Fix a missing MSFS Developer Mode Replay option by checking the correct PC menu, console limits, updates and off-screen window problems.
The Replay option in Microsoft Flight Simulator is usually missing because you are checking the normal in-flight toolbar instead of Developer Mode’s Tools menu, no flight is loaded, or you are on console or cloud. On a local PC installation, enable Developer Mode, enter a flight, then select Tools > Replay.
Where is the Replay option in Developer Mode?
On PC, Replay is opened from the Developer Mode bar at the top of the screen, under Tools, after a flight has loaded. The normal in-flight toolbar containing items such as ATC, weather and camera controls is a separate interface and does not contain the Developer Mode Replay panel.
- Enable Developer Mode: turn it on in the simulator’s developer settings and apply the change. For the newer interface, follow our steps for enabling the MSFS 2024 developer toolbar.
- Load a flight: use an ordinary Free Flight session for diagnosis rather than Career Mode, a challenge or another structured activity.
- Open the developer bar: move the pointer to the top of the screen if the bar is hidden.
- Select Tools > Replay: this should open the replay control window.
The optional SDK installation is not normally required. Replay is part of the PC simulator’s in-game developer interface, not a Community add-on or a separate Content Manager aircraft package.
Why does Tools > Replay not appear?
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No developer bar | Developer Mode is disabled, the change was not applied, or the pointer is over the normal toolbar | Enable Developer Mode, apply the setting and restart the simulator if necessary |
| Developer bar appears, but Replay is absent | No flight is loaded, the activity restricts developer functions, or the installation is incomplete | Test a stock aircraft in Free Flight, then install all available simulator and mandatory content updates |
| Tools > Replay is present, but nothing appears | The replay window may be positioned off-screen after a monitor, resolution or scaling change | Restore the previous display arrangement, switch temporarily between windowed and full-screen modes, or use a developer-window layout reset if offered |
| Replay disappeared after adding software | A toolbar utility, add-on or damaged configuration may be interfering with the interface | Restart with Community content and third-party toolbar utilities disabled, then test again |
A mistake we see often is repeatedly toggling Developer Mode while remaining on the main menu. Load fully into the cockpit before judging whether the tool is missing. Our version-specific recording and playback instructions show what to do once the panel is available.
How do I restore a missing Replay tool on PC?
- Complete pending updates: update through the platform launcher and allow the simulator to finish any in-game content update.
- Restart cleanly: close Microsoft Flight Simulator completely, relaunch it and re-enable Developer Mode.
- Use stock content: start Free Flight with a default aircraft and stock airport. This separates a core-interface problem from an aircraft or scenery conflict.
- Remove add-on interference: temporarily move Community packages out of the active Community folder and disable third-party toolbar panels.
- Check the display layout: if selecting Replay produces no visible window, reconnect a removed monitor or return display scaling and resolution to their previous values.
- Repair the installation: if Replay remains absent in a clean stock flight, use the game platform’s file verification or repair function before considering a reinstall.
Is Developer Mode Replay available on Xbox or PlayStation?
The PC Developer Mode Replay workflow is not available in the retail console builds of Microsoft Flight Simulator. This applies to MSFS 2020 on Xbox and MSFS 2024 on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro. Xbox console Developer Mode is a separate system and does not add the simulator’s PC SDK toolbar.
A console’s video-capture feature can save footage, but it cannot rewind the simulation state or let you reposition the camera afterwards. Any replay control exposed by a particular console activity or aircraft is separate from Tools > Replay.
Does Replay record video automatically?
No. The Developer Mode tool records simulator state for later playback; it does not create a finished video file. Start the replay recording before the manoeuvre, play it back, position the camera, and use a separate capture function if you need video footage.
Camera placement is the next common stumbling block. For an external airport perspective, use our focused instructions for setting up a tower view during replay rather than trying to move the aircraft while playback is running.