How to install MSFS2024
Installing Microsoft Flight Simulator requires a Microsoft account or Xbox account and its password.
If you don't have an account yet, please prepare one in advance.
Get started with Microsoft account (Microsoft)
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Contents
From purchasing to downloading MSFS
Once you have purchased and downloaded MSFS, a "Play" button will appear on the Steam app screen.
Click this.
Or double-click the game icon on your desktop.
The process from purchasing MSFS to downloading the game itself is roughly the same for all versions of MSFS. Please refer to the following pages.
Sign in
Once the game is installed, double-click the game icon to launch MSFS.
When you start up the game, you will see the screen on the right.
Click "Connect to Xbox network."
You must sign in to your Microsoft account or Xbox account here.
Click the "Sign in" button.
You will be taken to the sign-in screen.
Enter your account and then your password on the next screen.
Alternatively, if you have previously purchased MSFS2020 and are already signed in, you will see a screen like this.
The account information you use for MSFS2020 will be displayed.
Click this and enter your password on the next screen.
You'll be asked for permission to access your information.
Click Agree.
If this is your first time signing in to the Xbox network, you will next be asked to set your Xbox gamertag (pen name) and icon.
These will be displayed to other players as your name when playing online games.
Once you have entered them, click "Let's Get Started."
Next, you'll see a screen like this.
Click "Let's get started" again.
Download game data
Next, the game data download will begin.
The download progress will be displayed in a graph.
Unlike MSFS2020, MSFS2024 stores almost all data in the cloud, which keeps initial data downloads to a minimum.
When you see a screen like this, the initial data download is complete.
In my case, the download was completed in about 5 minutes.
Game Initial Setup
Next, you will perform the initial setup of the game.
Two buttons are displayed: "Accessibility" and "Start Setup".
If you click "Accessibility" on the screen above, you will see the following screen.
If you require visual, auditory, tactile or other assistance, please configure it.
If you click "Start Setup" on the screen above, you will see the screen on the right.
Check the settings for "Graphics," "Control," and "Language."
The first setting is "Graphics." You can choose from four levels: [LOW-END], [MEDIUM], [HIGH-END], and [ULTRA]. The higher the option, the higher the graphics you can enjoy, but you will need a more powerful computer. The recommended quality based on your computer's specifications is selected here. You can customize the rendering quality by clicking [Customize].
This setting can be changed later by opening the game's
(Settings)
screen
and changing it in the [Global Rendering Quality] section of the [General]-[Graphics] screen.
Once you've confirmed this, click "Continue" at the bottom right of the screen.
Next is the "Control" setting.
A list of controllers connected to your computer is displayed. Default key assignments will be made to the devices displayed here. Click [Customize] to customize the key assignment.
This setting can be changed later by opening the game's
(Settings)
screen
and select [Control] menu.
Once you've confirmed this, click "Continue" at the bottom right of the screen.
Note: If multiple devices of the same type are detected on this screen, those devices may not work properly. In that case, delete all key assignments for devices that you are not using for control.
Next is the "Language" setting.
In the [Interface Language] field, you can specify the language to be used for the screen menus, etc. If you want to display in Japanese, select "ja-JP".
In the [Sopken Dialog Language] field, you can specify the language of the radio communication voices played during the game.
In the [Subtitles] section, you can choose whether or not to add subtitles to the audio played during the game.
The Japanese voice in MSFS2024 has unnatural pronunciation, so we recommend changing the "Voice dialogue language" to English (en-US).
This setting can be changed later by opening the game's
(Settings)
screen
and select [General]-[Language] menu.
Once you've confirmed this, click "Continue" at the bottom right of the screen.
The last step is to set the piloting assistance.
"Full Support" (easy) is selected by default. Even beginners can easily fly a jetliner. Click [Customize] to customize the piloting assistance.
This setting can be changed later by opening the game's
(Settings)
screen
and select [Assistances] menu.
Once you have confirmed, click "Complete Setup" at the bottom right of the screen.
Next, you will see a screen like this and will have to wait for a while.
You will then be shown a screen like this, where you can select the avatar that will represent you in the game.
You can choose from one of the "Presets", or click "Appearance" and "Clothing" for more detailed customization.
You can also select an avatar for your co-pilot by clicking the "Co-pilot" button.
This setting can be changed later by opening the game's Pilot Profile screen and select [Customize Identity] menu.
Once you've confirmed it, click "Continue" at the bottom right of the screen.
You'll see a splash screen like this.
It contains a message saying, "MSFS2020 Marketplace content that has been purchased previosly is coming soon."
It seems that content purchased from the MSFS2020 Marketplace cannot be used yet.
Now you're on the game's main screen.
You can finally fly.
How to open the settings screen
To access the MSFS2024 game settings screen, click on the
(Settings)
icon in the top right corner of the main screen.
You will then see a screen like this, where you can configure various settings for the game.
Or click on your account name in the top right corner of the main screen...
You can access your [Pilot Profile] screen.
How to exit the game
To exit Microsoft Flight Simulator, click "Quit to Desktop" in the bottom left of the main screen, or press the [ESC] key.
You will then see the following screen.
Click "Quit to Desktop" again to exit.
How to launch the game
To launch a game installed from Steam, select the title from the "Library" screen of the Steam app and click the "Play" button.
Or double-click the game icon on your desktop.
Use content for MSFS2020
Just like MSFS2020, MSFS2024 allows you to enjoy "Flight Training", "Discovery Flights", and "World Map". In addition, all add-ons released for MSFS2020 can be used with MSFS2024.Flight Training
"Flight Training", which is useful for beginners to learn to fly, can also be enjoyed in MSFS2024.
Select the "Activities" menu on the game's main screen.
You can start training by selecting "Flight Training" from the "Activities" menu.
First flight with Microsoft Flight Simulator
DISCOVERY FLIGHTS
"DISCOVERY FLIGHTS", which allowing even beginners to start sightseeing above the world's most popular attractions without any complicated procedures, can also be enjoyed in MSFS2024.
Select the "Activities" menu on the game's main screen.
Scroll through the "Activities" menu and select "Discovery" to take a scenic flight.
First flight with Microsoft Flight Simulator
WORLD MAP
The "WORLD MAP", which allows you to take off from any airport around the world at any time and in any weather, can still be enjoyed in MSFS2024. It has been renamed "Free Flight."
On the game's main screen, select the "Free Flight" menu.
You'll then see a screen like this.
You can enjoy flying in the same way as on the MSFS2020 "World Map."
First flight with Microsoft Flight Simulator
Add-on Content
All add-ons released so far by Microsoft and third parties for MSFS2020 are expected to be usable with MSFS2024. Add-ons purchased from the MSFS2020 Marketplace can be downloaded for free in MSFS2024. Third-party add-ons for MSFS2020 can be used simply by copying the contents of the Community folder (some require a paid upgrade).
If you have already purchased the Deluxe or Premium Deluxe Edition of MSFS2020, the additional aircraft and airports specific to those editions will be available for free when you purchase any edition of MSFS2024 (e.g. Standard Edition). Whether you purchase MSFS2024 from the MS Store or Steam, your add-ons for MSFS2020 will be carried over as long as you sign in with the same Microsoft account or Xbox account.
However, the ability to migrate add-on content for MSFS2020 to MSFS2024 does not appear to be available yet.