Can I run 2020 without internet?

My internet connection is broken and technician cant come for at leat a day.

When I try and run 2020 I get prompted Please insert the Microsoft Flight Simulator Game Disk yet I thought an internet connection was only required for high level scenery.

How can I run it offline? I purchased it as a download 4 weeks ago.

Thanks John

Yes, you can run it without internet using the offline mode. Unfortunately, this needs to be set up before going offline, so you will probably be stuck until your internet is fixed. When you do get your internet connection back, follow the instructions in the link below to enable it.

https://support.xbox.com/en-CA/help/games-apps/game-setup-and-play/play-games-offline-on-windows-10-using-offline-mode

I tried following these instructions months before and can't get it to work. Also says can only do this three times per year. Still get insert disk message.

Any more ideas Loki?

I tried following these instructions months before and can't get it to work. Also says can only do this three times per year. Still get insert disk message.

 

Any more ideas Loki?

It did work for me. Other than signing out and back in again on your PC, I'M not sure what else you can try.

Note that the three times per year part is for changing which device you set as the one to use offline. In other words you can't go changing from one computer to another more than that (basically to stop people from setting up all of their friends' PCs in offline mode). If you're only running the sim on your main PC, this won't be an issue.

Yes, you can run it without internet using the offline mode. Unfortunately, this needs to be set up before going offline, so you will probably be stuck until your internet is fixed. When you do get your internet connection back, follow the instructions in the link below to enable it.

 

https://support.xbox.com/en-CA/help/games-apps/game-setup-and-play/play-games-offline-on-windows-10-using-offline-mode

Thanks Loki.

I was able to set up my wife's mobile/call phone as a 'hot spot' and connected my PC to the internet via that hot spot. I changed the settings and exited as her phone plan only allows for 1GB downloads/month as she rarely if ever connects to the internet.

I did notice though that if when MSFS2020 starts and prompts for a departure andf arrival airport if you don't set that up quickly you get a "press any key to continue" and it never allows you to continue (I remember seeing another thread reporting this problem so that is a BIG HINT.

It doesn't work for me either.

It seemed as if I did everything right, It told me that this was my offline machine and warned about only three times. I then loaded FS as it said to do and flew a plane.

But after I re-booted and disconnected the DSL line, it just came back with the "insert disk" message.

Somewhere there's an i that I didn't dot or a T that I didn't cross I suppose.

Does it matter how you exit the Windows store?

It doesn't work for me either.

It seemed as if I did everything right, It told me that this was my offline machine and warned about only three times. I then loaded FS as it said to do and flew a plane.

 

But after I re-booted and disconnected the DSL line, it just came back with the "insert disk" message.

I recall this is exactly how it went for me also, worked one time.

One thing is I set up my computer for off-line BEFORE I installed MSFS, if that matters.

Also remember MSFS asking if I wanted to use the on-line mode when installing it. Naturally wanted to be able to do that, but wonder what would have been the result if I chose NO.

Still trying to figure out why the download version would even ask for a disk in the first place.

Strangely after setting my MSFS2020 for offline (because my cable internet had gone down) and was able to use it. The next time I tried if has mysteriously reset itself to work online.

Is this a 'feature' of MSFS2020 (that setting to work offline only works once)?

Added later

TRICKY. Although my internet cable connection is down it appears that MSFS2020 is smart (not so sure if that is appropriate) to know that my MODEM was still on and connected and as such then tried to connect. I turned the modem off and tried again and it works.

I finally got it to work off line. This time I started with FS active and I went to the play store, turned offline mode off, then back on and this time I logged out of the play store.

When it comes up in offline mode, it gives an error message, but it works.

THANK YOU sfojimbo,

Followed your instructions, powered off my cable modem and was able to go off-line again!

I thought about toggling the store button off/on before but never tried it because didn't want to waste one of the 3 per year limit. Guess this procedure syncs MSFS for offline.

It also answered a few questions too.

Whenever you load a flight, it gives the data streaming warning and says MSFS is switching to off-line mode. I expected to see all the MSFS on-line related toggles to all be switched off. They conveniently all stayed on so you don't have to change them back.

I have a few ORBX scenery products and wondered what happens to them in off-line mode, they all still work.

Hope I don't see the dreaded Insert Disc anymore.

Appears I spoke too soon...

Once again...worked one time

This game is just as bad as GTA V with their Periodic Entitlement check. Have to go ONLINE to play OFFLINE

Same here.

Going off line is apparently a one shot thing.

Have you checked to ensure that any modem that your PC connects to is turned OFF.

I too set MSFS2020 to run offline and it did.

The next time I got the "please insert....". I then noticed that my PC showed that it was connected to my modem which was ON even though not connected to the internet. As soon as I turned it off and tried again MSFS2020 then worked.

It seems to me that MSFS2020 'knows' that the PC is connected to a modem so assumes the internet is connected and tried to connect even though you have set it to run offline.

It has worked for me.

I started MSFS2020 using a mobile/cell phone (which I set to act as a hot spot), set for offline then exited.

Started up MSFS2020 and I was able to 'get in' and fly.

The next time I tried it prompted me to insert the first disk again (even though I had set it to work offline). I wondered why.

I then noticed that my model was connected (ethernet) to my PC and was turned on (I had no internet available) and wondered if I turned it off would that make a difference.

I restarted MSFS2020 and it allowed me to run it (it warned me that there was no internet but did not tell me to insert the first disk).

I downloaded MSFS2020 from the Microsoft store - it is not a steam version.

If you say it still insists for the first disk AND you installed it from the Microsoft store I suggest you find an internet connection for your PC (link it wirelessly to a mobile/cell phone which is set up as a hotspot) and check that the settings are still set to 'offline' mode.

I don't have a wifi base, neither my router nor (either of) my computers has it, so that's out.

But if you're saying to check at the microsoft store, I'm sure that's still set to "offline allowed" however it's worded. It has been that way from the beginning, so I'm sure it hasn't changed.

I got this sim from the store.

I'm surprised, it works for you repeatedly, but not for us.

If you purchased MSFS2020 online you must have had the internet to do that.

Did MSFS2020 ever work for you?

I suggest you take your PC to wherever you did the installation via the internet or to a friends house who has the internet, start MSFS2020, set options to OFFLINE, exit and take your PC home and it should work.

Sorry I cannot assist you any further.

I use just a cable modem direct, no router. To be clear, I have zero issues running MSFS on-line. It's just this claim from Asobo that you can freely use the sim off-line and it does not.

It's nice to know somebody has had the EXACT same issue though and I'm not nuts.

It is very strange (for you). Just to recap visually when you select GENERAL then DATA you must set ONLINE FUNCTIONALITY OFF (see image below) and ENSURE you SAVE AND EXIT to ensure those changes are saved.

The first time (Months ago) I DID turn off the ONLINE FUNCTIONALITY and save before shutting down. Was greeted with the "Insert disk" message next time starting.

Guess I try turning it off and try again. You would think that if no internet was available, MSFS would automatically just start off-line.

You don't seem to understand what I've been saying or what dogdish said

Flight simulator works fine; but the feature which provides the capability to work offline doesn't work sufficiently well to be useful.

My question above was: "Are you saying that you can use it offline, shut down, and then restart the program and it will still work offline?"

I don't need to go to anybody else's house.

I've not been asking for your help. I've merely been trying to understand if you have really been able to get FS to work offline repeatedly.

Let's PLEASE keep this discussion civil. I don't want to see this thread locked. After all, he did start the thread.

This is my status...

1. I just now started MSFS in on-line

2. Changed ONLINE FUNCTIONALITY to off and SAVED

3. Shut down MSFS, shut off computer

4. Disconnected the RJ45 cable from the cable modem

5. Restarted computer, started MSFS

RESULT: Please insert disk