Set the SimBrief Downloader MSFS 2020 path, export a .pln to a safe folder, load it in the World Map, and fix missing files.
On PC, configure SimBrief Downloader by entering your SimBrief username, enabling the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 .pln export, and selecting any writable folder you can find easily. MSFS 2020 has no mandatory flight-plan folder; after generating a new OFP, load the exported .pln through the World Map's Load/Save control.
How do I configure SimBrief Downloader for MSFS 2020?
The reliable setup is to give the generic MSFS 2020 export its own folder rather than sending it into the simulator's installation directories.
- Open SimBrief Downloader: enter the SimBrief username or account identifier requested by your installed version.
- Enable the MSFS 2020 format: select the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 or FS2020 export entry that produces a
.plnfile. A PDF briefing, text file or aircraft-specific route format cannot be loaded through the World Map. - Choose a download directory: create a simple folder such as
C:\Users\YourName\Documents\SimBrief\MSFS2020, then select that folder in Downloader. It must be a directory, not the name of an individual file. - Keep Downloader running: it must be open when SimBrief generates the operational flight plan. If required, follow our explanation of creating and exporting a fresh SimBrief OFP.
- Generate a new OFP: wait for Downloader to report the export, then confirm that a file ending in
.plnhas appeared in the chosen folder.
Which MSFS 2020 flight-plan path should I use?
Use any permanent, writable Windows folder that is easy to locate from the MSFS 2020 file browser. The simulator does not require generic .pln files to be stored in one particular AppData location.
| Purpose | Format and destination | Best choice |
|---|---|---|
| MSFS World Map and simulator ATC | MSFS 2020 .pln in any accessible folder | A dedicated Documents subfolder |
| Third-party aircraft FMC or EFB | Aircraft-specific format and destination | The folder prescribed by that aircraft |
| Aircraft with direct SimBrief retrieval | Usually no local route path | Enter the SimBrief account details in the aircraft |
Do not use the Community or Official package folders for an ordinary World Map plan. Guides sometimes point to hidden LocalState or roaming-profile locations, but those paths vary with the Microsoft Store, Xbox app and Steam installations and are unnecessary for manual .pln loading.
If Documents is managed by OneDrive or Windows security blocks writes there, create another local folder and test again. The useful path is the one where Downloader can write and MSFS can later browse to the file.
How do I load the downloaded .pln into MSFS 2020?
Load the file from the World Map before starting the flight.
- Open the MSFS 2020 World Map.
- Open its Load/Save control, using the additional options menu if it is not immediately visible.
- Select the option to load a plan from the PC.
- Browse to the folder configured in SimBrief Downloader and open the exported
.pln. - Check the departure, arrival, runway and procedures before selecting Fly.
Our full SimBrief-to-MSFS 2020 flight-plan workflow explains the generation and World Map stages together. Loading the plan this way gives the simulator and its ATC a route, but a complex add-on aircraft may still require a separate import into its FMC.
Why is SimBrief Downloader not exporting the flight plan?
Most failed exports come from an inactive format, an old OFP or a destination that Windows will not let the app write to.
- No newly generated OFP: Downloader normally reacts when an OFP is generated. Editing a route without regenerating it may not trigger another export.
- Wrong account identifier: confirm that Downloader is monitoring the same SimBrief account used to create the plan.
- MSFS format disabled: ensure the MSFS 2020
.plnentry is enabled, not merely an aircraft or document format. - Unwritable destination: test with a new local Documents subfolder. If the file appears there, the previous directory or its permissions caused the failure.
- File exists but is not visible: search the selected folder and enable file-name extensions in Windows so that the
.plnsuffix can be confirmed. - Route differs after loading: check the selected runway, SID and STAR. A navigation-data mismatch is not a Downloader path fault.
Do add-on aircraft need a separate SimBrief path?
Yes, when an aircraft expects its own route-file format, its Downloader destination is separate from the generic MSFS 2020 .pln folder. Enable both exports if you want one plan for the World Map and another for the aircraft's FMC.
For example, the PMDG workflow requires the correct aircraft-specific format and route directory; our PMDG 737 SimBrief import instructions cover that path separately. Other aircraft retrieve the plan directly through an EFB or FMC account integration and need no Downloader file at all.
Can SimBrief Downloader be used with MSFS 2020 on Xbox?
SimBrief Downloader is a Windows desktop utility and cannot write flight-plan files to an Xbox console. Xbox users must use an aircraft's built-in SimBrief integration, where available, or construct the route with the MSFS 2020 World Map planner.