Why is Microsoft Flight Simulator Marketplace not working?
Fix the MSFS 2020 or 2024 Marketplace when it is greyed out, will not load, rejects purchases, stalls downloads or hides owned content.
The Microsoft Flight Simulator Marketplace usually stops working because online functionality is disabled, account authentication has expired, the simulator or store client needs an update, or Marketplace services are unavailable. If browsing works but a purchase, download or owned add-on does not, troubleshoot the transaction or entitlement rather than the Marketplace itself.
These checks cover MSFS 2020 on PC and Xbox, plus MSFS 2024 on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro. Menu and package-management labels vary by version and platform. MSFS 2020 was never released on PlayStation.
What does each Marketplace failure mean?
The symptom identifies which part of the catalogue, payment or installation chain is most likely to have failed.
| Symptom | Likely cause | First check |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplace is missing or greyed out | Online Functionality is disabled, authentication expired, account restrictions apply or an update is required | Check online settings, sign-in and updates |
| Marketplace loads indefinitely or appears empty | Service interruption, stale session or network filtering | Restart MSFS and test another online feature |
| Buy or Download fails | Store authentication, payment authorisation or a pending transaction | Check the transaction before retrying |
| Item says Owned but is missing | The entitlement exists, but the package is hidden, incompatible or not installed | Open the owned-content library and clear its filters |
| Download stalls or repeatedly fails | Insufficient storage, another queued package or a damaged partial download | Check free space and the download queue |
How do I fix a greyed-out or unavailable Marketplace?
A complete restart, fresh authentication, enabled online data and all required updates resolve most local Marketplace failures.
- Check other online services. Test live weather, multiplayer or another network feature. If several services fail together, avoid deleting packages and allow time for the service to recover. A Marketplace-only interruption can still occur when live weather works.
- Quit the simulator completely. Close MSFS and its launcher or platform client, then restart the device. On Xbox, use Quit and remove the simulator from Quick Resume; resuming an old session can preserve expired Marketplace authentication.
- Enable Online Functionality. In MSFS 2020, open General Options, select Data and confirm that Online Functionality is on. If Data Limitation is enabled and its allowance has been reached, raise or disable the limit and apply the change. Equivalent online and data options apply in MSFS 2024.
- Verify every signed-in account. The Microsoft or Xbox profile inside the simulator must be the account associated with the purchase. Microsoft Store installations should also have the intended accounts in the Store and Xbox app; mismatched profiles can launch MSFS while breaking Marketplace billing. Keep Steam running for a Steam installation and allow its purchase overlay to open. On PlayStation, confirm that the expected Microsoft account is linked, but do not unlink accounts experimentally.
- Install pending updates. Update the base simulator and its platform client, then let any mandatory in-sim installation finish. Microsoft Store users should also update the Xbox app and Gaming Services. An outdated client may load flights while failing to connect to the Marketplace correctly.
- Rule out connection filtering. Restart the router, set the device date and time automatically, and temporarily disable any VPN, proxy, filtered DNS service or aggressive firewall rule. A test through another connection can separate a local network problem from a service fault. Do not open random ports as a first response.
If only the Marketplace remains unavailable after those checks, the failure may be service-side. Reinstalling packages, repeatedly changing accounts or submitting more purchases will not repair an outage.
Why does Buy & Download fail or remain pending?
Marketplace browsing, payment authorisation and package delivery are separate services, so a working catalogue does not prove that billing is working.
- Pending: do not purchase the item again. Close MSFS completely, allow the transaction time to resolve, then reopen it with the same account.
- Cancelled or failed: check the payment method, account region and store authentication. Steam users should confirm that the payment overlay can open.
- Charged but not owned: restart MSFS and check the product and owned-content library again. Keep the order reference and transaction time if the completed purchase still has no entitlement.
If a Microsoft Store billing window will not open on Windows, close the simulator and run wsreset.exe to reset the Store cache. This does not remove Marketplace ownership. Our explanation of Marketplace purchasing and platform restrictions covers account ownership, compatibility and the limits on moving purchases between platforms.
Why is purchased Marketplace content missing?
Missing purchased content normally means the entitlement has not synchronised, a library filter is hiding it, or the package is not installed or compatible with that simulator and platform.
- Confirm the transaction and account. A pending payment is not an entitlement, and reinstalling cannot reveal a purchase owned by another account. Do not buy the item again simply because it has not appeared.
- Inspect owned content. Clear search text and filters for installed status or content type. In MSFS 2020, open Profile and then Content Manager; an Owned label does not mean every component is installed. MSFS 2024 streams more content, so owned and installed locally are not always the same state.
- Verify compatibility. An MSFS 2020 product is not automatically compatible with MSFS 2024, and availability may differ across PC, Xbox and PlayStation. Check the listed simulator version and platform rather than assuming that ownership transfers everywhere.
- Complete the installation. Check available storage, cancel duplicate queue entries and install one package at a time. Large aircraft and scenery products may contain several components. Restart MSFS after completion if the aircraft, livery or scenery remains absent. Xbox users can follow our Xbox entitlement and installation checklist.
- Use the correct installation route. Marketplace packages are managed inside the simulator and should not be copied into
Community. For aircraft-specific installation and visibility problems, use our guide to installing and finding add-on aircraft.
If a completed purchase remains absent after services recover and the correct account is authenticated, treat it as an entitlement problem rather than reinstalling MSFS. Our detailed checks for missing purchased content cover the remaining library, account and download cases.
Should I clear the cache or reinstall MSFS?
Neither is a first-line Marketplace fix because account services hold purchases and ownership, while the rolling cache stores streamed world data.
- Rolling cache: clear it through the simulator only when corrupted streamed scenery is the problem. It cannot restore purchases, authorise payment or refresh account ownership.
- Community add-ons: temporarily rename or empty
Communityonly if the Marketplace interface started crashing or the entire simulator became unstable after third-party content was installed. - Official packages: never delete the
Officialpackage tree or console reserved storage merely to refresh the Marketplace. This removes managed content and creates a large redownload without repairing billing or authentication. - Repair or reinstall: use the platform repair or file-verification option first. Reinstall MSFS only when local core files are demonstrably damaged after service, account, update and network checks have passed. Purchases should remain tied to the owning account, but installed packages may need downloading again.