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Back up both the Interface and WTF folders from your World of Warcraft version directory before you change computers. Interface contains addon code and assets; WTF contains account and character settings, keybinds, layouts, chat data, and most addon profiles. Copy the folders after fully exiting WoW, then restore them to a newly launched installation while leaving the new machine’s Config.wtf in place.
What to copy before switching computers
For the live World of Warcraft client, the relevant directory is normally World of Warcraft/_retail_/. Make a separate copy of these two folders:
Interface: installed addon files, includingInterface/AddOns/and its assets.WTF: saved addon variables, keybinds, action-bar and UI layout data, chat settings, and account or character configuration.
Copying both folders is the broadest migration. A Blizzard community forum reply in April 2020 described this as the easiest way to move all addons and settings. If you intentionally want a smaller backup, preserve the complete WTF/Account tree rather than only a few visible files.
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Full copy versus selective copy
| Approach | What it includes | When it makes sense | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete | All of Interface and WTF |
You want every addon, profile, realm, character, layout, and chat setting | Old or unwanted profiles come along |
| Account-focused | WTF/Account/<account>/, plus the addons you use |
You want to avoid unrelated machine-level files | It is easy to omit a character directory or addon Lua file |
| Addon-specific | An addon’s export or SavedVariables file | You are moving one profile rather than an entire setup | The wrong file or a dependent file may be missed |
When there is no strong reason to trim the backup, the complete copy is safer. You can remove unwanted addons after the new setup is verified; recovering an omitted profile is much harder.
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Before you shut down the old PC
- Exit WoW completely. Leave the character screen, quit the game, and confirm that no WoW process is still running. SavedVariables and cache files can be written when the client closes; copying while it is open can leave an incomplete backup.
- Open the version folder. In the Battle.net installation, find the folder containing
_retail_and open it. If you also play another WoW version, keep that version’s folders separate; do not mix a live-client backup with another client. - Copy
Interface. Include the entire folder, not only the addon folders you remember using. Addon assets and supporting files can sit beside the main addon directory. - Copy
WTF. This keeps account-wide and character-specific data together. If storage or privacy requires a selective copy, use the account-level instructions below. - Store the copy separately. Put both folders on an external USB backup drive or USB flash drive. Check that the drive has enough free space and that its connector works with the old and new computers.
- Keep the original untouched. Do not delete or reorganize the old folders until the replacement installation has been tested on a character.
Use clear folder names on the backup, such as WoW-old-PC-Interface and WoW-old-PC-WTF, so you do not confuse them with the destination folders. Keep the two folders together. A partial copy that contains addon files but not settings is the most common reason a restored installation looks “fresh.”
Optional second copy
A second copy on another storage location can protect against a failed USB device. Cloud storage is another possible second-copy category, but the essential requirement is that the copy remains available offline while you restore the game. Do not move or delete the original until the new client has passed the verification checklist.
Where WoW stores addon settings and keybinds
The WTF tree is the important part of the migration because it separates shared account data from character data.
Addon code
Interface/AddOns/ holds the installed addon code and assets. Copying it moves the addon files themselves, but it does not by itself restore profiles or saved options.
Account-wide SavedVariables
Account-wide addon data is normally in WTF/Account/<account>/SavedVariables/. Addon-specific Lua files in this directory commonly contain profiles and settings shared by characters on that account. WeakAuras and other SavedVariables-backed addons rely on this kind of file, so do not omit files for addons you intend to keep.
Character-specific data
Character data is under WTF/Account/<account>/<realm>/<character>/. Copying the complete account directory preserves every realm and character. A Blizzard forum migration answer specifically advised copying the account-level SavedVariables files and the files in each realm/character directory, while excluding Addons.txt and any SavedVariables files for addons you deliberately do not want to migrate.
Character folders can contain more than addon profiles. They may hold character-level bindings, layouts, and chat information, so copying only the account-level SavedVariables folder can leave a character looking different from the old PC. If you care about every character, copy the whole account directory.
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Keybinds are stored in files rather than only in the game’s online account service. The UI reference identifies WTF/Account/<account>/bindings-cache.wtf for account-level bindings and WTF/Account/<account>/<realm>/<character>/bindings-cache.wtf for character-specific bindings. Preserve both levels when they exist. Some bindings or macros may reappear after you log in, but the local files are the safer migration copy.
Character-level bindings can override shared account bindings. Therefore, a successful restore requires testing the actual character whose settings you copied, not just checking that a file with the right name exists.
Layout and chat files
When present, retain layout-cache.txt, layout-local.txt, and chat-cache.txt in the relevant account or character directories. They hold UI placement and chat configuration that can otherwise require manual reconstruction. Check more than one character if you use different layouts or chat windows by character.
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Should you copy the whole WTF folder or only Account?
Copying the whole WTF folder is the least error-prone option. It carries all account and character settings and avoids guessing which addon wrote which file.
A selective migration can be appropriate when the old installation contains obsolete profiles or machine-specific clutter. In that case, retain WTF/Account/<account>/SavedVariables/ plus every realm/character directory that matters. Include the addon Lua files and profile files you actually use; leaving out one can make an addon appear to have lost its configuration.
For a deliberate selective copy, work from the account directory downward:
- Keep the account-level
SavedVariablesdirectory. - Keep each realm directory that contains characters you still play.
- Keep every character directory whose bars, bindings, chat windows, or profiles matter.
- Keep account- and character-level
bindings-cache.wtffiles. - Keep layout and chat files when you want the old placement and channels.
- Exclude
Addons.txtand SavedVariables files only when you are certain you do not want those addon settings.
If the destination shows a different account-folder name, stop before replacing anything. Identify the matching WoW license/account directory first, then copy the saved data into that destination. Do not merge an old account tree into an unrelated account simply because the character names look similar.
What to do with Config.wtf
Config.wtf contains machine-dependent configuration. A Blizzard-hosted migration answer recommends deleting it or renaming it on the new computer so the client can detect the new hardware and create suitable settings. Do not overwrite the new installation’s hardware configuration with the old computer’s file as part of a routine addon migration.
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Restore the backup on the new PC
- Install WoW through Battle.net. Let the launcher create the destination folders normally.
- Run the game once. Reach the character-selection screen, then exit. This confirms that the installation can create its own folder structure.
- Protect the new configuration. Keep the newly generated
Config.wtf, or rename it temporarily if you need a reversible fallback. Do not replace it with the old computer’s copy. - Open the same version directory. Find the destination
_retail_folder created by the new installation. - Copy
Interfaceinto it. Replace or merge the destination folder only after WoW is closed. - Copy the saved account data. Place the backed-up
WTF/Accountcontents into the matching destination account directory. If the account folder name does not match, pause and identify the correct license directory before continuing. - Start with a minimal addon set. Enable only the essential addons in the AddOns screen, then enter a test character.
- Check the migration. Verify action bars, keybinds, macros, chat windows, UI placement, addon profiles, and WeakAuras.
- Add the remaining addons in groups. Re-enable them a few at a time, checking for an error or missing profile after each group.
- Reapply hardware settings. Tune graphics, display, sound, and other options for the new PC.
Always close WoW before replacing or merging folders. Once the files are in place, start the client normally rather than making several changes at once. That gives you a clear point at which to identify a bad path, missing file, or incompatible addon.
Why a staged restore is safer
Restoring every addon at once makes it difficult to tell whether a missing setting comes from a bad copy, an outdated addon, or an incompatibility with the current client. A minimal first launch gives you a clean checkpoint: if the test character has its bars, bindings, chat windows, layouts, and profiles, the file migration worked. You can then isolate any problem by enabling the remaining addons in groups.
Test one representative character
Choose a character that uses the keybind scheme, action bars, and addons you rely on most. Test movement, combat actions, macros, chat channels, and any WeakAura that is important to your play. Then inspect a second realm or character if your account uses character-specific profiles.
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Do not treat the character-selection screen as proof that the migration succeeded. Enter the world and exercise the functions that would expose a missing file: press several movement and combat bindings, open each important action bar, send a test chat message, open addon options, and trigger a frequently used WeakAura.
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Handle outdated addons separately
A copied addon can be present but incompatible with the current client. Check the AddOns screen for disabled or out-of-date entries and update or replace those addons before treating a profile as lost. Keep the original backup so you can recover a file if an update overwrites a setting.
Moving individual addon profiles
An addon with an in-game profile, export, or import function is usually easiest to move through that workflow. Export the profile on the old computer, install the addon on the new one, and import it after the first test launch. This avoids copying unrelated data when you want only one addon.
When no usable profile workflow exists, copy the addon’s SavedVariables file from WTF/Account/<account>/SavedVariables/, or copy the complete account tree. Do not guess a filename: identify the file associated with the addon and keep the rest of the account data intact.
KeyBindProfiles example
KeyBindProfiles documents its profile file at WTF/Account/<account>/SavedVariables/KeyBindProfiles.lua. Preserve that file if you use the addon. Its documentation warns that deleting WTF removes the stored keybind data, which is why a whole-folder backup is preferable before experimenting.
Common migration failures and fixes
Addons appear installed but all settings are reset
Usually the addon files were copied without the matching SavedVariables. Close WoW, restore the relevant account-level and character-level files, and launch again. Confirm that the destination account directory is the one used by the new installation.
Only some characters have their profiles
The missing data is likely in a character-specific directory that was not copied. Restore the complete WTF/Account/<account>/<realm>/<character>/ path for each affected character, including its bindings and layout files.
Keybinds do not match
Check both account-level and character-level bindings-cache.wtf files. A character-specific file can override shared bindings. Also verify that the test character is the same one whose settings you copied and that the relevant action bars or addons are enabled.
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The game starts with incorrect resolution or graphics
Do not restore the old Config.wtf. Let the new client generate its machine-specific configuration, then set display and graphics options manually for the new monitor and hardware.
The client reports addon errors
Disable the suspect addon, confirm that the core UI and bindings still work, and then update or replace that addon. Re-enable addons in small groups so the conflicting file is identifiable. Keep the untouched backup while troubleshooting.
WeakAuras or another profile is missing
Confirm that the addon’s SavedVariables file was copied under the correct account directory and that the addon version is enabled. If the addon has an export/import feature, use it as a second recovery route from the old computer.
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The interface looks right but chat is wrong
Check for chat-cache.txt in the account or character directory and restore the matching file while WoW is closed. Character-specific chat data may not follow an account-only copy.
Verification checklist before wiping the old computer
- The test character performs expected actions with its character-specific keybinds.
- Action bars and macros are present and execute the intended commands.
- Chat windows, channels, and UI layout are restored.
- WeakAuras and other SavedVariables-backed addons load their profiles.
- Important characters on other realms retain their own settings.
- Addons are compatible with the current WoW client and are not silently disabled.
- Graphics, display, and sound settings are appropriate for the new hardware.
- The USB backup remains untouched until all critical characters and addons have been checked.
A compact migration plan
For a complete move, close WoW, copy Interface and WTF from the old version directory to separate USB storage, install and launch WoW once on the new PC, leave the new Config.wtf in place, and restore the folders while the game is closed. Test one character with only essential addons, then add the rest in groups and retune hardware settings. This sequence preserves the files that matter while avoiding the most common machine-configuration and addon-compatibility problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I copy my entire WTF folder to a new PC?
Yes. Copying the complete WTF folder is the least error-prone option because it preserves account-wide, character-specific, keybind, layout, chat, and addon profile data. Keep the new computer’s Config.wtf rather than replacing it.
Where are WoW keybinds stored?
Look for bindings-cache.wtf at both WTF/Account/
Do I need to copy Interface if I use addon managers?
Yes for a complete offline migration. Interface/AddOns contains the installed addon code and assets, while WTF contains the settings. Copying only one folder gives you an incomplete setup.
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The addon files were likely copied without their SavedVariables, or the files were placed under the wrong account directory. Restore the relevant account and character paths with WoW closed, then test again.
Should I copy Config.wtf from the old computer?
Normally no. Config.wtf is machine-dependent. Let the new client generate it, then manually set resolution, graphics, display mode, sound, and other hardware-related options.
How do I move only one addon profile?
Use that addon’s in-game export/import feature when available. Otherwise copy its SavedVariables Lua file from the account SavedVariables directory, making sure you identify the correct file and preserve any character-specific data it needs.
Will WeakAuras move with the folders?
WeakAuras data is commonly stored in SavedVariables. Copy the relevant account and character data, enable a compatible WeakAuras version, and verify that the profiles load on a test character.
When can I erase the old PC’s WoW folders?
Wait until the new installation has passed the character, keybind, action-bar, chat, layout, addon-profile, and hardware-setting checks. Keep the USB backup untouched until every important character has been verified.
The Bottom Line
Close WoW, copy the complete Interface and WTF folders to USB storage, and leave the new PC’s Config.wtf alone. Launch the fresh installation once, restore the folders while the game is closed, test one representative character with essential addons, then enable the rest in groups. Keep the old folders and backup until keybinds, profiles, WeakAuras, layouts, chat, and every important character are confirmed.
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