’s library storage controls. Never drag the protected WindowsApps folder manually. Moving the application this way may still leave Official and Community on their original drive.

Why is MSFS trying to download everything again?

A full-size download prompt normally means MSFS cannot recognise valid packages at the configured location. Cancel or pause it and inspect the path before assuming the copied files are unusable.

• The wrong folder level is selected: use D:\MSFS\Packages, where Official and Community are directly inside it.
• An extra folder was created: a structure such as D:\MSFS\Packages\Packages\Official means the configured path is one level too high.
• The wrong UserCfg.opt was edited: stale Steam or Microsoft Store configuration files are a common cause after reinstalling or changing edition.
• The edit was not saved: check for a hidden .txt extension, a read-only file or an unchanged InstalledPackagesPath line.
• The copy is incomplete: interrupted transfers can leave package manifests or large archives missing. Recopy failed files from the intact source.
• The drive letter changed: reconnect an external drive and restore the letter recorded in UserCfg.opt, or update the path to its new letter.
• The editions do not match: do not rename Official\OneStore to Official\Steam, or the reverse. Their package structures should not be treated as interchangeable.
• A real update is pending: MSFS may still download files released or changed since the copy was made. A smaller update does not mean the move failed.

I tried everything and nothing worked — what should I check?

If MSFS still ignores the moved files, restore the original InstalledPackagesPath first so that the known-good installation remains usable, then check the destination systematically.

1. Paste the configured path into File Explorer. If it does not open, the path, drive letter or quotation marks are wrong.
2. Inspect the exact folder tree. It should resemble D:\MSFS\Packages\Official\OneStore for Microsoft Store/Xbox installations or D:\MSFS\Packages\Official\Steam for Steam, with D:\MSFS\Packages\Community beside Official.
3. Check that the destination is writable. A normal folder created on an internal drive is preferable to a protected system directory. Confirm that the drive is not full or set read-only.
4. Temporarily isolate Community content. If MSFS recognises the packages but hangs or crashes after the move, rename Community, create an empty folder with that name and test again. Add-on-manager links may still point to the old drive.
5. Recopy from the original. Do this before deleting or modifying the source. If the old location works and the new one does not, the destination structure, copy or configuration remains the fault.

What happens to Community add-ons and the rolling cache?

Community add-ons move only when the active Community folder is copied, while the rolling cache remains separate from the Packages location.

The active Community folder must sit beside Official under InstalledPackagesPath. If it appears empty, cannot be read or is recreated somewhere else, follow our checks for recovering a missing or unreadable Community folder. Add-on managers using symbolic links may also need their library or link paths updated.

The rolling cache does not automatically follow the move. Use MSFS 2020’s Data settings to delete or disable the old cache and create a new one at the desired location. Controller profiles, logbook entries and account-linked settings are not stored inside Official or Community.

Keep Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 package and Community locations separate. If both are installed on one PC, our guidance on storage layouts that keep MSFS 2020 and 2024 apart explains when separate drives are useful and when separate folders are sufficient.