What Is MSFS 2024 and How Do You Find Free Add-Ons for It?
MSFS 2024 is the 2024 edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator, and free add-ons for it are distributed mainly through community sites such as Flightsim.to, which lists freeware aircraft, liveries, airports, scenery, and tweaks for both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024. The practical catch is compatibility: because the two simulators are separate platforms, an add-on built for MSFS 2020 will not automatically work in MSFS 2024, so the version a file was made for is the first thing to check before downloading.
What MSFS 2024 Is
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a flight simulator platform that shares a name and a broad feature set with MSFS 2020 but is treated as its own product by the community that builds add-ons for it. Flightsim.to, one of the larger freeware libraries, maintains separate catalog entries for the two versions, which is the clearest signal that content is not universally interchangeable between them.
For a user, that means three things matter when browsing:
- The sim version a file targets — MSFS 2020, MSFS 2024, or both.
- The add-on category — aircraft, liveries, airports, scenery, or tweaks.
- The install method — most community content is dropped into a folder rather than installed through a store.
Where to Find Free MSFS 2024 Add-Ons
Flightsim.to is the reference point here: it describes itself as a source of freeware mods and add-ons for both MSFS 2020 and 2024, covering new aircraft, liveries, airports, tweaks, and more at no cost. Its own keyword set — MSFS, MSFS 2024, MSFS 2020, flight simulator, add-ons, mods, aircraft, scenery, airports, liveries — maps directly onto the categories you will see in its listings.
When you land on a listing page, the useful fields are:
| What to look at | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Stated sim version | Tells you whether the file targets 2024, 2020, or both |
| Category | Aircraft, livery, airport, scenery, or tweak |
| File contents | Whether it is a folder to drop in or a package to install |
| Version/update notes | Whether the author has revised it since release |
If a listing does not state a sim version, treat that as missing information rather than assuming it works in 2024.
Checking Compatibility Before You Download
Compatibility is the single biggest source of wasted downloads. A livery or scenery pack made for one simulator version may load, partially load, or not appear at all in the other.
A workable check, in order:
- Read the listing's stated sim version. If it says MSFS 2020 only, do not expect it to work in 2024.
- Look for any note about 2024 support in the description or update history.
- Check whether the add-on depends on other content (another aircraft, a library pack) that you would also need.
- Prefer listings that explicitly name MSFS 2024 over ones that are silent on version.
Installing Community Add-Ons
Community add-ons are generally installed by placing files into the simulator's community folder rather than through an in-sim store. The exact folder path depends on your installation, so confirm it from your own sim setup rather than from a generic guide.
The general shape of the process:
- Download the add-on from the listing.
- Extract it if it arrives as an archive.
- Identify the package folder — the folder that contains the add-on's manifest, not the outer folder from the archive.
- Move that folder into the community folder for MSFS 2024.
- Restart the simulator and check whether the content appears.
Expected result: the aircraft, livery, airport, or scenery shows up in the relevant in-sim menu or location. If it does not, the version mismatch or folder placement is the first thing to re-check.
Common Problems and What They Usually Mean
The add-on does not appear at all. Most often the file targets MSFS 2020, or the wrong folder level was copied into the community folder.
The sim crashes on load. Frequently a version mismatch or a conflict with another add-on. Removing the most recently added content is the fastest way to isolate it.
The add-on appears but is broken or incomplete. Usually a dependency is missing, or the file was built for a different sim version and only partially loads.
It worked before an update. Simulator updates can change what older community content supports; re-check the listing for a revised version.
Making the Choice
If you are on MSFS 2024, filter for content that explicitly names 2024, and treat 2020-only listings as a separate library you can revisit only if the author adds 2024 support. Flightsim.to's split between MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 listings exists precisely because that distinction decides whether a download is worth your time.