MSFS installed but I don’t see an icon or shortcut—how do I launch it?

Hi Paul,

This one’s really common with MSFS because how you launch it depends on whether you bought it through the Microsoft Store / Xbox app or Steam, and installs don’t always leave a nice desktop shortcut.

Step 1 – Confirm where you bought it
Please check your purchase email/receipt or where you clicked “Install” from:

• If it was Steam, you always start it from the Steam Library.
• If it was Microsoft Store / Xbox app, you start it from the Start Menu / Xbox app.

If you bought it on the Microsoft Store / Xbox app

1. Click the Windows Start button and type: Flight Simulator
2. You should see Microsoft Flight Simulator (or sometimes just Flight Simulator) appear in the results.
3. Click it to launch.

If it does appear in Start search but you want a shortcut:

1. Right-click it in the Start menu results (if Windows gives you the option) and choose Pin to Start or Pin to taskbar.
2. Desktop shortcuts are hit-and-miss with Store apps, so pinning to taskbar is usually the easiest reliable option.

Also worth checking the Xbox app if you have it installed:

1. Open the Xbox app
2. Go to Library / My Library (wording varies a bit)
3. Launch MSFS from there

If you bought it on Steam

1. Open Steam
2. Go to Library
3. Find Microsoft Flight Simulator and click Play

If you want a desktop shortcut in Steam:

1. In Steam Library, right-click MSFS
2. Look for an option like Manage / Add desktop shortcut (Steam wording varies slightly)

If you “installed” but it’s not showing up anywhere
This usually means one of these happened:

• Only the “installer” component downloaded but the app isn’t fully installed
• You installed it under a different Windows account
• The Microsoft Store/Xbox app didn’t complete registration of the app in Windows

Before we go deeper, can you reply with these details?

1. Did you buy MSFS on Steam or the Microsoft Store/Xbox?
2. What Windows version are you on (Windows 10 or 11)?
3. When you click Start and type Flight Simulator, do you see anything at all?
4. If you open the Microsoft Store (or Steam), does it show MSFS as Installed or does it still say Install?

Once I know that, I can point you to the exact launch method and the quickest way to create a shortcut/pin.