Hello Captains, and welcome back!
I’ve been aware of the Add-on Linker utility since the early days of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. I installed it, configured it, and gave it a fair shot. But truth be told, I quickly fell out of the habit—mostly because I kept forgetting to launch it before each flight to link the airports I was departing from and arriving at.
Now, I’ve read plenty of accounts from users who’ve run into trouble due to bloated community folders—especially during sim updates. But you know what? Knock on wood, I’ve never had a single issue. That said, I’m well aware that the more add-ons you pile into your community folder, the longer MSFS takes to load.
️ The Backup Blues
Recently, I ran into a snag while trying to back up my MSFS 2020 community folder—a task I’ll admit was long overdue. When I attempted a simple copy/paste to my backup drive, I was hit with a “permission denied” error, claiming my “organization” doesn’t allow these files to be copied. Organization? It’s just me, myself, and I—with full admin rights.
After double-checking my settings and doing some digging, I discovered this is a known Microsoft issue: the files in our community folders are encrypted. Sure, there are workarounds—like zipping the files before moving them—but that’s just too much hassle, especially for a folder that’s 310 GB deep.
A Fresh Start with MSFS 2024
Since I’ve barely installed anything for MSFS 2024 yet, I figured it was the perfect time to revisit Add-on Linker. I downloaded it again and set it up exclusively for 2024. I created a dedicated directory on my D drive with subfolders for Aircraft, Scenery, Utilities, and more. Then I uninstalled the few add-ons I had and reinstalled them to point to this new structure.
Will I remember to launch Add-on Linker before each flight? Hopefully. Time will tell.
Is It Worth the Hassle?
I’m still torn. On one hand, I get the appeal: faster load times and a cleaner community folder. On the other, my MSFS 2020 setup has over 130 items and runs just fine. And with the encryption issue making backups a chore, I’m not eager to start zipping and unzipping 310 GB of content just to make Add-on Linker work with 2020.
So for now, I’m sticking with my current workflow for MSFS 2020 and using Add-on Linker only with MSFS 2024. Hopefully, I’ll continue to have smooth sailing with 2020—and fingers crossed that ChasePlane arrives for 2024 soon. That’s really the last piece holding me back from making a full transition.
️ Your Turn
I’d love to hear from you: Are you using Add-on Linker? Do you consider it essential for managing your add-ons in MSFS 2020 or 2024? Drop your thoughts in the comments—I’m genuinely curious how others are handling this.
Until next time…
Happy Flying!
Jerry