Aircraft add‑ons are the lifeblood of a modern flight simulation experience. From photorealistic scenery and high‑fidelity aircraft models to intricate cockpit mods and custom liveries, these files transform a base simulator into a deeply personal virtual cockpit. But that investment of time and data is fragile. A corrupted community folder, a rogue system update, or a simple hard‑drive failure can wipe out months of careful curation. Regular, structured backups and a tested restoration process are your only insurance. This guide covers the essential techniques for safeguarding your add‑ons and getting them back where they belong when disaster strikes.

Why Aircraft Add‑On Backups Are Essential

The value of a backup often becomes apparent only after you need it. Consider these common scenarios where a reliable backup saves the day:

  • Simulator updates that break compatibility. Major patches (especially for Microsoft Flight Simulator) can disable unofficial mods. Without a backup, you may have to re‑download or reconfigure everything.
  • System crashes or SSD failure. Even the most reliable hardware dies. A full disk backup of your add‑on folder ensures you don’t lose hundreds of gigabytes of content.
  • Reinstallation after a clean OS wipe. When you upgrade your PC or reinstall Windows, having your add‑ons on a separate drive means you can be flying again in minutes, not days.
  • Accidental deletion or corruption. A single misclick or a bad mod can break the entire sim. A backup lets you roll back to a known good state.
  • Sharing or moving to another PC. If you build a secondary rig for VR or multiplayer, a backup provides a clean, consistent set of files.

Backups aren’t just about disaster recovery—they also give you the freedom to experiment with new add‑ons, knowing you can always revert to a stable configuration.

Understanding Your Add‑On Landscape

Before you can back up anything, you need to know where your add‑ons live. Modern flight simulators store add‑ons in well‑defined folders, but the exact location and structure vary.

Types of Add‑Ons

  • Aircraft models and mods – complete planes or modifications to existing ones (e.g., FBW A32NX, PMDG 737).
  • Scenery and airports – custom terrain, buildings, and airport enhancements.
  • Liveries – paint schemes for aircraft, usually as separate folders or texture sets.
  • Utility mods – tools like GSX, Active Sky, or FlyByWire installer files.
  • Configuration files – user‑specific settings, controller profiles, and keybindings that tie everything together.

Where Add‑Ons Are Stored by Default

Knowing the base paths is the first step. For each simulator, the core add‑on folder is:

  • Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020/2024): %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Packages\Community (or the custom path set in the user.cfg).
  • X‑Plane 11/12: X‑Plane 11 (or 12)/Custom Scenery, Aircraft, and Resources/plugins.
  • Prepar3D v4/v5: %PROGRAMDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v5\Add‑ons and the main simulator folder.

Additionally, many add‑ons install their own folders elsewhere, such as Documents or AppData. Always check the developer’s documentation for secondary locations like shared DLLs or cache files.

Core Backup Strategies

No single approach fits everyone. Your method should reflect your data volume, available storage, and how often you update your add‑ons. Below are the key strategic choices.

Full Backups vs. Incremental Backups

A full backup copies every file. It’s simple and guarantees a complete restore, but it’s time‑ and space‑intensive. An incremental backup (or differential) only copies files that changed since the last full backup. This saves time and disk space but requires the last full backup plus all incrementals to restore completely. For most simmers, a weekly full backup with daily incrementals strikes the right balance. Dedicated backup software (like Duplicati or Veeam Agent Free) handles this automatically.

Local vs. Cloud Storage

Local storage (external USB drives, second internal SSD, or NAS) offers the fastest restore and full control. However, it’s vulnerable to the same physical threats (fire, theft, power surge). Cloud storage (OneDrive, Google Drive, Backblaze B2, or S3‑compatible services) provides off‑site protection but may have bandwidth limits and slower restore speeds. The best practice is a 3‑2‑1 strategy: three copies of your data, on two different media types, with one copy off‑site. For example, keep one full backup on an external SSD, a second on a NAS, and a third on Backblaze B2.

Versioning and Redundancy

Simply overwriting the same backup file each time invites disaster if the source becomes corrupted. Use software that supports versioning (keep multiple time snapshots) such as Windows File History, Duplicati, or a simple script that timestamps folders. Also, consider maintaining two separate backup sets: one for your current stable add‑on set and another for testing new installs.

These instructions assume you have identified the correct folders. Adapt paths to your installation.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020/2024

  1. Close the simulator and any related tools (e.g., Add‑Ons Linker, FBW installer).
  2. Navigate to the Community folder (default: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Packages\Community) and copy the entire directory to your backup location.
  3. If you use a custom UserCfg.opt file or a manual Official folder override, back those up as well. Also, consider backing up %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Packages for your rolling cache file if you want to preserve it.
  4. For cloud‑backed add‑ons (e.g., from the in‑game marketplace), they are stored in the Official folder and can also be backed up, though they are often re‑downloadable. Your personal config files (cameras, controls) live in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Packages\Official as well.
  5. Optionally, use a tool like MSFS Add‑On Linker to manage symlinks and then simply back up the linked folders.

X‑Plane 11/12

  1. Ensure X‑Plane is not running.
  2. Back up the Custom Scenery, Aircraft (including the Laminar Research folder if you have default liveries), and Resources/plugins directories.
  3. Also copy the Output/preferences folder (key bindings, joystick configs, render settings) and any custom X-Plane.prf files.
  4. If you use third‑party FMS data (e.g., Navigraph), back up those folders separately—they are often outside the main sim directory.

Prepar3D v4/v5

  1. Back up the main simulator folder (e.g., C:\Program Files\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v5) but exclude large default files you can reinstall. Focus on SimObjects, Scenery, Effects, and Gauges.
  2. Copy the Add‑Ons folder under %PROGRAMDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v5.
  3. Include your Documents\Prepar3D v5 Files (flight plans, saved flights) and %APPDATA%\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v5 for configuration files.
  4. Many P3D add‑ons install into Add‑on Packages or use the C:\Users\Public\Documents\Lockheed Martin area—check each add‑on’s documentation.

After copying, verify the backup by checking file sizes or running a checksum utility (Get-FileHash in PowerShell).

Best Practices for Restoring Add‑Ons

Restoring is not just copying files back—care must be taken to avoid conflicts and missing dependencies.

  1. Always close the simulator completely. Even background updaters can lock files.
  2. Review the backup date. Restore a backup that was taken before you added any problematic mods. If unsure, restore the most recent confirmed stable version.
  3. Use a clean restore process. Optionally, delete the target add‑on folder (after backing up any new files you want to keep) before copying the backup. This prevents leftover orphan files that can cause conflicts.
  4. Copy file permissions and attributes. Some files (e.g., XML for FSUIPC in P3D) require specific ownership or rights. Use tools like Robocopy with the /COPY:DATSOU switch to preserve everything.
  5. Test incrementally. After restoring, launch the sim and check that core aircraft load, scenery renders correctly, and plugins activate. Use the built‑in log file (MSFS: console.log, X‑Plane: Log.txt, P3D: Prepar3D.log) to spot errors.
  6. Re‑install any missing framework dependencies. Some add‑ons (e.g., FlyWithLua, CEF based tools) require runtime libraries that might not be in the backup. Keep installers handy.

If a restore fails completely, revisit your backup copy—it may be corrupt. That’s why versioning and multiple copies are vital.

Automating Your Backup Workflow

Manual backups are easy to postpone. Automation ensures consistency without mental overhead.

  • Built‑in scheduler + scripting. A simple PowerShell script that uses Robocopy to mirror the Community folder can be run weekly via Windows Task Scheduler. Example: robocopy "source" "dest" /MIR /R:3 /W:10 /LOG+:"backup_log.txt".
  • Third‑party backup tools. Duplicati supports encrypted, versioned backups to local, cloud, or NAS. FreeFileSync offers an intuitive GUI for scheduling sync tasks. Both let you restore point‑in‑time snapshots.
  • Cloud sync clients. OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive folder sync can act as a backup, but beware of accidental deletion propagation. Use version history features to recover older versions of files. For large add‑on folders, consider selective sync or a dedicated cloud backup service that keeps multiple versions.
  • NAS snapshots. If you have a NAS (Synology, QNAP), schedule daily snapshots of the shared folder where you store the backup. This integrates directly with your local restore pipeline.

Whichever method you choose, test the automation at least once to ensure it doesn’t fail silently (e.g., destination drive full).

Testing and Maintenance

A backup you never test is a false security. Set a calendar reminder every three months to perform a full restore to a spare drive or a secondary PC. That process reveals broken file paths, permission issues, or corrupted archives.

Maintain a simple text file or spreadsheet listing each add‑on, its version, the source URL, and its backup date. This “inventory” helps you prioritize restores and know which add‑ons you can skip (e.g., freeware that is easy to re‑download). Update this document whenever you add or remove major packs.

Finally, periodically check the health of your backup media. Hard drives and SSDs can develop bad sectors. A smart test (via CrystalDiskInfo or your NAS dashboard) can warn you before data loss occurs.

Closing Thoughts

Backing up aircraft add‑ons is not a glamorous job, but it is the single most important habit a simmer can develop. Whether you fly casually with a dozen liveries or manage a 400 GB collection of high‑end scenery, the principles remain the same: know your files, use multiple copies, automate what you can, and test your restore process. The next time an update breaks your community folder or a drive dies, you’ll be thankful you took the twenty minutes to set it up. Get your backup workflow in place today—your future flights depend on it.

For further reading on sim‑specific backup techniques, consult the official MSFS forums and the X‑Plane.org community.