Find the best software to create FSX liveries, plus the DDS, alpha-channel and mipmap settings needed for textures that display correctly.
To create aircraft liveries for FSX and FSX: Steam Edition, use Photoshop, GIMP or Paint.NET for the artwork, then export through a DDS-capable plug-in or a texture converter such as DXTBmp or the FSX SDK's ImageTool. The correct paint kit, alpha channel, compression and mipmaps matter more than the brand of editor.
Which FSX livery software should I choose?
Photoshop is the least risky choice for complex PSD paint kits, while GIMP is the strongest free alternative and Paint.NET suits straightforward texture edits.
| Software | Choose it when | Main caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Photoshop | The paint kit uses layered PSD files, masks, channels and blending effects | Usually needs suitable DDS support or a separate converter |
| GIMP | You want a free editor with layers, masks and alpha-channel tools | Some Photoshop layer effects may import differently; DDS support depends on the installation |
| Paint.NET | You are making a simple repaint from flat textures or uncomplicated templates | Less suitable for elaborate PSD kits with large layer groups and advanced effects |
| Affinity Photo | You need layered image editing and can finish textures with another utility | Verify imported PSD effects and use a converter if direct FSX-compatible DDS export is unavailable |
| DXTBmp or ImageTool | You need to convert, inspect or finalise FSX texture files | These are finishing utilities, not replacements for a graphics editor |
No single application is mandatory. A common setup is GIMP or Photoshop for painting, followed by DXTBmp for alpha-channel handling and DDS conversion. If the FSX SDK is installed, ImageTool.exe can also convert textures and generate mipmaps.
Do I need an aircraft paint kit?
Use the exact paint kit made for that aircraft model whenever one is available. It supplies the UV layout, panel lines, doors, windows, rivets, shading and alignment guides needed to place artwork correctly.
Our layered Boeing 737 paint-kit files show the sort of editable templates a proper kit provides. A kit for a similarly named aircraft will not necessarily work: every 3D model can have a different texture layout, even when it represents the same real aeroplane.
Without a paint kit, you can paint over copies of the existing diffuse textures, but matching seams is harder. Some models also mirror one side of the fuselage to save texture space; if that happens, a logo may appear backwards and no graphics editor can correct it without changing the model itself.
Which texture format should an FSX repaint use?
Match the dimensions, file names, alpha channel and compression format of the aircraft's original textures unless its documentation specifies another workflow. FSX aircraft commonly use .dds or extended .bmp textures, but the correct choice is model-specific.
- Keep the original dimensions. Resizing can break the expected layout, and enlarging a small source texture does not create extra detail.
- Preserve the alpha channel. Depending on the model and material, it may control reflectivity, transparency or another visual property. Losing or inverting it can make the aircraft excessively shiny, dull or partly invisible.
- Match the existing compression. Do not switch between DXT formats merely to reduce file size; inspect a working texture and reproduce its format.
- Create mipmaps when required. Exterior textures usually benefit from them because they reduce distant shimmering, although the aircraft's own instructions take precedence.
- Check DDS orientation. FSX DDS textures are often stored vertically flipped. Some exporters and package scripts perform that operation automatically, so blindly flipping the image can leave it upside down.
Some add-ons provide their own conversion scripts or repaint utilities. In those cases, follow the supplied process rather than forcing a generic export; our model-specific Aerosoft repaint workflow demonstrates how paint-kit files, alpha channels and final conversion fit together.
What is a reliable FSX repaint workflow?
A reliable repaint workflow keeps an editable master file and compresses the texture only once, at the final export.
- Back up the original. Copy the aircraft's working texture folder and
aircraft.cfgbefore changing anything. - Open the exact paint kit. Keep panel lines, shading, dirt and detail layers separate from your colours, logos and registration.
- Save a layered master. Use PSD, XCF or the editor's native format so later corrections do not require repainting a compressed DDS file.
- Check alignment. Inspect fuselage joins, tail sections, engine nacelles and both sides of the aircraft. Shared or mirrored UV areas are common sources of misplaced markings.
- Export a copy. Preserve the alpha channel, match the source format and dimensions, generate the required mipmaps and avoid repeated DXT recompression.
- Install it as a separate livery. Give the repaint its own
texture.[name]folder and add the corresponding aircraft entry. Our FSX texture installation instructions cover the folder andaircraft.cfgwork in detail.
Why does a newly created FSX livery look wrong?
Most failed repaints are caused by export settings or installation details rather than the graphics editor itself.
- The aircraft is white or untextured: check the texture file names, folder name, repaint entry and fallback configuration.
- The texture is black or does not load: reconvert it using the same format and dimensions as the working original.
- The finish is too shiny or transparent: restore the original alpha channel and confirm how that particular model interprets it.
- Text is blurred: avoid resizing, keep a high-resolution layered master and compress only the final copy.
- Markings cross panel seams: reposition them using the paint kit's alignment guides and inspect every texture section they touch.
- Changes do not appear: reload the aircraft or restart FSX so cached textures are discarded, then recheck the installation entry.