How do I take screenshots in Microsoft Flight Simulator?
Take clean Microsoft Flight Simulator screenshots on PC or Xbox, hide the HUD, choose the right camera, find files and fix blurry captures.
To take a screenshot in Microsoft Flight Simulator, frame the scene with a cockpit, external, drone or free camera, close the toolbar and other overlays, then use Steam, Windows Game Bar, Print Screen or the Xbox capture control. The simulator supplies the image; your platform's capture tool saves the file.
Taking Microsoft Flight Simulator screenshots on PC
On PC, compose the picture inside Microsoft Flight Simulator and capture the finished frame with Steam or a Windows screenshot tool.
- Choose the camera
Use cockpit view for pilot-eye, panel and wing compositions; external or chase view for quick aircraft pictures; and the drone or free camera for precise positioning. In MSFS 2020, the Drone Camera sits within the Showcase camera category; names and control groupings can differ in MSFS 2024.
For fly-bys, airport overviews and close aircraft details, follow our guide to positioning and controlling the MSFS drone camera.
- Prepare the scene
Set the time, weather and aircraft position before fine-tuning the camera. Low sun usually gives an aircraft more shape than flat midday lighting, while cloud, mist, rain and terrain can provide useful depth behind it.
- Remove the interface
Close ATC, the checklist, VFR map, camera controls and other toolbar panels. Hide the external-view HUD, traffic nameplates, airport labels, points of interest and navigation markers, then move the mouse away from the top edge so the toolbar does not reappear.
Bindings can be changed by control preset, simulator version and connected hardware. Our reference of MSFS keyboard and camera commands is useful when a camera or interface shortcut has been forgotten.
- Choose between a live shot and Active Pause
Active Pause makes careful framing easier, but propellers, rotors, smoke and control surfaces can look unnatural when frozen. It can also leave the aircraft's systems or flight model behaving unexpectedly, so capture live when motion matters.
- Use a PC capture command
- Steam: press
F12by default, provided the Steam overlay and screenshot binding are enabled. - Xbox Game Bar: press
Win+Alt+PrtScnby default to capture the game and save a file automatically. - Windows:
Win+PrtScncaptures the whole desktop and normally saves it inPictures\Screenshots. - Clipboard or Snipping Tool:
PrtScnandWin+Shift+Scan work, but their behaviour depends on Windows settings and they may require you to save the image manually.
- Steam: press
- Inspect the original file
Open the image at 100% and check the aircraft edges, distant scenery, labels and mouse pointer. A half-loaded skyline or unwanted overlay is much easier to correct before ending the flight.
Taking screenshots on Xbox
On Xbox, frame and clean up the image in Microsoft Flight Simulator, then save it with the console's capture function.
- Compose the image
External and drone-style views are usually easiest for aircraft pictures, while cockpit view works well for approaches, weather and runway perspectives.
- Close panels and labels
Remove every toolbar window, marker and HUD element that should not appear in the finished screenshot.
- Capture the frame
Tap the Share button on a compatible Xbox controller unless that button has been remapped. With an older controller, open the Xbox guide and use the displayed screenshot command, commonly
Y. The image goes to the Xbox captures library rather than an MSFS screenshot folder.
Is there a photo mode in MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024?
MSFS 2020 has no separate, general-purpose photo mode with its own shutter, gallery and high-resolution export system. MSFS 2024 includes the World Photographer activity, but ordinary free-flight screenshots still rely on the PC or Xbox capture system when you need a shareable image file.
The screenshot normally records the final frame displayed on screen, including its aspect ratio, output resolution and visible interface. MSFS does not silently render a sharper still behind the scenes, so low internal resolution, aggressive upscaling or an unfinished scenery stream will remain visible in the saved image.
Which camera is best for MSFS screenshots?
The drone or free camera is the best all-round option for deliberate compositions because it gives direct control over height, distance and viewing angle.
| Camera | Best used for | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Cockpit | Pilot-eye views, instrument panels, wing views and weather ambience | Reflections, controls and HUD elements can clutter the frame |
| External or chase | Fast aircraft pictures during normal flight | Less precise than a free camera |
| Showcase fixed views | Preset cinematic angles in MSFS 2020 | Available viewpoints depend on the aircraft |
| Drone or free camera | Close-ups, airport overviews, scenery and carefully staged aircraft angles | High movement speed or controller drift makes fine positioning difficult |
For repeatable panel, window or wing compositions, save a set of custom cockpit viewpoints rather than rebuilding the same angle for every flight.
Cleaning up and improving the finished image
A strong MSFS screenshot depends more on clean framing, lighting and a fully rendered scene than on maximum graphics settings.
Remove every visible overlay
- Toolbar panels such as ATC, checklists, maps and camera controls
- External-view instruments and assistance overlays
- Traffic and multiplayer nameplates
- Airport, navigation and point-of-interest markers
- The mouse pointer and any controller-selection highlight
A mistake we see constantly is closing the obvious panel while leaving a distant traffic label or airport marker in the background. These elements are not always controlled by one master switch, so check camera, assistance and traffic-display options separately.
Use light and background deliberately
- Prefer angled light: sunrise and late-afternoon sun usually reveal the shape of the fuselage and wings more clearly.
- Give the aircraft context: terrain, cloud layers, runway lighting or city detail generally produce a stronger image than empty sky.
- Move the camera slowly: reduce drone translation and rotation speeds before making final adjustments.
- Wait for scenery: dense airports, photogrammetry and streamed ground textures may need time to sharpen after arrival or a rapid camera move.
- Capture at a useful output resolution: a screenshot cannot recover detail that was absent from the rendered frame, and heavy cropping magnifies softness.
Why do MSFS screenshots look blurry, dark or strange?
Soft screenshots usually come from reduced internal resolution, upscaling, motion or incomplete scenery streaming; dark and distorted captures are more often caused by lighting, HDR handling or Active Pause.
The whole image is soft
Check the simulator's render scale, anti-aliasing or upscaling mode, output resolution and any dynamic quality setting. Increase internal rendering quality only as far as the PC can sustain, then capture a stationary or slower-moving frame to separate rendering softness from motion.
Only buildings or terrain are blurry
This points to scenery loading rather than the screenshot tool. Wait for streaming to finish and check data, cache and terrain-detail settings; if the problem persists, use our diagnostic guide for blurry or low-quality MSFS scenery.
The capture is dark or washed out
Change the sun angle or camera position so the subject receives more light. With HDR enabled, some viewers display captured files differently from the simulator, so compare the image in another HDR-aware viewer or make a test capture in SDR before altering the scene.
Propellers, rotors or the aircraft pose look wrong
This is commonly an Active Pause artefact. Take the frame during live flight when natural propeller blur, rotor movement, smoke or control-surface position matters.
The drone camera will not stay still
Reduce its movement speed first. If it continues drifting with no input, check controller stick centring and dead zones, or temporarily disconnect the device causing the unwanted input.
Where are Microsoft Flight Simulator screenshots saved?
The save location is determined by the capture tool, not by Microsoft Flight Simulator.
- Steam capture: open Steam's screenshot manager or library for the game.
- Xbox Game Bar on PC: files normally appear in
Videos\Captures, unless that location has been changed or redirected. - Windows
Win+PrtScn: files normally appear inPictures\Screenshots; OneDrive or another folder-redirection setting can move them. - Print Screen or Snipping Tool: the image may remain on the clipboard until it is manually saved.
- Xbox console: open the console's captures library.
If an image appears to be missing, check the capture application and its configured folder first. The Microsoft Flight Simulator installation and Community folders are not normal screenshot destinations.