Fix a Microsoft Flight Simulator download that restarts, loops or goes backwards by checking package, network, storage and update failures.
Microsoft Flight Simulator downloads usually restart, loop or appear to go backwards when a package fails verification or extraction, the installer recalculates its total, or completed data cannot be written. The common triggers are unstable networking, insufficient free space, security software, a bad package file, storage errors and mismatched platform updates.
Is the download actually restarting?
A falling percentage does not always mean Microsoft Flight Simulator has discarded downloaded data. The installer handles many compressed packages separately, and its displayed total can change while it verifies, extracts or recalculates the remaining content.
| What you see | Likely meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The percentage falls, but the package name changes | Normal recalculation between packages | Leave it running while disk activity continues |
| Network use stops while the drive remains busy | The package is being verified or extracted | Wait; this is not a download restart |
| The same package repeatedly returns to the beginning | Verification, extraction or write failure | Troubleshoot that package, storage and security software |
| All progress disappears after relaunching | The package path is unavailable, unwritable or no longer recognised | Check the configured install location and permissions |
| The mandatory-update message returns after every launch | The platform client and simulator are on different update layers | Finish the platform update before opening the simulator |
Treat it as a genuine loop when the same named package starts over more than once without being retained. If package names continue advancing, compare the behaviour with our explanation of how long downloading, verification and unpacking normally take.
How do I stop the MSFS download loop on PC?
The safest fix is to identify which layer is failing before deleting anything. When a Microsoft Flight Simulator download keeps restarting, use these steps in order:
- Record the repeating package. Note the package name and whether it fails at the same point. Random failures across different packages suggest a connection problem; one package failing consistently points more strongly to storage, security scanning or a corrupted partial file.
- Perform one clean restart. Close Microsoft Flight Simulator and its platform client completely, then restart Windows. Repeatedly force-closing the simulator can leave another incomplete package each time.
- Check free space on both drives. The package drive needs room for downloaded and extracted data at the same time. The Windows system drive also needs working space for temporary files, even when the main Packages folder is elsewhere. Keep substantially more space free than the quoted compressed download size.
- Stabilise the connection. Use Ethernet if practical, disconnect VPNs and proxies, pause other large transfers and restart the router if the connection is dropping. A low but steady rate is different from the same package resetting to zero.
- Confirm the package path. Make sure an external or secondary drive has not disconnected, changed drive letter or become read-only. Our guide can help you locate the active Packages folder for your PC installation.
- Check security blocks. Look in the antivirus or Windows Security protection history for files quarantined while the package failed. Allow only trusted simulator files and folders; do not leave antivirus protection disabled as a permanent fix.
- Remove only the failed partial package. Close the simulator, identify incomplete files that clearly match the repeating package, and move those files to a temporary folder outside
Packages. Relaunch so the installer downloads a clean copy. If the package cannot be identified confidently, do not guess and never erase the entireOfficialfolder. - Repair the platform layer. Complete pending Microsoft Store, Xbox app, Gaming Services or Steam updates as appropriate, and confirm that the expected account is signed in. Use a platform client's repair option before its reset or reinstall option. For persistent failures, follow our targeted checks for account, storage and incomplete-package update errors.
Do MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 behave differently?
The underlying diagnosis is similar, but the download layer depends on the simulator version and platform.
- MSFS 2020 on PC: much of the main content is downloaded from inside the simulator after its launcher has installed. The launcher can therefore work normally while an individual package loops.
- MSFS 2024 on PC: more content is streamed during use, but platform updates, locally installed packages and cached data can still suffer verification or write failures.
- Xbox Series X|S: if the console download queue itself restarts, check free space, network stability and pending console updates. Folder-level PC fixes do not apply.
- PlayStation 5: only MSFS 2024 is available on PlayStation. Treat a queue restart as a console storage, network or platform-download problem rather than attempting PC package-folder fixes.
On a console, pause and resume the download once, perform a full system restart and verify the available storage. Cancelling the download may discard valid progress, so reserve that for a queue that repeatedly fails after those checks.
What if the mandatory update keeps returning?
A recurring mandatory-update prompt is usually a launcher-to-simulator version mismatch, not an individual package download failure. Microsoft Flight Simulator has separate platform and in-simulator update stages, so complete the Store, Xbox, Steam or console update first; use our mandatory-update loop diagnosis if the prompt still returns.
Should I delete the Community or Official folder?
Do not delete either folder wholesale to fix one repeating download. Moving Community add-ons aside can help with crashes or loading failures after an update, but it rarely fixes a package that repeatedly fails verification.
The Official folder contains the simulator's installed packages. Deleting it forces a major redownload; remove only a clearly identified incomplete package after closing the simulator.
Will reinstalling Microsoft Flight Simulator fix the loop?
A full reinstall is a last resort because reinstalling the launcher may leave the existing Packages folder untouched, while deleting that folder can force every package to download again. Reinstall only after package-specific removal, storage checks, account checks and platform repair have failed.
If the destination drive reports errors, repeatedly disconnects or cannot retain completed files, install to a healthy local drive instead. Once the repeating package completes and the package name advances, later percentage changes during extraction are normally harmless.