How do I organise liveries in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

On PC, organise Microsoft Flight Simulator liveries as complete packages: keep each package intact in a labelled external library, then activate only the paints you need in the correct Community folder. Keep MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 separate. On consoles, use the simulator’s built-in content or library controls instead.

A safe PC folder structure for MSFS liveries

The safest arrangement is an external livery library divided by simulator, aircraft and operator, with only active packages linked or copied into Community.

For example, use D:\MSFS Add-ons\MSFS 2024\Liveries\Aircraft\Operator\package-folder. Keep this library outside the simulator’s Packages, Community and Official directories.

• Separate MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024. A package that works in one generation is not automatically compatible with the other, even when the aircraft looks similar.
• Separate aircraft variants. Engine, model and developer variants can use different internal aircraft references. An A320neo livery, for example, is not a universal A320-family paint.
• Preserve each package root. A standard package root normally contains manifest.json and layout.json. Do not merge the contents of several livery packages.
• Keep archives elsewhere. Store ZIP, RAR or other downloaded archives outside every active add-on directory.
• Allow only one active copy. Duplicate package versions can cause a paint to disappear, load incorrectly or override its replacement.

Set up the library in the right order

Build the library one aircraft group at a time so that a faulty package is easy to identify.

1. Find the active Community folder. Its location depends on the simulator generation, PC installation method and any custom Packages path. Use our instructions to identify the active Community folder in MSFS 2020 or 2024 rather than relying on a path copied from another computer.
2. Close Microsoft Flight Simulator. The running simulator may retain package information after files are moved.
3. Create separate top-level libraries. Use distinct MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 folders, followed by aircraft and operator or registration categories.
4. Extract and inspect each download. If the archive opens to a wrapper folder, continue until you find the folder containing manifest.json and layout.json. That is the package root.
5. Activate the complete package. Copy that root directly into Community, or link it there with an add-on manager. Never copy only the texture directory.
6. Test the exact aircraft variant. Start the simulator, open the aircraft and livery selector, and confirm the paint appears before activating the next batch.

Is there a livery manager for MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024?

There is no single universal livery manager for every MSFS aircraft, but PC users can manage standard Community packages with an external library and an add-on linker such as MSFS Addons Linker.

An external manager does not alter the livery itself. It places a link in Community while the real package remains in your organised library. This is useful for separate airliner, general-aviation or regional presets and can reduce the number of packages the simulator indexes at launch.

Configure MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 as separate profiles with separate Community targets. If the external drive is disconnected, a folder is renamed or the library is moved, the links will be broken until they are recreated.

How do I get liveries in MSFS 2024?

On PC, obtain liveries through the simulator or download packages explicitly compatible with MSFS 2024; console users must obtain supported liveries through the simulator’s own content system.

Our Microsoft Flight Simulator freeware library includes downloadable PC add-ons and liveries. Before installing one, check the required simulator generation, aircraft developer, aircraft version and model or engine variant. A livery does not include the base aircraft unless its description specifically says that it does.

For a normal PC package, extract the archive, locate the real package root and place or link that folder into the active Community directory. Do not assume an MSFS 2020 paint will work in MSFS 2024: aircraft package names, models and configuration references may differ even when the aircraft has the same public name.

Can I organise liveries inside the Community folder?

Keep each active package as a direct child of Community; use nested category folders only in an external library, not as an organisation system inside Community.

The mistake we see most often is an extra download wrapper. A path such as Community\download-name\package-name\manifest.json may place the real package one level too deep. The folder containing manifest.json and layout.json is normally the folder that belongs directly in Community.

For manual management, move inactive packages to a directory completely outside Community. A folder named Disabled inside Community is not a dependable way to disable its contents because the simulator may still discover packages below it.

Some liveries should not be treated as ordinary folders:

• Official and Marketplace content: do not rename or move packages under Official. Let the simulator’s package system install, update and remove them.
• PMDG packages: a PMDG .ptp file is intended for the manufacturer’s utility, not for direct extraction into Community. Follow the correct PMDG .ptp import workflow.
• FlyByWire liveries: keep the livery separate from the base aircraft package and confirm that it targets the A32NX or A380X variant you have installed. We explain how to match FlyByWire paints to the right aircraft.
• Installer-managed aircraft: use the supplied aircraft or livery manager unless its documentation expressly supports manual packages or external links.

Updating and removing liveries without duplicates

Replace a livery by removing its entire old package first, rather than copying new files over the existing folder.

1. Close the simulator and deactivate the package. Remove its link or move the active package out of Community.
2. Archive or delete the complete old version. Make sure another copy is not active elsewhere in Community.
3. Extract the replacement into a clean folder. Confirm that you have the package root rather than an archive wrapper.
4. Reactivate one copy only. If an add-on manager is in use, check that an old preset has not restored the previous version.
5. Restart and test the affected aircraft. Check the livery selector and then load a short flight to confirm that the exterior textures appear correctly.

One package can contain several paints. An add-on manager normally enables or disables the whole package, not each livery inside it. Do not split a bundled pack unless it was designed as separate packages; shared files and its layout.json may cover every included paint.

Why is my livery missing after I reorganised it?

A missing livery usually points to the wrong Community folder, excessive nesting, a broken link, a duplicate package or a mismatch with the selected aircraft variant.

If the livery is installed but simply steht da nicht — is not listed in the selector — check the package in this order:

1. Restart Microsoft Flight Simulator. The aircraft and livery selector may not refresh package changes made during a running session.
2. Confirm the active Community location. MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 can use different paths on the same PC.
3. Open the installed package root. It should normally contain manifest.json and layout.json; the downloaded archive itself does not belong in Community.
4. Check the activation link. It must lead to an existing package folder. Recreate it if the external library or drive has moved.
5. Search for duplicate copies. Disable older versions and differently named copies of the same package.
6. Select the required base aircraft. Match the developer, model, engine and variant. Confirm that any required freeware or payware aircraft is installed and enabled.
7. Verify simulator compatibility. Move the package back to its correct MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024 library if it was activated in the wrong generation.
8. Test in isolation. Temporarily disable unrelated Community packages, leaving only the livery and its required aircraft active. Re-enable other add-ons in batches once the paint appears.

Console livery management on Xbox and PlayStation

Xbox and PlayStation users must manage liveries through Microsoft Flight Simulator’s built-in content or library interface because consoles do not expose a PC-style Community folder.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is available on PC and Xbox, not PlayStation. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro. On the console versions, you cannot create an external livery hierarchy, install downloaded PC packages or use symbolic-link presets.

Use the available filters and package controls to manage supported content. If several paints are supplied as one livery pack, the interface may only permit the entire pack to be enabled, installed or removed together.