Windows 11 Pro. Clean install. Updated all drivers, apps, etc.
Set Offline Permissions to ON in Microsoft Store and in the Windows Xbox app.
Installed MSFS 2020 from the Microsoft Store, which showed the game downloading in the Xbox app.
Ran MSFS 2020 while ONLINE. Works.
Exited and ran MSFS 2020 several times. Works. Note: Had to use Task Manager to exit the app because it just hangs.
Turned-off wi-fi. Ran and exited MSFS 2020 in OFFLINE mode several times. Works.
Shutdown/Restarted PC with wi-fi off. Ran MSFS 2020. DOES NOT WORK. Insert Game Disc message always appears.
Turned wi-fi ON. Ran MSFS 2020. Works.
Turned wi-fi OFF. Ran MSFS 2020. Works.
So, MSFS 2020 works offline UNTIL I SHUTDOWN OR RESTART THE PC.
Notes:
- I have turned online functionality OFF. [Options->General Options->Data->Online Functionality->Turn OFF]
- The only “Add-in” installed is Air Manager 5, but that wasn’t always running.
- I noticed that the “Exit Hang” bug doesn’t appear when in OFFLINE mode. Interesting.
- When running in OFFLINE MODE, I will see the following message:
|WARNING
Due to an unexpected error, your game license cannot be authenticated. To access the online services, make sure to sign in to the Microsoft Store and to Microsoft Flight Simulator with the Xbox Live account that was used to purchase Microsoft Flight SImulator.
All I have to do is to click OK, and the game resumes normally.
I know that my MSN email address is what I use to log-on in Windows and in the Xbox app, so not like I used two different accounts here.