Microsoft Flight Simulator: How to Install Free Add-Ons, Content, & Mods

The flight simulation community has a shiny new toy, and the creatives among us have already started releasing free content. In this guide, we will explain how to install free add-ons in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

How to Install Free Add-ons in Microsoft Flight Simulator

When Asobo Studio announced that Microsoft Flight Simulator was to have its own built-in marketplace, many wondered what would happen to free add-ons that have been so popular in previous games of the series.

Luckily, they’re not going anywhere, and the community has already produced a few.

On top of them, Asobo has made it very easy to install and manage them: as easy as finding a folder in your hard drive.

Do keep in mind that, as all guides related to custom community-created content, Twinfinite takes no responsibility for any damage you could deal to your game’s installation, software, or hardware. You install it at your own risk.

First of all, you need to find the folder I mentioned above. Asobo has implemented two handy folders for add-ons. “Official” is for those you download from the marketplace, and “Community” is for community-created content. “Community” is the folder you’ll need here.

If you have the Windows 10 version and you installed the game in the default folder, you’ll find it here.

C:\Users\XXXXX\AppData\Local\Packages\

Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Packages\

“XXXXX” is your Windows username. There is a possibility that the “AppData” folder is invisible if you never made it visible after installing Windows.

In which case, simply go to C:\Users\XXXXX\ go to the View tab, and check “Hidden Items.” The “AppData folder should appear.

Once you have found your “Community Folder” you need to download some community add-ons. You can find the first on Msfaddons.

At the moment of this writing, there are already quite a few liveries (which is good, since Asobo has been a bit sluggish at releasing those they have teased) and even a handful of airfields. More will likely be made at a later time.

Once you have downloaded the archive files, you simply need to open them with a dedicated program like 7Zip or Winrar, then drag and drop the folder or folders of the addon inside to the “Community” folder.

If the add-on’s creator has configured it correctly, that’s all you need to do. Open Microsoft Flight Simulator (or restart it if it was already open) and the add-on will be there, ready to be enjoyed.

If you want to uninstall the add-on, all you need to do is to delete its specific folder from the “Community” folder.

If you want to learn more about Microsoft Flight Simulator, you can check out our review that will tell you everything you need to know about Asobo Studio’s new and awesome game.

Microsoft Flight Simulator is already available for Windows 10 and Steam. An Xbox version is also planned for the future but has no release date for the moment.

This is all you needed to know about  installing free add-ons on Microsoft Flight Simulator. You can also check out our growing guide wiki that includes more information that can help you get started.