Learn how to record and replay flights in any flight simulator, choose replay data or video, save sessions, and fix desynchronised tracks.
To record and replay a flight in a flight simulator, use its replay or track recorder, start recording before the manoeuvre, stop and save the session, then load it in replay mode. A replay stores simulator data, not normal video, so use screen-capture software if you need a shareable video file.
Which type of flight recording should you use?
Choose built-in replay for reviewing or filming a flight, screen capture for a finished video, and telemetry logging when you need performance data rather than pictures.
| Recording type | Best for | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Saved replay or track | Changing cameras, analysing landings and filming another pass | May depend on the same simulator, aircraft and add-ons |
| Instant replay | Quickly reviewing the last take-off, approach or landing | Usually uses a short rolling buffer and may not be saved permanently |
| Screen-captured video | Sharing exactly what appeared on the monitor | Camera position and overlays are baked into the video |
| Telemetry log | Examining speed, altitude, control inputs and system values | Does not recreate the visual flight |
A saved flight is not normally a replay. It restores an aircraft at a particular position and state; it does not necessarily preserve the route you flew, your control inputs or the timing of events. A saved flight plan is not a replay either.
If the required result is a normal video file, use our practical guide to recording flight simulator gameplay rather than relying on a replay file alone.
How do you record a flight for replay?
The reliable method is to confirm how the simulator records before departure, capture a short test, and save the recording before closing the session.
- Find the replay function. Look for commands labelled Replay, Track, Instant Replay, Flight Video or Recorder. Some simulators expose this through the normal menus; others use a developer tool or an add-on.
- Run a short test. Record a circuit or a few control movements, stop the recording and play it back. Check the aircraft animation, sound, cameras and cockpit displays before committing to a long flight.
- Prepare the session. Load the aircraft, livery, scenery, weather and traffic you intend to use. Dynamic weather, live traffic and external services may not be reproduced exactly later.
- Start or arm the recorder. Do this before the manoeuvre you want to preserve. If the simulator provides only a rolling instant-replay buffer, fly first and enter replay before that segment is overwritten.
- Stop and save explicitly. Give the replay a recognisable name and confirm that a file was created. Exiting the flight without saving is a common reason recordings disappear.
- Load replay mode. Pause, move along the timeline and select the desired cockpit, tower or external camera. Replay the segment once before recording the final screen video.
For long flights, record the departure and arrival as separate segments when the software permits it. Shorter tracks are easier to seek through, less likely to desynchronise and safer if the simulator crashes.
How does replay work in different flight simulators?
Replay handling varies substantially between simulators, releases and platforms, so instructions for one product should not be assumed to work in another.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator: MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 use platform- and version-dependent replay tools. Follow our platform-specific Microsoft Flight Simulator replay instructions for recording, playback and console limitations. PC-only recorder add-ons cannot be installed on Xbox or PlayStation; MSFS 2020 was not released for PlayStation.
- FSX and Prepar3D: Built-in instant-replay or flight-video facilities may be adequate for a quick review, but complex aircraft and long recordings often need a dedicated recorder. The FSX Recorder Module download and usage details cover longer recordings, AI playback and additional camera views in compatible FSX and Prepar3D installations.
- X-Plane: Replay mode provides a timeline for reviewing the recent flight, while supported desktop versions can save replay data. Aircraft driven heavily by plug-ins may not restore every display or system state correctly.
- DCS: Mission tracks record simulation events rather than video frames. They are useful for short reviews, but long or complex tracks can diverge from what happened during the original flight.
Why does a flight replay desynchronise?
A replay desynchronises when the simulator reconstructs the flight differently from the original session instead of reproducing every rendered frame.
- The aircraft jumps or departs from the recorded path: shorten the recording and avoid time acceleration, repeated pauses or major simulation-rate changes.
- Controls move but cockpit systems do not: the aircraft may use custom code that the replay format does not capture. Use the same aircraft and add-on version, then test a short segment.
- Weather or traffic differs: live services and random AI behaviour may be recalculated during playback. Use static weather and controlled traffic when exact repetition matters.
- The file will not load: reinstall or select the aircraft, livery and scenery used for the original flight. Replay files may also become incompatible after major simulator or aircraft updates.
- Playback stutters: reduce camera complexity or graphics load before capturing the final video. Recording and encoding video at the same time adds another performance demand.
Replay sound can also be incomplete. Some systems reproduce engine audio but omit radio calls, microphone input or sounds generated by an external add-on. Record the live flight if those sounds must appear in the final video.
Can you share a flight replay with another simmer?
Replay files can usually be shared only when the recipient has a compatible simulator build and the required aircraft, livery and add-ons.
A rendered video is the safer choice for general sharing because it does not depend on the recipient's simulator. Keep the original replay as an editable source, then use it to select cameras and capture the final video. For recordings intended as an archive, retain the simulator version and add-on details alongside the file.
How can you record flight data instead of a visual replay?
Use telemetry logging when the aim is to inspect control inputs, speeds, altitude, weather or aircraft-system values rather than watch the flight again.
In compatible Microsoft Flight Simulator, FSX and Prepar3D installations, the FSUIPC download for flight-data logging and control access is one option. Telemetry is better for analysing a landing or diagnosing hardware behaviour, while replay is better for visual review and camera work.