The Tool Desk
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The short, safe migration plan
- Exit World of Warcraft completely on the old PC. This gives the client and addons time to flush their Lua and configuration files.
- Open the version directory that contains your live installation, normally
World of Warcraft/_retail_/. - Copy the entire
Interfacefolder and the entireWTFfolder to an external USB drive or another storage location. Keep the original backup untouched. - Install WoW through Battle.net on the new PC and launch it once. Reach the character-selection screen, then exit.
- Do not copy the old machine’s
Config.wtfover the new one. Keep the new file, or rename it temporarily so WoW can regenerate hardware-specific settings. - Copy the backed-up
Interfacefolder into the new version directory. - Copy the backed-up account data from
WTFinto the matching destination. If the account-folder names do not match, stop and identify the correct WoW license directory before replacing anything. - Start with only essential addons enabled. Test one character’s bars, keybinds, chat windows, layout, addon profiles, and WeakAuras before enabling the rest.
- Reapply graphics, display, sound, and other hardware-dependent options manually.
This sequence preserves the data that can move between computers while allowing the new installation to detect its own hardware.
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What the Interface and WTF folders actually contain
| Path | What it stores | Why you should keep it |
|---|---|---|
Interface/AddOns/ |
Installed addon code, artwork, libraries, and other addon assets. | Without it, the new installation has no local addons to load. |
WTF/Account/<account>/SavedVariables/ |
Account-wide saved variables for addons. | Profiles and settings shared across characters commonly live here. |
WTF/Account/<account>/<realm>/<character>/SavedVariables/ |
Character-specific addon settings. | Preserves settings that differ by realm or character. |
WTF/Account/<account>/bindings-cache.wtf |
Account-level keybind data. | Retains bindings that apply at the account level. |
WTF/Account/<account>/<realm>/<character>/bindings-cache.wtf |
Character-specific keybind data. | Retains bindings assigned differently on individual characters. |
layout-cache.txt and layout-local.txt |
Interface layout information. | Helps restore frame positions and other UI placement. |
chat-cache.txt |
Chat configuration and window data. | Helps preserve chat windows and their settings. |
Config.wtf |
Machine-dependent configuration such as hardware and display settings. | Usually should be regenerated on the new computer rather than migrated. |
The account directory is the important branch of WTF. Account-wide files and each realm/character directory can both matter, so copying only one level may leave part of your setup behind.
Why both folders are necessary
Interface and WTF are complementary, not interchangeable backups. The first contains the programs the game loads; the second contains the state those programs have accumulated. Copying only Interface gives you freshly installed addons with default profiles. Copying only WTF gives you saved variables for addons that are not present, so the game cannot use them.
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Blizzard community guidance from April 2020 summarizes the selective approach this way: copy the account-level SavedVariables files and all files in each realm/character folder, excluding Addons.txt and any addon SavedVariables you deliberately do not want. The same guidance notes that copying the complete WTF and InterfaceAddons folders is easier when you want every addon and setting. For most players, the complete-folder method is less likely to miss a character profile or an obscure Lua file.
Before shutting down the old PC
Exit WoW and every related process
Close the game normally and verify that Battle.net or another launcher is not still patching the installation. Addons write their saved variables while the game is running and during shutdown; copying while files are open can capture incomplete data.
Find the correct version directory
Open the WoW installation and choose the version directory you actually use. For the live client this is normally _retail_. The correct directory contains the Interface and WTF folders that have your current addons and settings. If you use another WoW version, use that version’s directory instead of assuming that _retail_ is the right one.
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Make a complete USB backup
On an external USB drive or USB flash drive, create a clearly named backup folder and copy both folders into it:
World of Warcraft/_retail_/Interface
World of Warcraft/_retail_/WTFThe migration guidance published in a Blizzard community forum specifically recommends USB media for carrying these folders. Choose storage with enough free space for both folders and a connector that works with the old and new computers. Do not move the only copy; leave the original installation intact until the new setup has been checked.
Use a selective backup only when necessary
A full WTF copy is the least error-prone option. If disk space, privacy, or a deliberately clean setup requires a selective copy, retain at least:
WTF/Account/<account>/SavedVariables/for account-wide addon data.- Every relevant
WTF/Account/<account>/<realm>/<character>/directory for character-specific settings. - Account- and character-level
bindings-cache.wtffiles. layout-cache.txt,layout-local.txt, andchat-cache.txtwhen present.- Addon-specific Lua files you rely on, including files used by WeakAuras or other SavedVariables-backed addons.
Do not delete or omit an addon’s saved-variable file simply because its name is not obvious. If you are unsure, preserve the complete account tree and remove unwanted settings after the new installation is working.
Where keybinds, macros, and UI layouts are stored
Keybinds
Keybind data can exist at both account and character levels. Preserve WTF/Account/<account>/bindings-cache.wtf and the corresponding file inside each realm/character directory. Some bindings or macros may also become available after you log in, but the local files are the safest migration backup because they do not depend on a particular login state.
Action bars and macros
Action-bar and macro behavior can depend on the character’s saved UI and addon variables as well as Blizzard’s account data. Copy the complete account and character directories rather than assuming that one file contains everything. After restoration, test a character’s actions directly instead of trusting that the presence of a file means every binding is valid.
Frame positions and chat windows
The layout and chat cache files identified in the UI migration references can preserve frame placement and chat-window configuration. Keep them with the account data, then verify that windows are visible and positioned correctly on the new display. A different resolution or monitor arrangement can make a technically restored layout appear misplaced.
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WeakAuras and other profile-heavy addons
WeakAuras and similar addons commonly keep profiles and definitions in SavedVariables. Those files are under the account or character branches of WTF, not in the addon code under Interface/AddOns. Copying only Interface installs the addon but does not restore its saved profiles.
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1. Let the new installation create its folders
Install World of Warcraft through Battle.net, launch it once, wait until the character screen appears, and exit. This creates the destination directory and lets the client write a configuration suitable for the new computer.
2. Protect the new Config.wtf
A Blizzard-hosted migration answer recommends deleting or renaming Config.wtf on the new PC when necessary so the client can detect new hardware. The practical rule is not to overwrite the new machine’s file with the old machine’s copy. If you rename it rather than delete it, keep the old file outside the active version directory until migration is complete.
3. Restore Interface
Copy the backed-up Interface folder into the new version directory. Merge only if you intentionally want to retain newly installed files; replacing the destination with the known-good backup is simpler when the new directory contains no addons yet.
4. Restore the matching account data
Copy the backed-up WTF/Account contents into the new installation’s corresponding WTF/Account directory. Account-folder names can differ between installations or WoW license directories. If the destination does not contain the expected account folder, do not guess and overwrite another account. Identify the correct license directory first.
5. Keep hardware settings separate
Start WoW and manually set display resolution, graphics quality, monitor selection, sound, and other options that depend on the new hardware. These settings are precisely why carrying the old Config.wtf can be counterproductive.
Restore in stages instead of enabling everything at once
A staged restore makes a broken or outdated addon easier to identify.
- Enable only the addons you consider essential, such as the ones that provide your primary UI, bars, or required data.
- Log in with a test character.
- Confirm that action bars, keybinds, macros, chat windows, frame positions, addon profiles, and WeakAuras appear as expected.
- Check several characters if you use character-specific layouts or bindings.
- Exit normally and confirm that changes remain after a second launch.
- Enable the remaining addons in small groups, testing after each group.
- When a problem appears, disable the last group and check which addon is outdated or incompatible with the current client.
This process separates file-transfer problems from addon-compatibility problems. It also gives you a known-good point from which to remove one troublesome addon without losing the rest of your restored setup.
Selective migration and addon profile exports
Prefer an addon’s own export or profile feature when it is reliable
An addon that offers an in-game profile or export workflow is often easiest to migrate through that feature. Exported text or profiles can be useful when you want only one character’s setup, when the destination account is different, or when you intentionally do not want to carry every old setting.
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When an addon has no usable profile or export function, copy its relevant SavedVariables file or the complete account tree. Keep the file in the same account-wide or character-specific branch where the addon expects it. Copying a file into the wrong branch can make the addon appear to have lost its settings.
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KeyBindProfiles example
KeyBindProfiles documents its profile file at:
WTF/Account/<account>/SavedVariables/KeyBindProfiles.luaIts documentation warns that deleting WTF removes stored keybind data. That is a practical reminder that addon code and addon settings are separate: reinstalling an addon does not recreate its profiles.
Common failure modes and fixes
The addons appear, but every profile is reset
Usually only Interface was copied, or the wrong account directory was restored. Exit WoW, verify that the saved-variable files are under the destination’s matching WTF/Account/<account> path, and restore the complete account tree.
One character has bindings, but another does not
Bindings may be character-specific. Check each character directory for its own bindings-cache.wtf and restore the account-level file as well. Test the affected character after copying both levels.
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Confirm that layout-cache.txt and layout-local.txt were copied. Then account for the new monitor or resolution; a layout created on different hardware can require manual repositioning even when the files are intact.
Chat windows are missing
Restore chat-cache.txt when it exists and check the character-specific directory as well as the account directory. Log out normally after making changes so WoW can save the current chat configuration.
WeakAuras or another addon loads with no data
Check that its SavedVariables file was included, that it is in the correct account or character branch, and that the installed addon version is compatible with the current client. Enable the addon only after confirming that the file was copied.
The game behaves badly after copying the old configuration
Remove or rename the migrated Config.wtf and allow WoW to create a fresh one. Reapply graphics and display settings manually. Do not use a hardware-specific configuration from the old PC as a diagnostic shortcut.
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The new client reports outdated or incompatible addons
Disable the affected addon, test the rest of the migration, and update or replace addons that are not compatible with the current client. Re-enable addons in groups so the incompatible one can be identified without obscuring otherwise successful restoration.
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Compare the backup with the destination before launching for the first time. The new version directory should contain Interface/AddOns, and the restored account branch should contain both SavedVariables and the realm/character folders you expect. If a copy operation reports a locked or skipped file, stop and repeat it after WoW and Battle.net have fully closed rather than assuming the missing file is unimportant.
Keep the backup read-only in practice: do not edit files directly while troubleshooting, and do not let the new client write into the only copy. If you need to experiment, duplicate the backup first. This is especially useful when testing profile-heavy addons, because an early login can save a blank or reset profile over the restored file.
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If you maintain more than one WoW installation, label each backup with the version directory and date. Retail, Classic, and other clients use separate trees, and restoring a Classic account branch into a retail directory can create confusing results even when the folder names look similar.
Verification checklist before you retire the backup
- At least one test character has the expected keybinds and each important key performs the intended action.
- Action bars, macros, chat windows, and UI layout are present.
- WeakAuras and other SavedVariables-backed addons load their profiles.
- Character-specific settings work on every character that matters.
- Addon versions are compatible with the current client.
- Graphics, display, sound, and other hardware-dependent settings are tuned for the new PC.
- The old USB backup remains untouched until you have launched the game, logged in, tested the setup, and confirmed that changes persist after a restart.
What to remember
The dependable migration unit is not an addon installer alone; it is the pair of folders that hold both code and state. Copy Interface for the addons themselves and WTF for account, character, keybind, layout, chat, and profile data. Let the new computer generate its own Config.wtf, restore the account tree carefully, and test in stages before enabling the full addon collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I copy the entire WTF folder to a new PC?
Yes. Copying the complete WTF folder is the simplest way to retain account-wide and character-specific settings. Do not copy the old Config.wtf; let the new computer generate its own hardware configuration.
Where are WoW keybinds stored?
Keybinds can be in WTF/Account/<account>/bindings-cache.wtf and in each realm/character directory. Preserve both levels, then test every character that uses different bindings.
Will copying Interface restore WeakAuras?
It restores the WeakAuras addon code, but not its profiles or auras. Those are normally in account- or character-level SavedVariables under WTF, so both folders are required.
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Should I use an addon profile export instead of copying files?
Use an addon’s export or profile feature when it is reliable and you want a selective migration. Otherwise, copy its SavedVariables file in the correct account or character branch, or restore the complete account tree.
Why did my restored UI move after switching monitors?
A different resolution or monitor arrangement can make restored frame coordinates appear misplaced. Keep the layout files, then reposition frames manually on the new display.
How long should I keep the old backup?
Keep the USB or flash-drive copy untouched until you have logged in, verified bindings, bars, chat, profiles, and WeakAuras, and confirmed that the setup survives a normal restart.
The Bottom Line
Back up Interface and WTF together, restore the matching account tree, regenerate Config.wtf for the new hardware, and enable addons in stages. That preserves your addons and UI state without importing the old PC’s machine-specific settings.
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