Can you play Microsoft Flight Simulator with Xbox Game Pass?
Yes—Microsoft Flight Simulator is on Game Pass. Check supported PCs and Xbox consoles, included editions, cloud play and what happens when access ends.
Yes. Microsoft Flight Simulator is playable through Game Pass when your membership includes the relevant PC, console or cloud catalogue. A Windows PC or Xbox Series X|S can install a supported edition; Xbox One can only use cloud streaming. Game Pass supplies the base-game licence temporarily, not permanent ownership.
Is Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass?
Yes, but the device, membership tier and exact simulator listing must all match.
| Device | Local installation | Cloud play | What you need |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Yes | Where offered | A membership that includes the PC catalogue, plus suitable PC hardware for local play. |
| Xbox Series X|S | Yes | Where offered | A membership containing the console version. Cloud access requires an eligible streaming tier. |
| Xbox One, One S or One X | No | Where offered | A cloud-enabled membership, supported region and compatible controller. There is no native Xbox One version. |
| Phone, tablet or lower-powered computer | No native mobile installation | Where offered | A supported cloud-gaming setup and a stable internet connection. |
Game Pass is not one universal entitlement. Some memberships cover PC, some cover console, and cloud streaming may have separate requirements. Tier names and catalogues can change, so the decisive test is whether the base game's listing shows Install, Play or an included-with-membership badge while you are signed into the subscribing account.
Which Microsoft Flight Simulator is on Game Pass: 2020 or 2024?
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 are separate products, so inclusion of one does not grant the other.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 may appear simply as Microsoft Flight Simulator or with 40th Anniversary Edition wording. It was distributed through Game Pass, but its own listing must still show that it is included for your account and tier.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 launched into Game Pass as a separate base-game listing. A 2024 entitlement does not unlock the 2020 simulator.
- Deluxe and Premium Deluxe items are edition upgrades containing additional aircraft and airports. They do not replace the base game unless the listing explicitly says that the complete edition is included.
The mistake we see most often is opening an edition upgrade and assuming its price means Microsoft Flight Simulator has disappeared from Game Pass. Search for the exact base game first, then check the badge attached to that release.
How do you install Microsoft Flight Simulator from Game Pass?
Install it through the Xbox app on Windows or the Game Pass library on Xbox Series X|S; unsupported devices must use a cloud launch instead.
- Check the membership. Confirm that it includes the catalogue for the device you intend to use. Cloud play needs a streaming-enabled membership.
- Use the subscribing account. On PC, check both the Xbox app and Microsoft Store account if the game unexpectedly shows a purchase price.
- Select the base-game listing. Choose Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 or Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 deliberately, rather than a Deluxe or Premium Deluxe upgrade.
- Choose Install or cloud Play. Windows PCs and Xbox Series X|S support local installation. Xbox One does not.
- Allow first-run content to finish. The initial store download may not represent the final storage footprint. Additional packages, updates, cached scenery and optional content can require more space.
- Keep the connection stable. Even a local installation uses online data for streamed world imagery, live weather, traffic and multiplayer features.
Leave storage headroom instead of filling the drive to the store's initial estimate. On a new console, our Xbox Series X first-run setup guidance covers installation, updates and the initial control configuration.
Can Xbox One play Microsoft Flight Simulator with Game Pass?
Xbox One cannot install Microsoft Flight Simulator locally, regardless of the Game Pass membership or available storage.
Xbox One, Xbox One S and Xbox One X belong to the same console generation. An Xbox One X is not an Xbox Series X; the similar names cause a great deal of compatibility confusion. Moving the game to an external drive or freeing more space cannot create an installation option because no native Xbox One build exists.
Cloud gaming is the only possible Xbox One route. If the cloud button is absent, check the membership, account, region and title availability; there is no hidden installation workaround. Our guide to running Microsoft Flight Simulator through Xbox Cloud Gaming explains the connection, controller and image-quality limitations.
Should you install MSFS or use Xbox Cloud Gaming?
A local installation is the better choice for regular flying, while cloud play suits quick trials, limited storage and hardware that cannot run the simulator natively.
| Option | Choose it when | Main limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Local PC installation | You want broad peripheral support, graphics controls and manually installed add-ons. | Requires suitable hardware, substantial storage and more configuration. |
| Local Xbox Series X|S installation | You want a straightforward console setup with clearer instruments and lower input delay than streaming. | No normal PC-style Community folder; add-ons generally come through the simulator's approved marketplace. |
| Cloud gaming | You want to try the simulator without a large download or must use Xbox One or another non-native device. | Image quality and input response depend on the connection, and specialist flight controls may not work through the cloud session. |
Cloud compression shows up most clearly in small cockpit labels, glass displays and distant scenery. Ethernet is preferable; with Wi-Fi, use a strong, uncongested connection and pause large household downloads. Do not assume a yoke, throttle quadrant, rudder pedals or head-tracking device will pass through a cloud session—check support before building a cloud-only control setup.
Why is Microsoft Flight Simulator missing or refusing to launch?
Most Game Pass launch problems come from the wrong account, tier, product listing or device rather than the simulator itself.
- Only a Buy button appears: confirm that the active membership covers that platform and that the exact release remains in its catalogue.
- The listing is for an upgrade: return to the base Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 or 2024 product page.
- Install is missing on Xbox One: this is expected because Xbox One supports cloud play only.
- PC access is not recognised: update Windows, the Xbox app, Microsoft Store components and Gaming Services, then sign out and back into the account holding the subscription.
- Cloud play is absent: verify the cloud entitlement, supported region and device. Cloud availability is a separate check from store visibility.
- The installed game requests more content: let the in-simulator download or content update complete and confirm that the drive has enough free space.
Why does cloud play look blurry or lag?
Blur and delayed controls usually indicate stream congestion, Wi-Fi interference or an unstable route to the cloud service. Try Ethernet, stop other heavy traffic and restart the cloud session. A native installation is preferable for instrument flying and approaches where readable displays and precise inputs matter.
Why does MSFS hang after Quick Resume?
A suspended Xbox Series session can lose its connection to online services. Fully quit Microsoft Flight Simulator and relaunch it before reinstalling anything; if the problem remains, restart the console and check for pending updates.
Do you keep Microsoft Flight Simulator when Game Pass expires?
No. If the subscription ends or that release leaves the catalogue, you must buy a compatible base edition to continue launching it.
Cloud saves and account data normally remain stored, but they are not a game licence. Any Deluxe or Premium Deluxe upgrade bought while using the Game Pass base game also needs that compatible base release. Buying an upgrade alone does not preserve access after the subscription ends.
Purchased add-ons remain attached to the relevant account and platform, but compatibility can differ between Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024. PC files in the Community folder may remain on the drive but cannot be used without a working base simulator. For console content and edition upgrades, our explanation of how the in-simulator Marketplace handles purchases and compatibility covers the practical restrictions.