Fix an MSFS Community folder that is missing or ignored: find the active Packages path, correct add-on structure, and test permissions safely.
Microsoft Flight Simulator’s Community folder is usually missing because you are checking an inactive Packages location, using a console edition, or the simulator has not created the folder. If it exists but is ignored, the usual causes are nested or compressed add-ons, invalid package files, permissions, broken links, or a conflicting package.
How do I find the active MSFS Community folder?
The active Community folder is the one inside the Packages location Microsoft Flight Simulator is actually using, which may differ from the default path after a reinstall, drive move or custom installation.
On MSFS 2020 for PC, the InstalledPackagesPath entry in the simulator’s configuration identifies the active Packages root. The Community folder normally sits directly inside that root. Store editions use different default locations, so searching Windows for a folder named Community can lead to an obsolete copy; our guide to finding the active Community folder for each PC edition lists the usual paths and identification methods.
MSFS 2024 handles more content through streaming and its installation structure is not identical to MSFS 2020. Use the Packages or storage location selected by the simulator rather than placing add-ons in the protected application directory. If the installation was moved or reinstalled, check how MSFS 2024 selects its installation location.
Can I create a missing Community folder?
On PC, you can create an empty folder named Community, but only after confirming that its parent is the active Packages location.
Close the simulator first, create the folder directly under the correct Packages root, and then restart MSFS. Do not create it beside the simulator executable or inside the Steam or Microsoft Store application directory. A newly created folder remaining empty is normal; Marketplace content is managed separately and is not expected to appear there.
Why does MSFS ignore add-ons in the Community folder?
If the simulator reads the folder but ignores a particular add-on, the package itself is usually compressed, nested too deeply, incompatible or incomplete.
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| No add-ons are detected | Wrong Packages path, permissions or Safe Mode | Confirm the active path, normal launch mode and folder access |
| Only one add-on is missing | Bad package structure or incompatibility | Check that its package files are at the correct folder level |
| Add-ons vanished after moving drives | Changed drive letter or broken junction | Verify both the Community path and any linked target folders |
| Marketplace content is absent | Looking in the wrong content area | Check the simulator’s content manager rather than Community |
A common mistake we see is extracting an archive into an extra wrapper folder. MSFS must reach package files such as manifest.json and layout.json at the package’s expected root; it will not recognise an archive left as a ZIP file. Our focused checklist for add-ons that are present but not detected covers nested folders, damaged packages and dependencies.
Compatibility matters as well. An aircraft, livery or scenery package made for MSFS 2020 is not automatically compatible with MSFS 2024, and a livery may require a specific aircraft variant. Safe Mode also deliberately disables Community content after an abnormal shutdown, so test using the normal launch option.
How do I test whether the Community folder is being read?
The quickest reliable test is to start with a clean Community folder and one known-compatible, correctly extracted package.
- Close Microsoft Flight Simulator completely. Also close any add-on manager that creates symbolic links or junctions.
- Rename the existing folder. Use a temporary name such as
Community-backuprather than deleting anything. - Create a fresh Community folder. Place it in the confirmed active Packages root.
- Add one package only. Extract it first and verify that it is intended for your simulator version.
- Launch MSFS normally. If the package appears, the path works and something in the old folder is malformed or conflicting.
- Restore add-ons in batches. Add roughly half at a time until the failure returns, then narrow that batch further.
If the clean test fails, inspect Windows permissions, security software and the storage device. The user account running MSFS needs read access to the folder and every package below it. For folders on another drive, confirm that the drive letter has not changed and that any junction or symbolic-link target still exists; follow the safer procedure for relocating Community content without breaking its path.
Xbox editions do not expose a user-accessible Community folder. MSFS 2024 on PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro likewise does not provide the PC-style folder needed for manually installed freeware. Community-folder add-ons are therefore a PC feature; console content must use the simulator’s supported in-game distribution system.