A WoW account usually stays on Starter Edition for one of three reasons: the game-time or subscription order is still pending or never completed, the time was applied to a different WoW license under the same Battle.net account, or the launcher is signed in to a different account. Starter Edition is a free version of Modern World of Warcraft with restrictions, so the label on its own does not prove that a purchase failed. Work through the checks below in order, because the first one usually settles the question.
Step 1: Check the order status in Transaction History
Blizzard’s troubleshooting guidance treats the order as the deciding factor. An order must be marked Complete before the WoW account becomes active, and processing can take up to 24 hours depending on the payment method used. Open your Battle.net account’s Transaction History and find the game-time or subscription order, then match it to one of the three states below.
| Order state in Transaction History | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Missing or failed | Payment did not go through, so no time was added to any license. | Repeat the purchase with a working payment method, or contact Blizzard Customer Support if the charge was taken but no order appears. |
| Pending | The order exists but has not finished processing. | Wait for the order to finish. Restrictions can remain during this period, and no password reset is needed yet. |
| Complete | The time has been granted to the target license. | Wait up to 24 hours for the account to update. If restrictions remain after that, follow the password reset steps further down. |
Step 2: Confirm the time went to the right WoW license
A single Battle.net account can hold more than one WoW license, often labeled WoW1 and WoW2. Time bought for one license does not unlock the other, which is a common reason an account looks unchanged even though the order is Complete. Check two things:
- The license that received the purchase, as recorded on the order in Transaction History.
- The license you select in the launcher before you press Play.
If the time went to the wrong license, Blizzard says Customer Support may be able to help move it. Expect to provide the order details and the license you intended to use.
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Step 3: Redeem retailer codes on the correct Battle.net account
If you bought a game time code from a retailer rather than through the Battle.net Shop, the code must be redeemed on the Battle.net account you plan to play with. Blizzard’s installation guidance applies this rule to third-party codes generally. A code that was never redeemed will not appear as a Battle.net Shop order, so check the account where you redeemed it, not only the Shop history. For Battle.net Shop purchases, confirm the order reads Complete in Transaction History as described in Step 1.
How long to wait before resetting the password
Restrictions can remain while an order is still incomplete, and a Complete order usually clears them within the stated window. Use this sequence:
Rank #2
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- Azeroth Awaits! Join millions of players and enter a world of myth, magic, and endless adventure.
- With a single game time purchase you can access World of Warcraft and WoW Classic, including 20th Anniversary Edition, Cataclysm Classic, Season of Discovery, and Hardcore Realms.
- Embark on your epic adventure in Azeroth for 60 days with this pre-paid game timecard.
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- Confirm the order is Complete in Transaction History.
- Wait up to 24 hours from the time the order completed. Blizzard’s stated window for the update is up to 24 hours.
- If the order is Complete, the correct license is selected, and Starter restrictions still show after that 24-hour period, reset the Battle.net password. Blizzard recommends the reset because it refreshes the account’s status with its servers.
- Restart the game client after the reset and sign in again before checking your character’s level cap.
If none of these steps change the status and the order is Complete, contact Blizzard Customer Support and include the order number, the WoW license name, and the time the order completed.
Starter Edition restrictions versus an expansion prompt
Starter Edition and a missing expansion are different problems, and buying an expansion does not fix a Starter restriction. Blizzard’s guidance separates the access levels as follows:
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- A pre paid, 60 day subscription to world of warcraft
- Requires world of warcraft standard game box contains game card only
| Access sought | Starter Edition | With game time or subscription |
|---|---|---|
| Modern WoW, levels 1 to 20 | Free | Included |
| Modern WoW above level 20 | Not available | Available, as described in Blizzard’s troubleshooting guidance |
| WoW Classic modes | Not available | Available, as described in Blizzard’s troubleshooting guidance |
| Newest expansion content | Not available | May require a separate expansion purchase, not stated to be included with game time |
If the account is past level 20 and still shows Starter limits, the game-time order is the thing to check. If the account has time but cannot reach the newest zones, the missing piece is the expansion, which is a separate question from the Starter label.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common wording behind these searches
Blizzard’s listed common problems use phrasing that matches how players describe this issue, including:
Rank #4
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- Subscription level access includes entitlement to play the new story-driven expansion from BioWare, Knights of the Fallen Empire, launching on October 27, 2015. Knights of the Fallen Empire includes the first nine chapters of an evolving story which continues with chapters releasing on an ongoing basis; when you apply this code to your account you will receive access to every chapter released as of redemption date and all future chapters released while you are a Subscriber.
- The code also offers access to the highly acclaimed story expansions Shadow of Revan and Rise of the Hutt Cartel, plus unlimited access to the Galactic Starfighter expansion. (Please note: Shadow of Revan becomes accessible on October 20, 2015)
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- “Starter Edition Limitations remain after purchasing game time for World of Warcraft”
- “I added game time but my account is still inactive”
- “The Shop said I subscribed but no game-time was added to my account”
- “I recently added a game time but the starter restrictions remain”
Each of these usually resolves through the order status and license checks above rather than through a new purchase.
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