Fix: Microsoft Flight Simulator Stuck on Loading Screen on PC and Xbox Series S/X

When it comes to a popular and stunning flight simulation video game, Microsoft Flight Simulator is the best in class for years. It’s a series of amateur flight simulators available for Windows and Xbox platforms. Meanwhile, Microsoft has recently released a new update that comes with exciting features. Unfortunately, some players cannot get into the game because the Microsoft Flight Simulator is Stuck on Loading Screen on PC and Xbox Series S/X.

Now, if you’re also one of the victims to encounter such an issue, you can follow this troubleshooting guide completely to try resolving it. Multiple players are reporting that the game gets stuck on the loading screen while trying to launch it on the PC as well as Xbox gaming consoles. This issue seems persistent enough to avoid or get out of it until players exit the game and relaunch it. But this frustrating issue seems to appear again and again.

Fix: Microsoft Flight Simulator Stuck on Loading Screen on PC and Xbox Series S/X

The chances are high that somehow you’re facing startup crashes, graphical glitches, lags, stutters, frame drops, etc apart from the stuck on the loading screen issue. If that’s actually happening to you then nothing to worry about it. This kind of issue is quite common for video games and you can try manually fixing it by following the possible workarounds mentioned below. Make sure not to skip any method because even a simple trick can be helpful for you.

1. Run the game as an administrator

It’s highly recommended to run the game executable file on your Windows PC as an administrator to run the program properly. To do this:

• Right-click on the Microsoft Flight Simulator executable application file on your PC.
• Now, select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.
• Click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to checkmark it.
• Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.

2. Update GPU Driver

We’ll suggest you check for the graphics driver update and install it on the PC. Updating the graphics driver on the PC might gonna fix visual glitches or jitters in the gameplay. To do that:

• Right-click on the Start Menu to open up the Quick Access Menu.
• Click on Device Manager from the list.
• Now, double-click on the Display adapters category to expand the list.
• Then right-click on the dedicated graphics card name.
• Select Update driver > Choose Search automatically for drivers.
• If there is an update available, it’ll automatically download and install the latest version.
• Once done, make sure to reboot your computer to change the effects.

You should download and install the latest version of the graphics driver on the PC according to your specific graphics card model. Nvidia graphics card users can visit the Nvidia official site and AMD graphics card users can visit the AMD website.

3. Power Cycle on your Wi-Fi Router

You should perform a power cycle on your Wi-Fi router to refresh the internet connection whatsoever. Sometimes issues with the network connectivity may cause multiple issues with the game launching or connecting to the game server. It’s better to turn off the router and unplug the power cable from it. Then wait for around 30 seconds and plug back the power cable in. Now, turn on the router then connect to the internet to check for the issue.

4. Delete Microsoft Flight Simulator Cache Folder

It looks like deleting the game cache folder on the PC may help you to run the game properly if there is an issue with the temporary cache data. To do that:

• Press the Windows + R keys on the keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
• Now, type %appdata% and click on OK to open up the AppData folder on the local drive.
• Search for the Microsoft Flight Simulator folder and delete it. This contains all the game-related temporary cache files.
• Finally, reboot the PC, and run the game again to check if Microsoft Flight Simulator is still getting stuck on the loading screen or not.

5. Disable Security Programs

Make sure to turn off security programs on the PC if you’re experiencing the game launching or loading data issues. Sometimes aggressive antivirus programs may block ongoing connections with the game files or servers. To do so:

• Click on the Start Menu > Type firewall.
• Select Windows Defender Firewall from the search result.
• Now, click on Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off from the left pane.
• A new page will open > Select the Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended) option for both the Private & Public Network Settings.
• Once selected, click on OK to save changes.

Make sure to disable the antivirus program on the PC temporarily by following the steps below:

• Press Windows + I keys to open the Windows Settings menu.
• Click on Update & Security > Click on Windows Security from the left pane.
• Now, click on the Open Windows Security button.
• Go to Virus & threat protection > Click on Manage settings.
• Next, you’ll need to simply turn off the Real-time protection toggle.
• If prompted, click on Yes to proceed further.

6. Run Compatibility Troubleshooter

If none of the methods worked for you then try running the compatibility troubleshooter on the PC with the Microsoft Flight Simulator game. To do so:

• First of all, exit the Microsoft Flight Simulator game > Press the Ctrl+Alt+Del keys to open Task Manager.
• Go to the Details tab > Locate the MicrosoftFlightSimulator.exe application task from the list.
• Right-click on the particular task and click on Properties.
• Next, leave the Properties window opened, and go back to the Task Manager.
• Right-click on the MicrosoftFlightSimulator.exe application file > Click on End Task.
• Click on the End Process button > Now, right-click on the Microsoft Flight Simulator game icon.
• Select the Properties option > Go to the Compatibility tab.
• Click on the ‘Run compatibility troubleshooter’ button.
• Click on ‘Try recommended settings’ and test the program.
• Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the troubleshooting process.

7. Check your Internet Connection

Make sure to check out the internet connection whether it’s working fine or not. Sometimes issues with the network may trigger several connectivity problems like game server connection or launching the game. It’s always better to switch the Wi-Fi to wired or vice versa if you’re facing any kind of issues. Otherwise, try running other online games or services to check for the issue. You can also contact your ISP for further assistance.

8. Clear Microsoft Flight Simulator Game Data (Xbox Console Only)

It seems that deleting the installed game saved data on the console can also fix several issues with the game launching or gameplay. You should try performing this method to check for the issue.

• First, quit the Microsoft Flight Simulator game > Select My games & apps.
• Select See all > Make sure to highlight the Microsoft Flight Simulator game.
• Select Manage game and add-ons > Go down to Saved data.
• Choose the Delete all button > Wait for it to complete.
• Finally, relaunch the Microsoft Flight Simulator game to check for the issue.

9. Hard Reset your Xbox Console

In most cases, performing the hard reset of your console can fix system glitches or cache data issues from the game itself. To do so:

• Go to Guide by pressing the Xbox button on your controller.
• Then go to Profile & System > Select Settings.
• Choose System > Select Console Info.
• Select Reset > If prompted, confirm the task to proceed.
• Wait for the console to reset completely.
• Once done, make sure to sign in to your Xbox account.
• Finally, install the Microsoft Flight Simulator game properly, and then check for the crashing issue.

10. Update the System Software

We’ll recommend you check for system updates on the PlayStation or Xbox console or even on PC to ensure there is no problem happening due to the system. To do so:

For Xbox:

• Press the Home button on the Xbox console to open the Dashboard menu.
• Select Settings from the bottom of the menu > Choose to All Settings.
• Choose to System > Select Updates.
• Select Update Console > Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the update process.
• Once done, make sure to restart the console to apply changes.

For Windows:

• Press Windows + I keys to open up the Windows Settings menu.
• Next, click on Update & Security > Select Check for updates under the Windows Update section.
• If there is a feature update available, select Download and install.
• Wait for some time until the update gets completed.
• Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes immediately.

11. Update Microsoft Flight Simulator

If in case, you haven’t updated your Microsoft Flight Simulator game for a while then make sure to follow the steps below to check for updates and install the latest version. To do this:

For PC: [Steam]

• Open the Steam client > Go to Library > Click on Microsoft Flight Simulator from the left pane.
• It’ll automatically search for the available update. If there is an update available, make sure to click on Update.
• It may take some time to install the update > Once done, make sure to close the Steam client.
• Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes, and then try launching the game again.

For Xbox App:

• Close the Microsoft Flight Simulator game, if it’s already opened.
• Now, open the Xbox app on the PC > Log in to the valid account.
  • To sign out or check what account has automatically signed in, select the profile icon.
• Select the Library icon > Click on Manage installs.
• Click on Update Microsoft Flight Simulator and wait for the game to complete the update.
  • You can also turn on or off Automatic updates, pause, and resume game updates as per your preference.

For Microsoft Store:

• Close Microsoft Flight Simulator if it’s already running in the foreground.
• Open the Microsoft Store app on the PC.
• Now, log in with a valid Microsoft account.
  • To sign out or check what account has automatically signed in, select the profile icon
• Select Library > Scroll down and click on Microsoft Flight Simulator.
• If there is an update available for this game, it’ll appear first on the Library list.
• Click on Update and wait for the process to be completed.
• Once done, make sure to close all programs, and reboot the PC to apply changes.
• If in case, there is no update available for Microsoft Flight Simulator then you can click on Get updates to refresh the view.

For Xbox Console:

• Make sure to turn on your Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S gaming console.
• Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the menu.
• Now, scroll down to the right > Select ‘Settings’.
• Scroll down until you see ‘Updates & downloads’.
• From the next page, select ‘Keep my console up to date’ and ‘Keep my games & games up to date’ to enable the checkbox.

This will do the job automatically whenever new updates are available.

12. Verify and Repair Game Files (PC Only)

Sometimes missing or corrupted game files on the PC may occur some issues with the game application launching properly or start crashing. It doesn’t mean that you’ll always get an error message or warning notice after crashing. A minor but useful game file may get corrupted or missing quite easily. Luckily, most of the game launchers do come with a useful feature to automatically verify and repair game files online. To do so:

• Launch the Steam client > Click on Library.
• Right-click on Microsoft Flight Simulator from the list of installed games.
• Now, click on Properties > Go to Local Files.

• Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.
• You’ll have to wait for the process until it gets completed.
• Once done, just restart your computer.

That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.