FSX aircraft cannot be copied into MSFS 2020 or 2024. Learn why, what Legacy flight model means, conversion limits and what to install instead.
No. Aircraft add-ons built for Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX or FSX: Steam Edition) cannot be installed directly in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 or MSFS 2024. Their model, gauge, effect, flight-dynamics and package formats are incompatible. Use an MSFS-native release, or keep the aircraft in FSX unless its developer rebuilds it.
Why do FSX aircraft not work in Microsoft Flight Simulator?
FSX aircraft do not work in modern Microsoft Flight Simulator because the simulators use different model formats, rendering systems, gauges, effects and package structures.
A typical FSX aircraft expects to sit under SimObjects\Airplanes. It may contain aircraft.cfg, an .air file, compiled model files and separate panel, sound, texture and model folders. Older products may also depend on FSX-specific DLL gauges, effects or external modules.
An aircraft for MSFS 2020 or 2024 must be built as an MSFS package. Downloadable PC packages commonly have manifest.json and layout.json at the package root, with models, systems, sounds and other assets prepared for the newer simulator. MSFS aircraft can also contain a file named aircraft.cfg, so finding that filename alone does not prove compatibility.
Our technical comparison of FSX with MSFS 2020 and 2024 explains the wider changes between the simulator generations.
| Attempt | Likely result | What to do |
|---|---|---|
Copy the FSX aircraft folder into Community | The aircraft is not detected, or its package is incomplete and unusable. | Remove it and obtain an MSFS-native edition. |
| Run the old FSX installer | It looks for an FSX path or registry entry and may fail or install into the wrong location. | Use that installer only with FSX. |
Add manifest.json and layout.json manually | This may create a package shell, but it does not convert the model, cockpit, gauges or systems. | Do not treat repackaging as conversion. |
| Use an automated converter | Some assets may provide a rough development starting point, while systems, animations and gauges remain broken. | Use only for authorised development with suitable source files. |
| Install an MSFS-native release | The aircraft has the correct package and assets for its stated simulator. | This is the practical choice for most users. |
MSFS 2024 flight model: Modern vs Legacy — does Legacy add FSX compatibility?
In MSFS 2024, use Modern for native aircraft unless the aircraft developer explicitly requires Legacy; neither flight-model setting allows the simulator to load an FSX add-on.
| Flight-model option | What it affects | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Modern | Uses the newer aerodynamic simulation and data conventions expected by native MSFS aircraft. | Use it for normal MSFS 2020 and 2024 flying unless the add-on instructions say otherwise. |
| Legacy | Interprets some older-style aerodynamic parameters more like the FSX-era flight model. | Use it only when a specific converted or older package requires it. |
Legacy concerns flight-dynamics calculations. It does not emulate the complete FSX runtime, import an FSX model, load an old panel or make compiled FSX gauges work. Switching from Modern to Legacy is therefore not a fix for an aircraft that is missing from the selection screen.
Compatibility between an MSFS 2020 package and MSFS 2024 is a separate matter. Many developers support both, but that does not extend to aircraft made for FSX.
Can an FSX aircraft be converted to MSFS?
An FSX aircraft can be converted only through substantial development work; there is no dependable one-click process that produces a complete, flyable MSFS aircraft.
A proper conversion may require the developer to:
- obtain the original editable model, textures and gauge source;
- convert or rebuild the exterior and virtual-cockpit models;
- create modern materials, lighting and cockpit interactions;
- replace unsupported XML or compiled DLL gauges;
- rewrite systems, animations, effects and sound behaviour;
- translate and retune the flight dynamics for the intended flight model;
- build the MSFS package and test it in each supported simulator version.
A compiled FSX model is not the same as an editable source project. Payware encryption, missing source assets and licence restrictions can make a conversion impractical or unlawful without the original developer's permission. Renaming files, borrowing another aircraft's package structure or adding a manifest does not solve those problems.
What should I install instead for MSFS 2020 or 2024?
Install an aircraft explicitly labelled for your edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator, rather than relying on the generic word “MSFS” or assuming that an FSX product has forward compatibility.
| Package label | Safe interpretation |
|---|---|
| FSX or FSX: Steam Edition | Install only in FSX unless the developer supplies a separate modern edition. |
| MSFS 2020 | Designed for MSFS 2020. Use in MSFS 2024 only when the developer or documentation confirms support. |
| MSFS 2024 | Designed for MSFS 2024. Do not assume it also supports MSFS 2020. |
| MSFS 2020 and 2024 | Follow the included instructions, as the download may contain separate packages or one package supporting both. |
If no converted edition exists, keep flying the original aircraft in FSX or choose a native replacement from our MSFS aircraft and add-on downloads. Owning an FSX payware edition does not automatically provide an MSFS licence or upgrade; those terms are set by the developer.
On PC, an extracted native package is commonly placed in the simulator's Community folder. The exact folder location depends on the simulator, store edition and installation choices. Xbox editions and the PS5 and PS5 Pro editions of MSFS 2024 do not support manually copied PC Community packages; add-ons must come through the platform's supported in-simulator content system. MSFS 2020 was released for PC and Xbox, not PlayStation.
How can I tell whether a download is for FSX or MSFS?
The documentation and package structure usually reveal the intended simulator before you install anything.
- Read the supported-simulator label. Look for an explicit reference to FSX, FSX: Steam Edition, MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024. A file date or the word “Microsoft” is not enough.
- Inspect the extracted folder. An FSX aircraft normally presents its aircraft files directly and expects
SimObjects\Airplanes. A typical unpacked MSFS Community package hasmanifest.jsonandlayout.jsonat its actual package root. - Check dependencies. Some MSFS add-ons are repaints or modifications requiring a separate base aircraft. They will not become standalone aircraft merely because they are in
Community. - Confirm the exact MSFS version. A package advertised only for MSFS 2020 should not be assumed to support MSFS 2024, even though some 2020 add-ons do work there.
Why is a native MSFS aircraft still not showing up?
If the download is genuinely MSFS-native, a missing aircraft is usually an installation, folder-depth or dependency problem rather than an FSX compatibility issue.
- Extract the archive instead of placing the ZIP or other compressed file directly in
Community. - Check for an extra wrapper folder. The active package folder should contain its manifest and layout files, not another identically named package folder.
- Verify that any required base aircraft or library is installed and enabled.
- Remove duplicate or obsolete versions of the same package.
- Restart the simulator after changing Community content.
For a fuller diagnosis, use our checklist for finding an installed aircraft that is missing from Flight Simulator.
Can FSX scenery add-ons be copied into MSFS?
FSX scenery cannot simply be copied into MSFS either, although rebuilding scenery can be less involved than recreating a complex aircraft.
Source airport layouts, textures or 3D assets may be reusable when permission and source files are available, but materials, object placement, elevation handling and packaging still require development work. The separate process is covered in our guide to rebuilding FSX or Prepar3D scenery for MSFS.