Installing add-ons and mods from Flightsim.to
This guide will walk you through the process of installing add-ons and mods downloaded from Flightsim.to into your game. By following these detailed steps, you'll be able to enhance your flight simulation experience with new aircraft, liveries, scenery, and other custom content.
Installing a paid add-on (such as an aircraft or scenery from the Flightsim.to Store) for Microsoft Flight Simulator works very similarly — and often identically — to installing freeware add-ons downloaded from Flightsim.to.
Step 1 - Browsing Add-Ons
Flightsim.to offers a wealth of resources and mods to expand your virtual horizons within Microsoft Flight Simulator, allowing you to fully enjoy the creative and diverse offerings from the Flightsim.to community. These include scenery for airfields, landscapes, and cities, as well as liveries for your favorite planes. Here are some useful resources on how to find and download the appropriate add-ons.
- Browse through Aircraft Liveries on Flightsim.to
- Browse through Scenery Enhancements on Flightsim.to
- Find Free Aircraft on Flightsim.to
Basically, you can browse through everything using the website's top navigation bar that is divided into Liveries, Sceneries and Others (such as tools or aircraft). Using Flightsim.to's browsing features, you can also find trending content:
Step 2 - Downloading the Add-On
Almost all content on Flightsim.to is available for free download. Click the Download button on the file pages - usually located in the right-hand sidebar below the images - to start downloading the file, which will typically be in ZIP or RAR format. Be sure to note the location where you save the file, as you will need to access it later to open and extract its contents.
You can also find all your downloads in your My Downloads history, or if you have purchased an add-on, after your purchase, you can download the add-on directly from your Store Purchases page on Flightsim.to or directly from the product page.
Step 3 - Locating Your Community Folder
To install Microsoft Flight Simulator add-ons, locating the Community folder is crucial. In the next step, we will extract the downloaded add-on in this folder. This folder's location varies based on your installation type.
Here's how to find it. For installations via Windows Store or Game Pass, navigate to:
C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Packages\Community
If installed through Steam, the path is generally:
C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft Flight Simulator\Packages\Community
If you have chosen to install the game in a custom location, your actual Community folder location may be different. We have a detailed guide to locating your Community Folder here. If you still can't find the right path, you should definitely check out these YouTube tutorials.
Step 4 - Installation
Basically all you need to do is extract the contents of the downloaded zipped folders into your Microsoft Flight Simulator Community folder. After restarting the game, the content will be available. This applies to most scenery enhancements and liveries, as well as aircraft.
Inside the downloaded folder from Flightsim.to, you may find one or more folders — the one you're looking for is usually the one that contains the manifest.json file. This is the actual add-on folder that you need to paste into your Community folder.
- Unzipping and Placing Mods in the Community Folder: Use a tool like WinRAR or 7-Zip to unzip (extract) the files. It's crucial that you extract these files directly into the Community folder without any additional subfolders to avoid errors.
- Ensuring Proper Folder Structure: Each mod folder should directly contain files such as layout.json and manifest.json. Avoid having extra layers of folders as this can prevent Microsoft Flight Simulator from properly reading the mod files.
- Verifying Installation: After placing the mod in the Community folder, restart Microsoft Flight Simulator to see the changes. The add-on should now be loaded and available in-game — for example, an aircraft will appear in your aircraft selection menu, or scenery will be visible in the world.
If your mods are not appearing in the game, first ensure they are correctly unpacked in the Community folder. Each mod should be directly under the Community folder without nested subfolders, as this can prevent proper loading. Restart Microsoft Flight Simulator to refresh the directory and check if the mods appear.
Always read the included README or installation instructions if provided by the developer, in case there are special steps required.
Video Tutorials
We are sure you want to check out these YouTube Tutorials for a illustration of the process: How to Download Add-Ons for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I download addons from Flightsim.to?
To download addons from FlightSim.to, first select the addon you are interested in and navigate to its page. Below the images of the addon, there is a prominent "Download" button. Click this button, and you will be redirected to a download page. Wait a few seconds, and the download will automatically begin. Save the file and follow the instructions above to extract the contents into your Community folder.
How do I install liveries from Flightsim.to into Microsoft Flight Simulator?
To install liveries into Microsoft Flight Simulator from Flightsim.to, download the desired livery from the website. Most liveries are designed for easy installation using a drag-and-drop method. Simply drag the downloaded livery file and drop it into the Community folder in Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Where can I get free aircraft for Microsoft Flight Simulator?
Click on the Others menu tab in the upper navigation on Flightsim.to, from there you can either navigate to New Aircraft Releases, Helicopters, Airline Aviation, or see all available categories through the All Categories page.