Does MSFS 2020 need internet and how much data?
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 does not require a permanent internet connection to fly, but it needs one for installation, updates, occasional licence checks and its best scenery and live services. With Bing imagery and photogrammetry enabled, budget roughly 1–3 GB per flying hour; dense cities can use more.
Can you play MSFS 2020 completely offline?
Yes, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 can run offline after it has been installed and prepared while connected. Offline flying uses locally installed scenery, aircraft, airports and weather presets instead of downloading the detailed world from Microsoft’s servers.
- Complete the installation and updates online. Open the simulator once, finish all mandatory downloads and install any aircraft, airports or regional content you expect to use.
- Install offline world content if offered. On Xbox, check the game’s managed add-ons for an offline world package. PC users should confirm that the core scenery packages are installed locally.
- Prepare the platform licence. Sign in and enable the launcher or console’s offline permissions before disconnecting. Subscription-based access may still require periodic entitlement checks.
- Test before relying on it. Disconnect the network and launch the simulator while you can still correct a missing package or account setting.
Cloud Gaming is the exception: because the entire simulator is streamed from remote hardware, it requires a continuous internet connection.
What stops working when MSFS 2020 is offline?
Offline mode removes cloud-dependent features rather than preventing normal local flights.
- Bing aerial imagery and photogrammetry are unavailable, so scenery falls back to less detailed locally stored terrain and buildings.
- Live Weather, live traffic and multiplayer stop working; presets and offline AI options remain available.
- The Marketplace and other online services cannot be reached.
- Add-ons that perform their own online licence checks or download data may not function fully.
A common surprise is that an offline flight still works but looks markedly less detailed. If the same thing happens while connected, check our guidance on restoring blurry or low-quality streamed scenery.
Why will MSFS 2020 not start offline?
The usual causes are an incomplete first installation, missing offline scenery, an account that was not prepared for offline use or a licence that needs to be validated again. Reconnect, sign in, launch the simulator successfully, verify its locally installed content and then repeat the offline test.
How much data does MSFS 2020 use per hour?
For planning purposes, allow approximately 1–3 GB per hour with online scenery active. This is not a fixed rate: low-altitude flying through a photogrammetry city can consume several gigabytes, while cruising over a previously cached or sparsely detailed area may use much less.
| Usage mode | Expected data use |
|---|---|
| Bing imagery and photogrammetry enabled | Roughly 1–3 GB per flying hour as a planning estimate; dense urban areas can exceed this |
| Bing imagery without photogrammetry | Usually lower, but still route-dependent because aerial textures are streamed |
| Live services without streamed scenery | Generally modest compared with scenery, although weather, traffic and multiplayer still transfer data |
| Fully offline flight | Near-zero in-flight data, apart from any platform account checks or later save synchronisation |
| Installation and updates | Several to tens of gigabytes per download; a fresh installation is substantially larger |
Connection speed and total data consumption are different measurements. Microsoft’s guidance starts at 5 Mbps and recommends 20 Mbps; a faster connection improves scenery delivery but does not mean the simulator constantly uses the full rate. Our MSFS hardware and bandwidth guidance explains those figures in context.
Do not overlook installation, simulator updates and optional content when budgeting a capped connection. They can consume far more than an individual flight, and the simulator’s own data counter may not include downloads handled by the platform launcher. See our breakdown of installation and update sizes before using mobile data.
How do you limit MSFS 2020 data usage?
The most effective controls are on the simulator’s Data settings page, although labels can move slightly between interface updates.
- Set a data allowance. Use
Data Limitationto define a cap appropriate for your connection. A bandwidth limit controls download speed; it is not the same as a monthly data cap. - Disable photogrammetry first. This saves data around detailed cities while retaining Bing aerial textures. Turn off Bing Data World Graphics as well when the allowance is extremely tight.
- Measure representative flights. Compare the Data Consumption reading before and after flying your normal aircraft, route and altitude. This gives a better estimate than any universal hourly figure.
- Download updates on an unmetered connection. Simulator and optional content downloads can exhaust a mobile allowance before a flight begins.
- Use a rolling cache for repeated areas. It can reuse recently streamed scenery rather than downloading identical tiles again.
Will rolling cache make MSFS 2020 work offline?
No, rolling cache can reduce repeat downloads but does not store the whole world or guarantee complete offline scenery. It helps most when repeatedly flying around the same airport or city; a new region still has to be streamed, and deleting the cache forces that data to be downloaded again. Our explanation of how rolling cache affects downloads and storage covers the trade-offs.
For a metered connection, the safest combination is a firm data limit, photogrammetry disabled, a rolling cache for familiar routes and all large updates downloaded elsewhere. For dependable offline use, prepare and test the local installation before travelling rather than assuming cached scenery will be sufficient.