How do I repair Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 files?

To repair Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 installation files on PC, first remove add-ons from the Community folder, then use Windows’ Repair option for the Microsoft Store/Xbox app build or Steam’s Verify integrity command. Relaunch MSFS so its installer can redownload missing packages; Xbox consoles have no equivalent full file-verification tool.

Which MSFS 2020 repair method should you use?

Choose the repair method according to which part of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is failing, because the platform launcher, streamed Official packages and Community add-ons are stored and maintained separately.

How do you repair the installation safely?

The safest sequence starts with reversible changes and repairs only the damaged layer instead of wiping the whole installation.

1. Close MSFS and its platform client. Exit Steam or the Xbox app as appropriate. Restart the PC if an update or installer process appears to be stuck.
2. Record the active Packages location. On PC, find UserCfg.opt and note its InstalledPackagesPath entry. That folder should contain Community and Official. Do not assume MSFS uses its default location, particularly after moving content to another drive.
3. Back up and isolate Community content. Move the contents of the Community folder somewhere outside the Packages directory, or disable every linked add-on if using an add-on linker. Test with an empty Community folder before changing Official packages.
4. Repair the platform-managed files.
   • For the Microsoft Store or Xbox app PC build, open Windows Settings, find Microsoft Flight Simulator under installed apps, open its advanced options and select Repair. Menu wording differs slightly between Windows versions. Do not choose Reset at this stage.
   • For Steam, open the game’s Properties, select Installed Files and run Verify integrity of game files.
   • On Xbox Series X or S, restart the console and inspect Microsoft Flight Simulator under Manage game and add-ons. Reinstall only the affected platform-managed component where possible; do not clear reserved data as the first repair attempt.
5. Launch MSFS and confirm the Packages path. Let the in-simulator updater complete. If it asks for an installation location despite existing content, select the folder containing Community and Official, not the Official folder itself. Selecting the wrong level commonly triggers an unnecessary full download.
6. Reinstall an identified Official package. If MSFS opens, use Content Manager to remove and download the affected aircraft, airport or package again. This is preferable to deleting files manually.
7. Quarantine a package only when necessary. With MSFS closed, PC users can move the exact package folder named by the error from Official\OneStore or Official\Steam to a temporary location. Mandatory content should be reacquired at launch; optional content may need reinstalling through Content Manager. Never move or delete the entire Official folder to fix one package.
8. Restore add-ons gradually. Return Community packages in small batches and test between batches. If the fault returns, the last batch contains an incompatible or damaged add-on.

Why does verification finish but MSFS still fail?

Steam verification and Windows Repair mainly check the platform-managed application, while much of MSFS 2020 is downloaded separately by the simulator into its Official package directory.

If the simulator stops at Checking for Updates, follow our package-index and active Packages-path recovery steps. An Essential Packages message usually needs targeted clean-up of failed packages and partial downloads, not another Steam verification.

Repeated CRC or Feature Transfer errors point towards a corrupt download, unreadable storage or memory instability. Complete the storage and download checks for CRC failures before downloading the simulator again.

Will repair delete Community add-ons or settings?

Windows Repair and Steam Verify should preserve Community add-ons and user settings, but a backup is still sensible before changing the installation.

• Windows Reset is different from Repair: Reset can remove application data and force packages to be downloaded again.
• Steam verification replaces modified Steam-managed files: any manual edits made inside those directories can be overwritten.
• Marketplace ownership is not the same as local installation: owned content remains associated with the relevant account, but deleted package files still need downloading again.
• Xbox storage actions can be destructive: clearing reserved data or uninstalling the game may remove downloaded simulator content even though cloud-backed settings and entitlements remain available.

When a full reinstall is justified

A full reinstall is justified only after the clean-Community test, platform repair and targeted package replacement have failed.

• The base application still will not start after completing the broader PC start-up repair sequence.
• Many unrelated Official packages are damaged, making individual reacquisition impractical.
• The Packages directory resides on an inaccessible or failing drive and cannot be moved or repaired reliably.
• The installation repeatedly loses files after successful downloads, suggesting that the storage problem must be corrected before reinstalling.

Before a clean reinstall, preserve the Community folder and record any custom Packages path. If the intention is to eliminate corrupted Official content, rename the old Official directory rather than allowing a new installation to reuse it unnoticed.