Copy two folders from your live World of Warcraft installation before you switch computers: Interface (addon files) and WTF (saved settings). After installing WoW on the new PC, run it once, exit, replace the new Interface and account data with your backup, and leave the new computer’s Config.wtf in place so hardware settings can be detected correctly.
This preserves addon profiles, WeakAuras, action-bar layouts, chat windows, keybinds, and other UI data without forcing you to rebuild every character manually.
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What you need to copy
For the live client, the version directory is normally named _retail_ inside your World of Warcraft installation. Make a backup while WoW is completely closed, then copy these folders:
| Location | What it contains | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
Interface/AddOns/ |
Installed addon code and assets | Restores the addons themselves. |
WTF/Account/<account>/SavedVariables/ |
Account-wide addon settings | Preserves profiles shared across characters, including settings saved by addons such as WeakAuras. |
WTF/Account/<account>/<realm>/<character>/SavedVariables/ |
Character-specific addon settings | Restores data that belongs only to a particular character. |
WTF/Account/<account>/bindings-cache.wtf |
Account-level keybind data | Preserves bindings stored at the account level. |
WTF/Account/<account>/<realm>/<character>/bindings-cache.wtf |
Character-specific keybind data | Preserves bindings that differ between characters. |
layout-cache.txt, layout-local.txt, and chat-cache.txt |
UI layout and chat data | Helps restore frame positions, chat windows, and related interface state when those files are present. |
Config.wtf |
Machine-dependent configuration | Do not migrate this old-PC file by default; let the new computer generate its own configuration. |
The safest general backup is the complete Interface folder and complete WTF folder. If you need a smaller or more private copy, preserve the account tree and the SavedVariables and character directories you actually use.
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Back up the old PC before shutting it down
- Exit WoW completely. Close the game rather than leaving it at the character screen. Addon Lua files and cached UI data need to be flushed before you copy them.
- Open the live-client directory. Find the World of Warcraft installation and open its
_retail_folder (or the version directory that contains your live client). - Copy
Interface. Copy the entire folder, not only the visible addon folders inside it. This keeps the installed addon structure intact. - Copy
WTF. A complete copy carries account-wide, character-specific, keybind, layout, and chat data. If you are deliberately avoiding machine-level settings, copy at leastWTF/Account. - Use removable storage for the first copy. Put both folders on an external USB backup drive or USB flash drive. Check that its connector fits the old and new computers and that it has enough free space for the folders.
- Keep the backup unchanged. Do not use the only copy as a working folder on the new PC. Retain it until every important character has been checked.
When space or privacy requires a selective backup
Inside WTF/Account/<account>, retain SavedVariables and each realm/character directory that matters. Keep addon-specific Lua files for the profiles you rely on; omitting one can make an addon appear to have lost its settings. WeakAuras data is stored through SavedVariables, so excluding its file removes those local profiles.
For a character directory copied file by file, Blizzard community guidance recommends copying its contents except Addons.txt and any SavedVariables files belonging to addons whose settings you intentionally do not want. A full account-folder copy is less error-prone when you want every character and addon.
How WoW stores keybinds and UI settings
Account-wide versus character-specific data
The account directory is the important branch of the settings tree. Account-wide addon data is normally under WTF/Account/<account>/SavedVariables. Character-specific data is under WTF/Account/<account>/<realm>/<character>, including that character’s SavedVariables.
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Keybind files
Keybinds can exist at both levels: bindings-cache.wtf directly in the account directory and another copy inside each realm/character directory. Some bindings or macros may also be available after you sign in, but the local cache files are the safest migration backup. Copy both levels when you want character-specific bindings preserved.
Layout and chat caches
layout-cache.txt, layout-local.txt, and chat-cache.txt hold UI layout and chat information identified by WoW UI migration references. Keeping the complete WTF folder is the simplest way to retain them when present.
Why Config.wtf is different
Config.wtf contains machine-dependent configuration. A Blizzard-hosted migration answer recommends deleting or renaming the old file on the new PC so WoW can detect the new hardware. Do not overwrite the newly generated file with the old computer’s copy unless you have a specific reason to troubleshoot a configuration issue. Plan to set graphics and display options again after the move.
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| Method | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
Complete Interface plus WTF copy |
Moving every addon and every character’s settings | Copies old files you may no longer use, but minimizes the chance of missing a profile. |
WTF/Account plus selected addon files |
Saving space or excluding private or unwanted addon data | Requires you to know which SavedVariables files each addon uses. |
| In-game export or profile tools | Moving one addon or starting with a clean settings tree | Only works for addons that provide a usable export/import workflow. |
For most PC changes, the complete-folder method is the least error-prone. The Blizzard community forum guidance from April 2020 summarizes the same approach: copying the WTF and InterfaceAddOns folders is easier when you want all addons and all settings. Selective copying is useful when you intentionally want a clean setup, not because it is required for a normal migration.
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Restore the backup on the new PC
- Install WoW through Battle.net. Let the destination installation create its normal version directory.
- Run WoW once. Reach the character-selection screen, then exit. This creates the destination folders and lets the client write a fresh machine configuration.
- Protect the new
Config.wtf. Keep it, or rename it temporarily if you need a reversible test. Do not replace it with the old PC’s machine-specific file. - Open the destination version directory. Confirm that it is the same client branch you backed up, normally
_retail_for the live game. - Copy in
Interface. Replace the newly created folder with the backed-up folder, or merge only when you understand which files you are retaining. The goal is forInterface/AddOnsto contain the addon files from the old installation. - Restore account data. Copy the backed-up
WTF/Accountinto the destinationWTFfolder. If account folder names do not line up, stop and identify the correct WoW license directory before replacing anything; copying into the wrong account branch will make settings appear missing. - Start with a minimal addon set. Enable only essential addons first. Log in to one representative character and check the bars, keybinds, chat windows, addon profiles, and WeakAuras.
- Re-enable addons in groups. Turn on the remaining addons in small batches, checking for outdated or incompatible ones after each batch. This makes a single problematic addon easier to identify.
- Reapply hardware settings. Set graphics, display, sound, and other computer-specific options for the new hardware instead of expecting the old
Config.wtfto carry them over.
Why the first launch matters
Launching the fresh installation before copying files confirms that Battle.net installed the expected branch and gives WoW a chance to create its directory structure. It also leaves you with a new Config.wtf that reflects the destination hardware. If you copy everything before this first run, it is harder to tell whether a missing folder came from the installation or from the backup.
Account and license-folder checks
The placeholder <account> is not necessarily a character name or email address. It is the account branch WoW created under WTF/Account. Compare the folders created by the new client with the backup before replacing anything. If the destination has more than one license branch, restore the data into the branch that contains the characters you intend to use. A correct backup in the wrong branch behaves exactly like a missing backup.
Using addon profile and export features
If an addon offers an in-game profile or export/import workflow, use it when that is more convenient than moving its files. Profile tools can be useful when you are transferring only one addon or intentionally starting with a clean account tree.
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Do not assume that reinstalling addon code recreates profiles. Interface/AddOns contains the program files and assets; the settings generally live under WTF. Updating an addon on the new PC can also change its SavedVariables format, so verify the profile before deleting the old copy. Keep the untouched USB backup until you know the current addon version loads the data correctly.
USB storage, privacy, and a second copy
An external USB backup drive or USB flash drive is the direct physical option for this migration because it can hold both folders and move between the old and new computers. Choose capacity based on the size of your copied folders and confirm connector compatibility with both machines. No special WoW-specific storage is required.
If the files contain private character names, chat settings, or addon profiles, store the USB device somewhere secure and avoid editing the original copy. A second copy in a cloud-storage service can provide additional protection against a lost or damaged USB device, but it should be treated as a separate copy rather than a replacement for checking the local backup. Whichever method you use, keep one untouched version until the migration is verified.
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Test the migration before you retire the old setup
- Keybinds: press representative keys on a test character and confirm they trigger the expected actions.
- Action bars and macros: verify that bars, buttons, and macros are present and assigned correctly.
- Chat and layout: open each important chat window and check that frames are positioned as expected.
- Addon profiles: confirm that account-wide and character-specific profiles load instead of showing first-run defaults.
- WeakAuras: check that your auras and their configurations appear on the test character.
- Compatibility: inspect the addon list for outdated or incompatible addons and test those separately.
- Hardware options: tune resolution, graphics quality, sound, and display settings for the new PC.
- Backup safety: leave the USB copy untouched until the new installation works for every character you need.
Use a representative character rather than checking only the character you last played. Test one with character-specific bindings, one that uses important addon profiles, and any character whose chat or layout differs. Once those checks pass, log out normally before enabling the next addon group so the client can save its current state.
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Common migration failures and fixes
The addons are installed, but all profiles look new
This usually means the addon files arrived but the matching SavedVariables did not. Exit WoW, verify that WTF/Account/<account>/SavedVariables and the relevant realm/character SavedVariables folders are in the destination tree, then launch again.
One character has missing keybinds
Check both bindings-cache.wtf locations: the account-level file and that character’s realm directory. A character-specific binding file can override what another character uses, so restoring only the account copy may not be sufficient.
The UI is present but graphics are wrong
That is expected when moving between different hardware. Keep the new Config.wtf, then reconfigure display and graphics settings in the game. Do not solve a hardware mismatch by restoring the old machine’s configuration file.
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Confirm that you copied into the same client branch and the correct account directory. If the account names differ, do not overwrite more files until you have identified the destination’s matching WoW license folder.
WoW becomes unstable after restoring everything
Return to the backup, start with only the essential addons enabled, and add the rest in groups. An outdated or incompatible addon can obscure an otherwise successful file migration.
A character’s chat windows or frame positions are reset
Check that layout-cache.txt, layout-local.txt, and chat-cache.txt were included in the restored WTF tree. If you made a selective copy, these files may have been omitted even though addon SavedVariables were present.
The old PC is still available after the move
Do not immediately delete the old installation or format the old drive. Keep it unchanged until every important character, profile, keybind, and UI layout has passed the verification checklist. The old installation is a useful fallback if a selective copy omitted a file.
A compact migration checklist
- Close WoW completely on the old PC.
- Copy the entire
Interfacefolder. - Copy the entire
WTFfolder, or at minimum the requiredWTF/Accountdata. - Store the copy on USB media and keep it unchanged.
- Install WoW on the new PC and run it to the character screen once.
- Keep the new
Config.wtf; do not migrate the old machine-specific file. - Restore
Interfaceand the matchingWTF/Accounttree. - Test one character with essential addons before enabling everything.
- Verify keybinds, bars, macros, chat, layout, addon profiles, and WeakAuras.
- Retune graphics and display settings, then keep the backup until the move is confirmed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I copy my entire WTF folder to a new PC?
Yes. Copying the complete WTF folder is the simplest way to preserve account data, character settings, keybinds, layouts, and chat caches. Keep the new PC’s Config.wtf instead of overwriting it with the old machine’s file.
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Where are WoW keybinds stored?
They can be stored in bindings-cache.wtf at the account level and in each realm/character directory. Copy both locations when characters use different bindings.
Will copying Interface restore my addon profiles?
No. Interface restores addon code and assets. Profiles and other settings generally come from the matching WTF/Account SavedVariables files.
How do I keep WeakAuras after reinstalling WoW?
Copy the relevant account and character SavedVariables in the WTF tree along with Interface. Test WeakAuras on a character before enabling every addon.
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Should I migrate Config.wtf?
Usually not. It is machine-dependent. Let the new client generate its own file, then reapply graphics, display, sound, and other hardware-specific settings.
What if my account folder names are different on the new PC?
Stop before replacing files and identify the destination WoW license directory. Restoring valid data into the wrong account branch makes the settings appear missing.
Can I move only one addon?
Use that addon’s in-game profile or export/import feature when available. Otherwise copy its relevant SavedVariables file and any required addon files from Interface/AddOns.
How long should I keep the old backup?
Keep the untouched USB copy until all important characters have verified keybinds, bars, macros, chat, layouts, addon profiles, and WeakAuras on the new PC.
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The Bottom Line
For a reliable WoW PC migration, close the game, copy Interface and WTF to USB storage, run the new installation once, restore the matching account tree, and keep the new Config.wtf. Test one character with essential addons before expanding the setup, and do not discard the backup until every important profile and keybind works.
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