Learn what ResetXDirectorySecurity.exe changes in FSX, when folder permissions justify running it, and which activation or Steam faults it cannot fix.
ResetXDirectorySecurity.exe is a permission-repair utility supplied with Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX). It reapplies the expected Windows access permissions to the FSX installation directory; it does not reinstall or reset the simulator. Use it only when damaged folder permissions cause access-denied, update, add-on or boxed-edition licensing problems.
What exactly does ResetXDirectorySecurity.exe reset?
The utility resets Windows access-control permissions on the FSX program directory and its contents. This can restore access when an account, installer or FSX component can no longer read, create, replace or modify files there.
Despite its name, it does not reset aircraft, scenery, saved flights, controls, the logbook or fsx.cfg. It also does not remove add-ons, repair damaged game files, recover a product key or activate FSX. The common mistake is treating it as a general-purpose FSX reset rather than a narrowly targeted permissions tool.
When should you use it?
Use ResetXDirectorySecurity.exe when the evidence points specifically to incorrect permissions on the FSX installation folder.
| Symptom | Should you run it? |
|---|---|
| An “Access denied” error refers to a file inside the FSX program folder | Yes; this is the clearest use case. |
| An add-on or boxed-FSX update cannot replace files in the installation directory | Yes, after confirming the files are not simply locked by FSX or security software. |
| The FSX folder was copied, restored from backup or moved between Windows accounts | Possibly; inherited permissions may no longer match the new account. Registry and licensing issues may still require separate repairs. |
| Boxed FSX cannot save its activation or licence state | Possibly, but only when directory permissions are the cause. Follow our boxed-FSX activation-key troubleshooting for other causes. |
| Controls, graphics settings or saved flights will not persist | Usually not. Those files are normally stored in the Windows user profile rather than the FSX program directory. |
| FSX crashes, stutters or has corrupt aircraft files | No. The utility does not repair content or improve performance. |
If boxed FSX reports an “out of date license” error, permissions may be only one part of the failure. Use the targeted steps for repairing an out-of-date licence state rather than repeatedly running this utility.
Should FSX: Steam Edition users run it?
FSX: Steam Edition users should treat ResetXDirectorySecurity.exe as a folder-permissions repair, not a Steam repair tool. If the executable exists in the installed FSX directory, its permissions function may still be useful, but it cannot fix Steam account licensing, manifests or missing downloads.
For Steam Edition, verify the installed files and check the Steam library folder permissions first. Do not install boxed-FSX service packs as a workaround; Steam Edition already contains the relevant core updates, as explained in our edition-specific FSX service-pack guidance.
How do you run ResetXDirectorySecurity.exe safely?
Run the installed copy with administrator rights after closing FSX and any add-on installers.
- Close FSX, launchers, configuration tools and installers that may have files open.
- Open the FSX installation folder and locate
ResetXDirectorySecurity.exe, normally besidefsx.exe. If it is absent, do not download an unknown replacement. - Run it as administrator using the Windows context menu and approve the User Account Control prompt.
- Allow it to finish. Depending on the installation and Windows version, its window may appear only briefly and provide little visible confirmation.
- Retry the failed operation without changing several other settings at the same time.
There is no benefit in running it routinely. On a managed or shared computer, consult the administrator because the program deliberately changes directory access-control entries.
What if ResetXDirectorySecurity.exe does not fix the problem?
If the original error remains, its cause probably lies outside the FSX directory permissions. Check the exact file path in the error, the parent folder’s permissions, security-software blocks, locked files and available disk space.
A copied FSX folder may also be missing registry entries or a valid licence state, while an add-on that cannot find FSX may be reading an incorrect installation path. Repeatedly running the security reset will not correct either problem, and permanently running FSX as administrator only masks some permission faults rather than repairing them.