Completely uninstall ReShade from MSFS 2024 using safe installer and manual cleanup steps, with fixes for leftover dxgi.dll files and crashes.
To completely uninstall ReShade from Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, run the ReShade installer, select FlightSimulator2024.exe, and choose Uninstall. Afterwards, inspect that executable’s folder and remove only confirmed ReShade leftovers: usually dxgi.dll, ReShade.ini, ReShade.log and reshade-shaders. Restart Windows, then launch MSFS 2024 and confirm the ReShade banner is gone.
How do I remove ReShade from MSFS 2024 safely?
The safest method is to let ReShade Setup remove its own files before checking the installation folder manually.
- Back up any presets you want to keep. Copy your custom ReShade preset files to another folder. Do not copy the injector DLL if your aim is a clean removal.
- Close MSFS 2024 completely. Exit the simulator and its PC launcher so that Windows is not holding the ReShade DLL open.
- Locate the correct executable. Use Steam’s local-files command or the Xbox app’s installation-management page to open the game folder. Select
FlightSimulator2024.exe, not an MSFS 2020 executable or an old installation on another drive. - Run ReShade Setup. Select that executable and choose the option to uninstall ReShade and its downloaded effects. The wording can vary slightly between ReShade releases.
- Check for leftovers. Return to the executable folder and remove only files positively identified as ReShade components.
- Restart and test. Reboot Windows if any file was locked, then launch MSFS 2024 without other add-ons or overlays complicating the test.
If the installer reports access denied, close the launcher and run ReShade Setup with administrator permission. Avoid taking ownership of the protected WindowsApps directory merely to remove ReShade; use the platform’s installation-management tools instead.
Which ReShade files can I remove manually?
A standard MSFS 2024 ReShade installation commonly leaves the following items beside the simulator executable.
| File or folder | What to do | Caution |
|---|---|---|
dxgi.dll | Delete it after confirming it belongs to ReShade. | Other graphics tools can also use this filename. Check its file properties or temporarily rename it before deletion if uncertain. |
ReShade.ini | Delete it after checking any preset and effect paths you want to preserve. | This file records ReShade’s configuration and may point to custom folders elsewhere. |
ReShade.log | Delete it. | If it reappears after launching the simulator, another ReShade injector is still loading. |
reshade-shaders | Delete the folder to remove downloaded shaders and textures. | Make sure it is inside the MSFS 2024 installation you are cleaning. |
Custom preset .ini files | Keep or delete them as preferred. | Never delete every .ini file in the game folder indiscriminately. |
Older or manually assembled installations may use a differently named proxy DLL. Do not remove files merely because they have a .dll extension; use the ReShade log, file properties and modification date to identify them. Deleting a genuine simulator DLL can prevent MSFS 2024 from starting.
Why isn’t ReShade listed in Windows Installed apps or Community?
ReShade is normally a portable graphics injector rather than a conventional Windows application or MSFS Community add-on.
Its working files sit beside the executable they hook into, while aircraft and scenery packages belong in the Community folder. Emptying Community therefore does not uninstall ReShade, and deleting the simulator’s streamed packages is unnecessary. These removal steps apply to PC; console editions do not support this desktop injector through normal installation methods.
How do I know ReShade has been completely removed?
ReShade is gone when its start-up banner no longer appears, its overlay shortcut does nothing, and no new ReShade.log is created beside the executable.
- The banner still appears: you probably cleaned the wrong MSFS installation or executable. Check for an old Steam library, Xbox app installation or separate MSFS 2020 folder.
- The files return: another installer or add-on manager may be restoring them. Remove ReShade through the same tool originally used to install it.
- MSFS still crashes: test once with ReShade absent and Community temporarily isolated. Our checks for ReShade-related MSFS 2024 crashes cover locked injector files, incompatible effects and start-up failures.
- The colours still look altered: check HDR, simulator colour settings and graphics-driver filters. Those settings are separate from ReShade.
Do I need to reinstall MSFS 2024 as well?
No—ReShade can be removed without uninstalling Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
A platform file verification can repair changed simulator files, but it may leave untracked files such as dxgi.dll untouched. Manual confirmation is therefore still necessary. If the simulator itself is damaged and needs reinstalling, first review the package, Community, cache and configuration data that should be backed up so a ReShade cleanup does not turn into an avoidable loss of add-ons or settings.