How much SSD space is required to install MSFS 2024 (Microsoft Store vs Steam)?

MSFS 2024 disk space (Store vs Steam)

They’re very similar. The Microsoft Store vs Steam part mostly affects the small “launcher/app” piece — the bulk of the space is the in-sim content packages that get downloaded after you start it the first time, and that ends up being essentially the same either way.

What trips people up is that you need more free space than the final install size during the initial download/unpack, plus Windows likes having some breathing room on the system drive.

What to plan for (practical numbers)
Since MSFS 2024’s final footprint can vary a lot based on what content you choose (base packages, aircraft/content bundles, world updates, optional caches, add-ons, etc.), the safest guidance is to plan like this:

• Absolute minimum to avoid pain: have at least ~150 GB free on the drive you’ll install the “Packages” to.
• Comfortable headroom: ~200 GB free is a much nicer place to be (room for decompression, updates, and future content).
• If you also use rolling cache / lots of scenery streaming: add whatever you allocate there (often 8–32 GB+, sometimes more depending on preference).

Again, Store vs Steam isn’t going to meaningfully change those numbers.

Step-by-step: best way to avoid running out of space

1. Decide which drive will hold the big “Packages” folder (this is where the sim content goes, and it’s what eats the space).
2. Before starting the install, make sure that target drive has the headroom above (I’d personally aim for ~200 GB free if you’re already tight).
3. Keep extra free space on your Windows C: drive as well (even if the Packages are on another drive). Windows updates/temp files can derail installs when C: is nearly full.
4. After install, double-check you didn’t accidentally split content across drives (easy to do if you change locations mid-stream).

A couple quick questions so I can give you a tighter number

• How big is your SSD and how much free space do you have right now (and on which drive)?
• Are you planning to install the Packages to C: or to a secondary SSD?
• Do you typically install optional content/world updates, or are you aiming for “bare minimum”?