MS Store won’t install Flight Simulator – Why it happens and How to Fix it?

You may fail to install MS Flight Simulator from MS-Store if the Windows of your system is outdated. Moreover, corrupt Gaming Services may also cause the issue at hand. The issue arises when a user tries to install MS Flight Simulator from the MS Store but fails to do so. The Install button is missing, nothing happens when the Install button is clicked, or sometimes an error message is shown.

Before moving on, here are the pre-requisites you should perform:

• Check if booting your system with bare minimums and using an ethernet cable to connect to the router solves the issue.
• Ensure that you are using the correct MS account (in the Store and machine) and selecting the correct device. It will be better to remove all the devices from your MS account except the device on which you want to install MS FS) to install the game.
• Moreover, check if clean booting your PC solves the Flight Simulator issue. Do not overlook the VPN adapter in your system’s Device Manager.
• Furthermore, make sure your system’s antivirus or firewall is not causing the FS issue.  Additionally, while trying to install MS Flight Simulator, always start from the basic/standard version (not from the Deluxe edition).

Update Your PC’s Windows to the Latest Built

Your PC’s outdated Windows may cause incompatibility between the game and OS modules. In this context, updating the PC’s Windows to the latest stable release may solve the Flight Simulator issue. If the issue started after a recent Windows update, then reverting the update may solve the problem.

1. Click Windows, search for Check for Updates, and open the Windows update.
2. Now, click on Check for Updates in the update window, and if some updates are available, download and install those updates (including optional updates).

   

3. Once the PC’s Windows is updated, check if you can install MS Flight Simulator from MS-Store.

Set the Startup Type of the Xbox Services to Automatic

Xbox Services are essential for the operation of the Microsoft Store and the installation of the MS Flight Simulator. If the startup type of any of the Xbox services is set to Disabled, it may cause the issue at hand, and setting the same to Automatic may solve the problem.

1. Click Windows, key in Services, right-click on it, and select Run as Administrator.

   

2. Now double-click on Xbox Accessory Management Service and set its Startup Type to Automatic.

   

3. Then click on the Start button (if the service is stopped) and repeat the same for the following services:

   Xbox Live Auth Manager
   
   Xbox Live Game Save
   
   Xbox Live Networking Service

4. Now launch the Microsoft Store and check if it can install MS Flight Simulator.
5. If not, then check if setting the Startup Type of Xbox services to Manual solves the issue.

Disable Windows Auto-Tuning Through the Command Prompt

Windows Auto-Tuning is a Windows feature to automatically improve the performance of the applications that receive TCP data but many of the old networking equipment may not be compatible with the Windows auto-tuning feature. In this scenario, disabling the Windows Auto-Tuning feature may solve the problem.

1. Click Windows, search for Command Prompt, right-click on its result, and select Run as Administrator.

   

2. Now execute the following:

   netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled

3. Then close the Command Prompt window and reboot your PC.
4. Upon reboot, launch the Microsoft Store and check if it can install MS Flight Simulator.

Re-Sign into the Microsoft Store and Reset its Cache

A temporary glitch of the Microsoft Store and its corrupt cache may cause the issue at hand. In this case, re-signing into the Store and resetting its cache may solve the problem.

Use the Fix Your Microsoft Account Button

1. Right-click Windows and open Settings.

   

2. Now select Accounts and check if there is a Fix Your Account Message.

   

3. If so, click on the Fix Your Account button and follow the prompts to complete the process.

Re-Sign Into the Microsoft Store

1. Launch the Microsoft Store and click on the user icon (near the top right).
2. Now click on your user account and in the resulting window, click on Sign Out.

   

3. Then confirm to sign out of the Microsoft Store and restart your PC.
4. Upon restart, re-sign into the Microsoft Store and check if the MS Flight Simulator installation issue is resolved.

Reset the Microsoft Store’s Cache

1. Click Windows and type WSReset.
2. Then right-click on WSReset and select Run as -Administrator.

   

3. Now, wait until the Microsoft Store is launched and check if the MS Flight Simulator can be installed.

Restart, Repair, or Reset the PC’s Gaming Services

You may fail to install MS Flight Simulator from MS-Store if the Gaming Services of your system are corrupt. In this scenario, repairing, resetting, or reinstalling the PC’s Gaming Services may solve the problem.

End Multi-Instances of the Gaming Services

1. Right-click on Windows and in the Quick Access menu, select Task Manager.
2. Now, in the Processes tab, check if there is more than one instance of Gaming Services.

   

3. If so, right-click on one of the processes and select End Task.
4. Now confirm to end the Gaming Services process.
5. Then repeat the same till there is a single Gaming Services process running and afterward, check if you can install the MS Flight Simulator.

Restart the Gaming Services from the Services Management Console

1. Click Windows, key in Services, right-click on it and select Run as Administrator.
2. Now, in the Services window, right-click on Gaming Services (if there is more than one entry, click on the first one) and select Stop.
3. Then repeat the same for all other Gaming Services and afterward, start all the entries of the Gaming Services in the Services manager (usually, two).

   

4. Now launch MS Store and check if MS Flight Simulator can be installed without issue.

Repair and Reset the Gaming Services

1. Right-click Windows and select Apps & Features.

   

2. Now expand Gaming Services (you can search it in the search box) and click on Advanced Options.

   

3. Now click on the Terminate button to close all the processes related to Gaming Services and click on Repair.
4. Then confirm to Repair the Gaming Services’ installation and once completed, check if the MS Flight Simulator installation issue is resolved.
5. If not, open the Advanced Options of the Gaming Services in Apps & Features and click on Reset.

   

6. Now confirm to Reset the Gaming Services to defaults and then check if the MS Flight Simulator can be installed from MS-Store.

Re-Sign Into the Xbox App

The MS Flight Simulator might fail to install if you are not signed into the Xbox app and signing in the same may solve the problem.

1. Click Windows, type Xbox, and select the Xbox app.

   

2. Then click on your user icon (near the top right corner) and click on Sign in. If you are already signed in, click on Sign Out.

   

3. Now confirm to Sign Out of the Xbox app and then re-sign into the Xbox app.
4. Then repeat the same for the Xbox Companion app and Xbox Game Bar. Afterward, switch to the Xbox app.
5. Now search for the MS Flight Simulator in the Search for Games box of the Xbox app and check if you can install the game from the Xbox app.
6. If the issue persists, then check if uninstalling the Xbox app and installing the MS Flight Simulator from the MS Store solves the issue.

Bring the Virtual Disk Online in the Disk Management

The Microsoft Flight Simulator may fail to install from the MS Store if the virtual disk (essential for the MS Flight Simulator) in the Disk Management is offline. In this context, bringing the virtual disk online may solve the problem.

1. Right-click on Windows and select Disk Management.
2. Now check if there is a virtual disk (around 1GB in size) present there, if so, right-click on it and select Online.
3. If there is no virtual disk in the Disk Management, keep the Disk Management open and launch the Microsoft Store.
4. Now try to install the MS Flight Simulator and once you encounter the installation error, keep the Store window opened and switch to the Disk Management window.
5. Now right-click on the virtual disk (if present) and select Online.
6. Then switch to the Store window and check if you can install the MS Flight Simulator.

Delete the Gaming Services Keys in the PC’s Registry

If the issue persists even after trying the above solutions, then you may delete the Gaming Services keys in the system’s registry to solve the MS Flight Simulator issue. Before proceeding, make sure you have backed up the PC’s registry.

Warning:

Move forward at your own risk as editing the PC’s registry (if not done properly) may expose your system/data to threats.

1. Click Windows, type RegEdit, right-click on it, and select Run as Administrator.

   

2. Now, navigate to the following path:

   Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\GamingServices

3. Now, in the left pane, right-click on Gaming Services and select Delete.
4. Then steer to the following Gaming Services Net key and delete it:

   Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\GamingServicesNet

   

5. Now close the editor and restart your PC.
6. Upon restart, launch a web browser and steer to the following Gaming Services page of the Microsoft Store:

   https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/9MWPM2CQNLHN?hl=en-us&gl=US

7. Now click on the Get button and in the prompt shown, select Open Microsoft Store.

   

8. Then click on the Install (or Install on My Devices) button and let the Gaming Services install.

   

9. Now check if the MS Flight Simulator can be installed without any issue.

If that did not work, then check if renaming the following folder (or deleting it after backing it up) solves the problem:

%localappdata%\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe

Reinstall the Gaming Services Through the PowerShell

If repairing or resetting the Gaming Services did not work for you, then you may have to reinstall the Gaming Services through PowerShell. But before moving on, make sure to create a system restore point (just in case, you fail to reinstall the Gaming Services).

1. Firstly, reset the Store’s cache as discussed in the above solutions.
2. Then right-click on Windows and select Run.

   

3. Now execute the following:

   temp

   

4. Then delete all the files in the directory (ignore if some files cannot be deleted).

   

5. Now execute the following in the Run box:

   %temp%

   

6. Then delete all the files in the directory (ignore if some files cannot be deleted).

   

7. Now right-click on Windows and select PowerShell (Admin).
8. Then, in the PowerShell, execute the following cmdlets one by one:

   Get-AppxPackage *gamingservices* -allusers | remove-appxpackage -allusers
   
   Remove-Item -Path "HKLM:\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\GamingServices" -recurse
   
   Remove-Item -Path "HKLM:\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\GamingServicesNet" -recurse

9. Now execute the following to launch the Gaming Services page of the Windows Store:

   start ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=9MWPM2CQNLHN

   

10. Then install the Gaming Services from the MS Store and afterward, check if MS Store can install Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Your PC’s Windows

If nothing has done the trick for you, then you may have to perform an In-Place Upgrade of your PC’s Windows to solve the MS Flight Simulator issue. But before moving on, make sure to create a system’s restore point (just in case…).

1. Launch a web browser and steer to the Windows 10 download page.
2. Now click on Update Now (under latest Update Assistant, currently, Windows 10 May 2021 Update) and let the download complete.

   

3. Then launch the latest update assistant as administrator and follow the prompts to complete the update process.
4. Once updated, check if the MS Flight Simulator’s installation error is cleared.
5. If not, then again navigate to the Windows 10 download page, scroll down, and click on Download Tool Now (under Create Windows 10 Installation Media).

   

6. Then launch the downloaded file as administrator and select Upgrade This PC Now.
7. Now follow the prompts to upgrade the PC’s Windows. But during this process, make sure to select Keep Windows Settings, Personal Files, and Apps.

   

8. Once upgraded, check if you can install MS Flight Simulator without any issue.

If the issue persists, check if using a new Windows user account (and linking it to your MS account) lets you install the Flight Simulator. If that did not work, you may have to reset your PC to the defaults (make sure to select Keep Files and Apps) or perform a clean installation of the window to solve the MS Flight Simulator installation error.