MSFS2020 I am requesting help to reset or remove the “New Activities” package for my account, as the update for this package appears to be stuck on the server side.

Question

Subject: MSFS 2020 - New Activities update always fails after clean reinstall on new PC (Steam version)

Hello,

I am requesting help to reset or remove the “New Activities” package for my account, as the update for this package appears to be stuck on the server side.

Platform: PC, Windows 11

New PC / fresh system

Distribution: Steam version of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020

Microsoft/Xbox account email: [Moderator note: PII removed]

In‑sim username (Gamertag): [Moderator note: PII removed]

Problem

After moving to a new PC and doing a clean reinstall of MSFS, the simulator always fails during the “Get updates” phase at the same point: when downloading New Activities. It behaves as if the update state for New Activities is remembered on my account and resumes there every time, even on a brand‑new install on new hardware.

Sequence:

I install MSFS 2020 via Steam on the new PC.

I start the sim; it downloads the large initial content (Official/Community) to 100% successfully.

I close and reopen via “Play” in Steam.

The sim runs “Checking for updates” / “Get updates” and immediately jumps to the same progress point on New Activities as before.

The update for New Activities fails at that point every time.

Repeating the process after a full local cleanup on this new PC does not change this behaviour.

Clean uninstall / reinstall steps already performed

On the new PC I have followed clean‑install guidance and additionally removed all possible local traces:

Uninstalled MSFS from Steam.

Deleted my custom Packages folder (e.g. C:\MSFS2020, containing Official and Community).

Deleted these folders if present:

%AppData%\Microsoft Flight Simulator

  `%LocalAppData%\Microsoft Flight Simulator`

  
     `%LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe`

     
        `%UserProfile%\Documents\My Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator`

        
        Removed remaining crash dumps and WER crash reports for FlightSimulator.exe.

        
        Rebooted the PC.

        
        Reinstalled MSFS from Steam and pointed the installer at a new, empty Packages folder (fresh path).

        
        Allowed the full content download to complete again.
After all of this, the very first “Get updates” run after pressing Play still resumes at New Activities and fails in exactly the same place. Searching the new `Official\Steam` folder shows no obvious 0‑byte package files or corrupt content. The behaviour is identical across reinstalls and locations on this new machine.

## Request

Because the failure point persists across:

A completely new PC,

Complete removal of all local MSFS folders and data, and

A fresh install to a brand‑new Packages path,

this looks like a stuck server‑side state for the New Activities package on my account rather than a local file issue.

Could you please:

Reset or remove the New Activities package / entitlement for my account (Steam version, email 

Otherwise clear whatever server‑side state is causing the update to always resume and fail on New Activities,

so that the sim can complete the update process cleanly?

I am happy to provide screenshots or logs if needed.

Thank you.

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Moved from: System Center Service Manager

Answer 1

It seems you are experiencing a persistent issue with the "New Activities" package in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS 2020) after reinstalling on a new PC. Since you've already performed extensive troubleshooting steps, including a clean uninstall and reinstall, the problem may indeed be related to a server-side state associated with your account.

Here are a few additional steps you might consider:

1. Check for Xbox Live Status: Sometimes issues can arise from Xbox Live services being down or experiencing problems. You can check the status of Xbox Live services online.
2. Sign Out and Sign Back In: Try signing out of your Xbox account in the MSFS 2020 menu and then signing back in. This can sometimes refresh your account's state.
3. Contact Support: Since the issue appears to be tied to your account, reaching out to Microsoft Support or the MSFS support team may be necessary. They can assist in resetting or clearing the server-side state for your account.
4. Community Forums: Check the MSFS community forums or Reddit for similar issues. Other users may have found solutions that worked for them.

Unfortunately, I cannot directly reset or remove the package for your account, but these steps may help you resolve the issue.

Answer 2

Dear @David Gloyne,

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

We apologize for any inconvenience you may encounter when using our services/ products. Based on your description, kindly try these following steps: Sign‑out/in and relink your accounts

• Sign out inside MSFS (Profile > Sign out).
• Sign out of the Xbox app and Microsoft Store (if installed), and Steam.
• Close all, then sign back in in this order:
  • Steam (ensure the same Steam account that owns MSFS),
  • Xbox app (same MS account as the Gamertag Lord georgie),
  • Start MSFS and sign in when prompted.

Reset Gaming Services / Store cache (even on Steam)

• Open Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Gaming Services:
  • Click Advanced options > Repair, then Reset.
• Press Win + R, run: wsreset.exe (resets Microsoft Store cache; helpful even for Steam builds with Xbox sign-in).

Try “partial install” workaround to avoid New Activities first

• Launch MSFS, skip optional bundles during the first content pass if possible (Only base required content).
• After main sim loads, open Content Manager, search for New Activities, and try Delete then Install directly from the Content Manager.
  • If it shows Owned/Installed but fails to install/update, it’s further evidence of entitlement state.

Hosts / proxy reset (in case downloads are incorrectly routed)

Ensure no MSFS/CDN domains are blocked in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts.

• Navigate to Command Prompt (Run as Administrator) > type:

ipconfig /flushdns
netsh winsock reset
netsh winhttp reset proxy

• Reboot and test.

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