Hey everyone. I’m a bit new here and didn’t know where to put this topic but anyway, I’m an avid simmer/ avgeek and making the switch to PC very soon to enhance my flight sim hobby since my Xbox series S doesn’t really put up with MSFS. Anyways, I have a lot of purchased DLCs I got on Xbox and when I move to pc I don’t want to spend hundreds all over again to get all my purchases and I don’t really know what version I want to get. Do I get the steam version? Or do I get the Microsoft store version and transfer everything. Are the marketplaces the same on both Microsoft store and Steam? Which one is better to mod? Any response would help. Sorry if it’s a loaded question. Thanks everyone
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If you have it on xbox you will be able to use it on pc with the same account, you don’t need to buy it again on the MS Store or Steam. Also, all your add-ons will be attached to your MS Acc.
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Alright sweet. And is the market place on MS and steam the same? More content then Xbox?
They are the same, they have the same products, but, AFAIK, the purchases are exclusive. It means if you purchased your add-ons on the Microsoft Store version (console or pc), you won’t be able to access them with the MSFS Steam version (you will need to buy them again).
Edit: If by XBOX you mean the console, yes, there are more products for PC than for the XBOX console. But the in-game store is the same for the MS version and Steam.
Their FAQ:
Q: Is there any differences between the Steam and Microsoft Store version?
A: There is no difference. The sim shares the same multiplayer world and services. However, content is tied to the platform you are playing on—if you purchase a DLC on Steam, you cannot transfer it to the Microsoft Store version and vice-versa.
Microsoft Flight Simulator FAQ – Microsoft Flight Simulator Support (zendesk.com)
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There is literally no difference. Both just download just the core files (a few GB). All the rest is downloaded in-game regardless where you buy it.
I prefer the MS store version for 2 reasons:
- I don’t see why Steam should get a cut of the pie.
- Theoretically I can also play on XBox (if I had one).
I might be wrong, but I believe that if you bought it on XBox, you also have it on PC. You don’t need to buy again. Just make sure you’re signed into Windows using the same Microsoft account.
Correct. Exactly how you described it.
Functionality wise, no. But there are a few differences. The Steam version has a more exposed .exe file and other file structure overall. And whatever you do. DO NOT click “Verify file integrety” on Steam. It will wipe your whole installation
Yes, but these files are not interchangable. You can’t use the MS Store repository on your Steam installation. You have to redownload them…
Correct. Also with the marketplace stuff.
What do you mean by that? It’s true that the main executable is a bit buried in the Store versions, but the user settings cfg is the only thing you would be possibly touching there anyway.
The 2 content folders will be wherever you decide to put them during the installation. By default they are also buried in some cryptic location, but there is no problem in having them somewhere else. You just need to click and pick a different folder.
What do you mean by “MS Store repository”?. Are you saying the Steam version doesn’t have the in-game marketplace - that downloads into the “Official” folder? Really? I was not aware of that.
I assumed it’s all the same past the initial installation of the core files.
Normally, that’s true. But somehow some people are very attached to an accesible .exe for for example reshade etc.
It is indeed all the same functionality.
However, you can’t “re-use” the same repository for both Steam and Store. So if you want both versions, you do have to download the 180+ GB repository twice. The files are signed differently or something. Haven’t looked too deep into it. I just know you can’t share a repository installation.
One advantage to Steam is that you can use Steam funds if that’s important in any way. (For example, for some people it’s very easy to access Steam gift cards). I don’t know how the MS store compares in that regard.
I bought it on Steam because I like Steam achievements and because I have 800 odd other games there. It shows my friends what I’m playing. My friends can watch my stream any time they want on Steam.
I have the MS-Store version, and yeah, it was a PITA to install Reshade and get it working. But it’s doable. I just had to watch a bunch of YouTube videos and read a bunch of online instructions. Worth it, though…
Hi Cahzito, I’m a bit confused, sorry. I currently use MSFS on my Xbox Series X, but since the options are limited, I’m thinking of switching to a PC. If I install MSFS from the Microsoft Store using my Xbox account, will it be the same as using it on the console, with limited mods? Will I be able to keep all my progress from the console and install new mods for the PC on the same account? Thank you, so much.
I’ve got both an xbox and a PC and use a store copy of the sim.
If you bought the sim on your xbox, you will also be able to install the store version on your PC using by using the same account. All progress, achievements etc. are linked to your account and will be synced on both platforms.
You will be able to install any marketplace adds you purchased on your xbox on your PC. Any future market place purchases will be useable on both platforms (subject to compatibility).
You won’t be able to play the game concurrently on both the xbox and PC.
You will also be able to download free and paid non-market place add ons for your PC, although these will not be available on your xbox.
Hello @LULADRAUM71,
I can confirm everything @JakeMazar wrote above is correct.
If you own Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox Series X|S, you already also on it on PC (and for anyone else reading this, if you purchased the PC version of MSFS from the Xbox app or the Microsoft Store, you also already own it for Xbox).
You can install the PC version by using the Xbox app for Windows while logged in using the same account you use on your Xbox console. All your Marketplace purchases from Xbox will carry over to your PC install (as long as those products are also available for PC), as will your achievements, logbook, and any other progress. You can swap back and forth between PC and console, and if you make future Marketplace purchases on PC, those will also be available on Xbox (with the same caveat mentioned above about the add-ons being compatible with both platforms).
Please note that you can only have MSFS open on one device at a time, so you can’t simultaneously fly on both PC and Xbox. You have to close MSFS on one platform before you can open it on the other.
Thanks,
MSFS Team
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- I fixed a spelling error (own it on, not on it on), and
- I believe Owning MSFS is not the same as playing it via Game Pass? You must OWN it I think, and I think you must have purchased the game for you to OWN it?
I don’t know what it means to have purchased DLC if you’ve been playing it via Game Pass? Can you purchase DLC (via the in-game Marketplace) if you’re playing it via Game Pass? If so, will DLC purchased when using Game Pass to play the game transfer to your user if you purchase MSFS at a later date from the same user.
I don’t think you can install it on PC if you’re playing MSFS via Game Pass (if that’s still a thing). Maybe I’m wrong?
And, also, make sure you use the same Xbox user on PC as you were on your Xbox.
This is a little off topic, but I think important related information…
et. al. … P.S. I’ve found that device specific UI changes are stored globally. So if you make a UI change on one device (i.e. UI text size), it changes for all devices.
I switch back and forth between a 15" laptop to a 4K 55" TV screen, and this can be a pain. I like the smallest text I can get on my 4K TV, and that’s kind of hard to read on a 15" monitor,… so even remembering where text size is in the options is hard in the first place, and then figuring out which option you have to change is hard to read and figure out on the 15" screen. And then when I go back to my 4K, I feel like the characters are an inch tall.
And don’t forget to close MSFS all the way on the first device before starting MSFS on the second device. Trying to start MSFS on a second device when you forgot you left it running on the first causes other issues with it reading your cloud stored data. I forgot once, and I told MSFS to close it on my first device from the session when I was starting it on my second device, and it forgot my controller settings and I had to rebuild them. It might have forgotten other settings as well, but I haven’t noticed yet.
Hello @FlyingsCool5650,
Yes, PC Game Pass is still available, either as a PC-only subscription or as part of Game Pass Ultimate which gives you access to all of the PC, console, and cloud versions.
Game Pass players are able to make purchases from the Marketplace, and these purchases will be available on both PC and Xbox provided that:
a) You are using the same Xbox account credentials on PC and console
b) The specific Marketplace product is available on both platforms
Additionally, if you once subscribed to Game Pass and then purchased Microsoft Flight Simulator outright, all your Marketplace purchases will carry over (once again as long as you use the same Xbox account).
Thanks,
MSFS Team
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I mainly hang out on other FS forums, not here. There are loads of messages saying that doing things on the Steam version is easier than on the store version. Things like Addon Linker to move stuff in and out of both community and official (instead of just community) and accessing .cfg files.
And especially the sim updates and world updates. People are always reinstalling or changing stuff in the Xbox store and so forth, while its all problem free on Steam. Even purchases in the marketplace give less trouble hanging up on the Steam versions.
I am going by what I read on the other forums.
But if you are not already familiar with Steam, but you have bought and used non FS things from the MS store, then I would not get the steam version of flight simulator.
Searching the file structure on Steam is way easier than on the store version.
After purchasing from either the store or from steam, do not accept the default location to install MSFS. Instead pick something with a simple path like for instance C:/MSFS2020. In addition to files being easier to find, the beta versions of MSFS will work better in non default locations (even according to Microsoft, this is so).
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Stay with the MS store version. Just find the primary root and and community folders and pin them them to quick access on your PC. Never have to look for it again. I have those and the addon linker folder right there ready to go.
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Unless something has changed in WindowsApp folder, file management is a lot easier if you install MSFS in a non-default location as @DartoFielder noted above. WindowsApp is encrypted, and keeps you from doing a lot of things. Or at least it was.
Personally, I put MSFS on its own NVMe drive, D:\FS2020.
Sadly, that 1TB drive is now full, and I’ve had to move some addons out… Gonna have to figure out if I want to change it out with a 2TB (and reinstall everything, or move Community, or a portion of it if I feel like learning how to use addonlinker, to a slower physical drive.
I’ve never found anything I can’t get into and tinker with unless it’s encrypted by the developer. Only thing different is it takes a minute to figure out where the community folder is as it’s not in a logical ‘just keep clicking’ place.