Microsoft Flight Simulator FAQ

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  1. Microsoft Flight Simulator Support
  2. Microsoft Flight Simulator
  3. Install, Performance & Graphics

Checklist: How to troubleshoot crashing/CTDs issues

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If you are experiencing occasional or recurring crashing issues, we recommend doing the following. 

 

BOOT IN SAFE MODE AND TRY AGAIN

If your last session ended because of a crash, the next time you launch the sim you will be prompted to continue in Safe Mode or Normal Mode. Select Continue in Safe Mode and try again.

 

Microsoft Flight Simulator stopped crashing in Safe Mode

When launching Microsoft Flight Simulator in Safe Mode, mods from the Community folder and third-party content from the marketplace will be temporarily deactivated. If the sim stops crashing in Safe Mode, reactivate your Community and 3rd party content one by one to find out the culprit.
Microsoft Flight Simulator keeps crashing in Safe Mode If the sim keeps crashing in Safe Mode, please go through the checklist below to ensure that no essential applications or updates are missing.

 

CHECKLIST

 

RESTART YOUR DEVICE

As basic as this is, a simple restart can set many things right.

 

MAKE SURE THE ENGLISH (US) LANGUAGE PACK IS NOT MISSING

Microsoft Flight Simulator requires the English (United States) Language Package.

  • Go to Language Settings > Speech > Manage Voice
  • Click on Add voices
  • In the search bar type "English"
  • Install the English (United States) Language Pack

 

MAKE SURE WINDOWS IS UP TO DATE

  1. Press the Start button on the taskbar, type settings, and then select Settings.
  2. On Windows 10, select Update & Security. On Windows 11, select Windows Update.
  3. On the Windows Update page, select Check for updates to see if any updates are available for your device.
  4. Once the updates have downloaded, select Install now to start the installation.
  5. Following installation, we recommend that you restart your device so that the latest updates can take effect.

For more info, go to Windows Update

 

SYNCHRONIZE TIME SETTINGS

  • Go back to Start, then select Settings > Time & Language.
  • Select Date & Time and toggle the “Set time automatically setting" and “Set time zone automatically” to ON.
  • Click on Synchronize your clock to synchronize your system's clock with an Internet time server.
  • Then click Region, double-check that your country or region is correctly set up (for example if you live in Canada, make sure that the region isn’t automatically set to the USA or vice-versa)

 

MAKE SURE BOTH THE XBOX AND GAMING SERVICES APPS ARE UP TO DATE

  1. Press the Start button on the taskbar, type store, and open the Microsoft Store app.
  2. Select Library.
  3. Under Updates & downloads, check if there are any updates available for the Xbox app or Gaming Services app. If an update is available, select Update.

 

MAKE SURE YOU'RE SIGNED IN TO THE XBOX APP AND THE STORE WITH THE SAME ACCOUNT

To make sure your permissions for the game can be validated, be sure to sign in to both the Store and the Xbox app using the account that was used to purchase Microsoft Flight Simulator.

For help with signing in, go to: Sign in to Xbox

 

**How to install the Xbox app

On your Windows device, select Search on the taskbar, type Xbox, and then select it from the list. If the app isn’t installed, you can get it for free from the Microsoft Store.

 

LAUNCH MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR AND TRY AGAIN

NOTE: If you have purchased Microsoft Flight Simulator via the Microsoft Store, launch Microsoft Flight Simulator from the Xbox App instead of the store or a shortcut.

 

RESTORE THE SIM TO ITS VANILLA STATE AND TRY AGAIN

If you are still stuck on the loading screen or the sim crashes before loading fully after exhausting the basic steps listed above, you must restore the sim to its vanilla state (i.e. undo any modification made to your config files by yourself or by a plug-in you use, remove plug-ins and software additions that allow for the customization or add new functions to Microsoft Flight Simulator, uninstall Navigraph and use NavData Nav Center to remove the Navigraph database etc...)

You'll find step-by-step instructions in our guide "How to restore the sim to its vanilla state."

 

If the problem persists after restoring the sim to its vanilla state, search the Bugs & Issues forum and visit the knowledge base for additional solutions.

 

 

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