Learn how to unzip and install flight simulator downloads, choose the correct add-on folder, and fix nested-folder or missing add-on errors.
To unzip and install flight simulator downloads, save the archive, scan it, extract all of its contents to a temporary folder, read the included instructions, then copy or run the package made for your simulator. Never install directly from inside the ZIP; that often omits files, breaks folder structure or prevents configuration changes.
This is the general workflow for PC flight simulators. Manually downloaded ZIP files normally cannot be installed on Xbox or PlayStation; consoles use the content-delivery methods supported by the simulator and platform.
How to extract and install a flight simulator download
- Check compatibility before extracting. Confirm the download names your simulator, simulator generation and operating system. An add-on for FSX, Prepar3D, X-Plane or Microsoft Flight Simulator is not interchangeable unless its documentation expressly says so.
- Scan the downloaded file. Use your normal security software. Do not disable protection simply because an installer or README asks you to do so.
- Extract the complete archive. In Windows, right-click the ZIP and choose
Extract All; on macOS, double-click it. Archives ending in.7zor.rarrequire a compatible extraction program. Extract every file together so the original folders remain intact. - Open the extracted folder and read the instructions. Look for a README, installation document or manual before moving anything. Some downloads contain several packages for different simulator versions.
- Identify the actual add-on folder. The first folder may only be a wrapper containing documentation, screenshots and the installable package. Open folders until you find the files that identify the package type.
- Install by the documented method. Run the supplied installer or copy the complete package to the correct add-on location. Close the simulator first, particularly when an installer modifies configuration files.
- Launch the simulator and verify the add-on. Check the aircraft selector, scenery area, plugin menu or relevant content list. Test it before deleting the archive or replacing an older version.
Our worked guide to extracting and identifying add-on packages explains the difference between full aircraft, repaints and other common download formats.
How can I tell what type of add-on I downloaded?
The files inside the extracted folder usually reveal both the add-on type and the correct installation method.
| Files or folders found | Likely installation method |
|---|---|
setup.exe or an installer package | Run it after extraction, verify the selected simulator and installation path, and avoid accepting an obsolete path without checking it. |
manifest.json and layout.json | Usually a Microsoft Flight Simulator PC package. Copy the package folder containing those files into the active Community folder. |
aircraft.cfg with model, panel, sound and texture folders | Usually a complete FSX, FS2004 or Prepar3D aircraft. Keep those folders together and use the simulator's appropriate aircraft location. |
| Texture files without a complete aircraft | This is probably a repaint rather than a complete aircraft. It may require an existing base model and a configuration entry. |
Earth nav data | Usually X-Plane scenery. Keep that folder inside the scenery package and place the package in Custom Scenery. |
| Scenery and texture folders containing scenery data | Usually legacy FSX or Prepar3D scenery. Follow its instructions because some packages must also be registered in the scenery library. |
Do not copy every extracted folder into the simulator's root directory. Documentation, source files and alternative versions may be included beside the actual add-on.
Where should extracted flight simulator files go?
There is no universal flight simulator add-ons folder; the destination depends on the simulator and the package type.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator on PC: Community packages go in the active
Communityfolder, whose location varies with the installation and chosen packages path. Do not put third-party packages inOfficial. Our MSFS aircraft installation walkthrough shows how to locate the correct package level and avoid nested folders. - FSX, FS2004 and Prepar3D: aircraft, scenery, gauges and effects can have separate destinations. Prefer the included installer or README, and back up any configuration file before editing it.
- X-Plane: aircraft normally belong under
Aircraft, scenery underCustom Scenery, and plugins in the location specified by their documentation. - DCS and other simulators: use the simulator's supported user add-on location when the package provides one. Do not assume an add-on belongs in the main program directory.
If the archive contains only new textures, it needs a compatible base aircraft and may require a configuration change. Follow our general aircraft livery installation steps rather than treating the repaint as a complete aircraft.
Why is the installed add-on not showing up?
An add-on that does not appear is most often in the wrong folder, nested one level too deeply or built for a different simulator version.
- Nested package folder: for an MSFS package, the expected structure is typically
Community/AddonName/manifest.json, notCommunity/AddonName/AddonName/manifest.json. - Files are still compressed: placing the original ZIP in an add-on folder does not install it unless that simulator explicitly provides an import function.
- Wrong destination: installers can retain a path from an older simulator installation. Check the selected path before proceeding.
- Missing dependency: a repaint may need a separate aircraft, while scenery may depend on an object library or another package named in the README.
- Old and new versions conflict: remove or temporarily move the previous package instead of merging files blindly.
- Configuration edit failed: legacy aircraft and scenery may require an exact configuration entry. Restore the backup and repeat the supplied instructions carefully.
- Scenery order is wrong: some simulators use a priority or load-order system. Place the package according to its documentation rather than assuming installation order controls priority.
Can I delete the ZIP after installation?
You can delete the ZIP after confirming that the add-on loads and works, but keeping the original archive is useful for reinstalling it or checking its documentation. Retain any licence file, manual, required serial information and installer unless you have another secure copy.