Where is MSFS installed, and how do I move it?

On PC, Microsoft Flight Simulator separates the simulator application from its downloaded Packages content. Steam or the Xbox app manages the application; aircraft, scenery and the Community folder normally sit under your Windows profile unless you chose another drive. Move each part with its own supported method—never drag the application folder manually.

Which Microsoft Flight Simulator folder do you need?

Microsoft Flight Simulator has several locations serving different purposes, and the largest folder is not necessarily the application itself.

A frequent mistake is moving only the relatively small application while leaving hundreds of gigabytes of Packages content on the original drive. Our PC folder-location reference explains the application and content locations in more detail.

Where are the default MSFS folders on PC?

The default Packages path depends on the simulator version and the store through which it was installed.

Paste a path containing %LOCALAPPDATA% or %APPDATA% into the Windows Run box or File Explorer address bar; Windows expands it for the signed-in account. AppData is hidden by default, but typing the path opens it directly.

These are defaults, not guarantees. If you selected another content drive during installation, the active Packages folder can be anywhere.

How do I find the active Packages folder?

The InstalledPackagesPath entry in the active UserCfg.opt file is the authoritative Packages location.

1. Close Microsoft Flight Simulator before inspecting or editing its configuration.
2. Open the correct UserCfg.opt file for your MSFS version and store edition. Our UserCfg.opt location guide covers the different paths.
3. Find the InstalledPackagesPath line, normally near the end of the file. Its quoted value points to the active Packages root.
4. Open that folder and confirm that it contains Community plus the simulator-managed content directories.

If several copies of UserCfg.opt appear in a Windows search, do not edit one at random. Old installations and different store editions can leave inactive copies behind.

How do I change the Microsoft Flight Simulator installation location?

Move the application with its store client, then relocate Packages separately if that content is also consuming space.

Move the application files

Use the installation platform rather than dragging the application directory in File Explorer.

• Steam: create or select a library on the destination drive, then use Steam's storage management or installed-files controls to move Microsoft Flight Simulator.
• Xbox app or Microsoft Store: use the game's management controls or the Windows Installed apps page to change its drive where the Move option is available.
• No Move option: uninstall and reinstall the application on the required drive. Back up the Community folder first and record the active Packages path.

Moving the application does not automatically guarantee that downloaded Packages content moves with it. Check both drives afterwards.

Move the downloaded Packages folder

The safest method is to copy the active Packages root, point the simulator to the copy, test it and only then remove the original.

1. Close the simulator and launcher. Make sure neither is downloading or updating content.
2. Confirm the active source folder through InstalledPackagesPath, rather than assuming the default path is in use.
3. Create a simple destination such as D:\MSFS\Packages. Avoid protected locations such as Program Files and WindowsApps.
4. Copy the complete contents of the Packages root to that destination, including Community and all simulator-managed directories.
5. Edit UserCfg.opt with a plain-text editor so the line reads, for example, InstalledPackagesPath "D:\MSFS\Packages". Preserve the quotation marks.
6. Launch the simulator and verify the content. Confirm that installed aircraft and scenery appear and that the active Community folder is the new one.
7. Delete the old Packages folder only after a successful launch and content check.

MSFS 2024 streams more content than MSFS 2020 and has a few storage-specific differences; follow our detailed MSFS 2024 moving procedure when relocating that edition. For a clean installation of the older simulator, our MSFS 2020 separate-drive setup explains how to choose both locations from the start.

Why does MSFS try to download everything again after moving?

A full download prompt usually means the simulator cannot see valid content at the path recorded in UserCfg.opt.

• Wrong folder level: the configured path may be one directory too high or too low. Watch for accidental nesting such as D:\MSFS\Packages\Packages.
• Wrong configuration file: Steam, Microsoft Store, MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 use different profile locations.
• Incomplete copy: moving only Community leaves the official or managed packages unavailable.
• Broken path syntax: retain the complete InstalledPackagesPath name and quotation marks.
• Drive unavailable: confirm that the destination drive is mounted under the same letter and that your Windows account can write to it.

Stop before accepting a large download. Correcting the path or removing an extra folder level normally allows the simulator to recognise the existing files.

Can I change the installation location on Xbox or PlayStation?

Consoles let you move Microsoft Flight Simulator between compatible storage devices, but they do not expose PC-style installation paths or a Community folder.

Use the console's storage-management screen to move the game. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is available on Xbox but not PlayStation; Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro. File-level relocation and manual path editing apply only to PC.