Turn Online Functionality on or off in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, see what it disables, and fix greyed-out or ineffective settings.
To turn online functionality on or off in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, open Options > General Options > Data, set Online Functionality to On or Off, then select Apply & Save. In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, open Settings > General > Online and change the Online Functionality switch, confirming the change if prompted.
How do I change Online Functionality in MSFS 2020 or 2024?
The switch is under Data in MSFS 2020 and under Online in MSFS 2024.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020
In MSFS 2020, Online Functionality appears in the Data Connection section of General Options.
- Open General Options: From the main menu or pause menu, select
Options > General Options. - Open Data: Select the
Datacategory. - Change the master switch: Set
Online FunctionalitytoOnorOff. - Save the setting: Select
Apply & Save. Leaving the page without applying is a common reason the change appears not to work.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
In MSFS 2024, the equivalent master switch is in the Online settings category.
- Open Settings: Go to
Settings > General > Online. - Find Online Functionality: Change the switch to the required state.
- Confirm the change: Apply or confirm it if the platform displays a prompt.
This route applies to the PC and console editions, although controller prompts differ. MSFS 2024 relies heavily on cloud-delivered content, so switching off online features does not convert it into a fully equivalent offline installation.
What does turning Online Functionality off disable?
Online Functionality is the master control for Microsoft Flight Simulator's internet-dependent world and traffic services.
- Multiplayer aircraft and other online players disappear.
- Live real-world air traffic is no longer downloaded.
- Live weather cannot receive updated conditions and must be replaced by an available preset or offline option.
- Streamed world data, including Bing world imagery and photogrammetry in MSFS 2020, becomes unavailable. The simulator uses installed or fallback scenery instead.
- Other online-dependent services may be unavailable until the switch is restored.
Turning the switch off does not delete installed aircraft, scenery, rolling-cache data or Community-folder add-ons. Offline AI traffic may also remain if it is selected separately.
When Online Functionality is turned back on, individual services may still need their own switches enabled. For example, Multiplayer and live traffic can remain off even though the master connection is active.
Should I disable Online Functionality or one online feature?
Keep the master switch on when you only want to remove one type of online activity; disable it when you need to stop all streamed services or diagnose a connection problem.
| What you want | Setting to change | What remains available |
|---|---|---|
| Hide other human pilots | Turn Multiplayer off | Online scenery, live weather and live traffic can remain active |
| Remove real-world airline traffic | Turn live or real-world traffic off | Multiplayer and streamed scenery can remain active |
| Reduce streamed scenery data | Disable the relevant world-data or photogrammetry option | Other online features can remain active |
| Stop all internet-dependent features | Turn Online Functionality off | Installed and available offline content |
If other players are the problem, our explanation of how player visibility, groups and traffic modes interact covers the narrower settings. For aircraft generated from real-world tracking data, see our MSFS 2020 real-world AI traffic setup.
Online Functionality is also the wrong control for silencing the radio. Disabling it removes online traffic sources but does not necessarily switch off simulator ATC; use the separate ATC controls in MSFS 2024 instead.
Why is Online Functionality greyed out or not working?
A greyed-out or ineffective switch usually points to an unsaved change, an account or network restriction, a data limit, or a stale simulator session.
- Apply the change: In MSFS 2020, use
Apply & Saverather than simply backing out of the menu. - Check the connection and account: Confirm that the platform is online and that Microsoft Flight Simulator is signed into the required account services.
- Review data limits: In MSFS 2020, a configured data allowance can stop streamed services after the limit is reached. Reset or raise it only if the internet connection permits.
- Check individual switches: Enable Multiplayer, live weather, live traffic, Bing world data or photogrammetry separately where required. The master switch alone does not force every subordinate option on.
- Review console permissions: Family controls, multiplayer permissions and cross-network restrictions can prevent online players from appearing even when Online Functionality is enabled.
- Restart the session: Fully close and reopen the simulator after restoring connectivity. On consoles, use a full restart rather than resuming a suspended session.
If the setting is on but only one service is missing, test the other online services before changing everything. Working weather and scenery with no visible pilots usually indicates a multiplayer setting or account permission, not a failed Online Functionality switch.