Reactivate Microsoft Flight Simulator on a new PC using the right account and storefront, then fix missing licences, keys and owned add-ons.
You normally do not need to redeem Microsoft Flight Simulator again after changing PCs. Install the same product from the storefront where you obtained it, sign in with the purchasing account, then use the same Microsoft/Xbox profile inside the simulator. The digital licence should validate automatically; no old-PC deactivation is required.
How do I reactivate Microsoft Flight Simulator?
Reactivation is an account check, not a second purchase or a transfer from the old computer.
- Identify where you obtained MSFS. This might be the Microsoft Store or Xbox app, Steam, Game Pass, or a retail product code. Use that same storefront on the new PC.
- Sign in with the owning account. It must be the account that purchased, redeemed or claimed the simulator—not simply the account normally used for Windows.
- Install the correct generation. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 are separate products. Owning one does not provide a licence for the other.
- Launch while connected to the internet. When prompted, sign in with the Microsoft/Xbox profile previously used inside MSFS. Steam owners still need this in-simulator account in addition to the Steam account holding the base game.
- Allow ownership and content to synchronise. Confirm that the expected gamertag appears before downloading optional aircraft, airports or edition content.
Start MSFS once and confirm that it recognises the licence before copying add-ons or old package folders. For download-location choices and methods of reusing package data, follow our detailed new-PC reinstall procedure.
Do I need a new product key after changing PCs?
No new key is needed for a digital purchase or a product code that has already been redeemed. The entitlement belongs to the relevant account rather than the old computer, and changing hardware does not refresh or consume the code.
If you have an unused retail code, redeem it once through the platform specified with the product while signed in to the account you intend to keep. If it reports that it has already been redeemed, return to the original account; entering it on a different account will not reactivate it.
A Game Pass installation is different from a permanent purchase. It remains available only while the account has an active subscription that includes the simulator. Windows activation is also separate and does not prove ownership of MSFS.
Which account and storefront should I use?
Use the original storefront for the base simulator and the original Microsoft/Xbox profile for in-simulator services and owned content.
| How MSFS was obtained | What the new PC needs | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Store or Xbox app | The Microsoft account that owns the purchase, plus the expected Xbox profile | The Store and Xbox app are signed into different accounts |
| Steam | The owning Steam account and the same Microsoft/Xbox profile used inside MSFS | Looking for the Steam purchase in the Microsoft Store library |
| Game Pass | The subscribed Microsoft account and an active eligible plan | Treating a subscription installation as a permanent licence |
| Retail product code | The account to which the code was first redeemed | Trying to redeem the consumed code again after changing PCs |
Storefront licences are not interchangeable. Buying through Steam does not create a Microsoft Store purchase, and owning a console release does not automatically prove that the same account includes a PC entitlement.
Why does MSFS say I do not own it on the new PC?
Most ownership errors come from an account mismatch, the wrong MSFS generation, an expired subscription or failed online authentication.
- No Install or Play option: check the purchase history or library of the original storefront and verify the signed-in account. Also confirm that you selected MSFS 2020 rather than 2024, or vice versa.
- Insert Disc or licence error: reconnect to the internet, sign out of the Microsoft gaming services and storefront apps, restart the PC, then sign back in with the purchasing account.
- Waiting for Authentication: verify that the Store, Xbox app and in-simulator profile are not using conflicting accounts, then work through our fixes for an MSFS authentication loop.
- Sign In produces no response: restart the affected apps and check the associated gaming services; our Xbox sign-in repair checklist covers the remaining causes.
- Only the basic edition appears: let the account finish synchronising, then inspect the in-simulator content library for the aircraft and airports included with the edition you own.
Do not purchase another copy merely because the entitlement has not appeared. If the correct account shows proof of purchase but the licence still cannot be validated, retain that proof and contact the official support channel for the storefront involved.
What happens to Marketplace purchases and add-ons?
Marketplace purchases should repopulate when the same Microsoft/Xbox profile is used and the content is compatible with that simulator version and platform. Some items must be downloaded or enabled from the in-simulator content library, while streamed content may not exist as a conventional local folder.
The Community folder is local data and does not restore merely because the base simulator has been reactivated. Copy compatible add-ons only after a clean first launch, preferably in small groups so an outdated package cannot prevent MSFS from starting. Avoid blindly replacing the new Official package structure with an old installation.
Add-ons purchased outside the simulator follow their own licensing rules. Some can be copied, some require a fresh installer, and others use a limited number of activations that may need to be released from the old PC. Controller profiles and account-backed progress may synchronise, but local graphics settings, cache files and device assignments can require setting up again.
Must I deactivate Microsoft Flight Simulator on the old PC?
The base Microsoft Flight Simulator licence does not normally require deactivation before moving to another PC. If the old computer is being sold or given away, sign out of the storefront and Microsoft/Xbox accounts and erase the machine for security; that is separate from activating MSFS on its replacement.