Unlike most other games, World of Warcraft has a pre-installed mod management system. Referred to as AddOns by the WoW modding community, Blizzard supports/permits mods that improve quality of life features, interface functions, and texture enhancements.
In this article we will be providing you with a comprehensive and easy to follow step by step guide. Not only will we be informing you on where to safely get the AddOns, but also how to correctly install them.
Please note, that if you are looking install mods that can give you an edge in PvP, or render you godlike, then the AddOns that can be downloaded from Curse are not for you. While Activation Blizzard might allow the use of AddOns in their online game, they do not support cheating. For this reason, it is highly inadvisable for anyone to consider using cheat mods as it can result in your account being suspended or Banned.
Where can I Download WoW AddOns From?
Most AddOns can be found at wow.curseforge.com. Using their search bar, type in the desired function of the AddOn. You can search for anything from damage counters, to in-game advice for boss battles, and class/role specific functions.
Read through the description and user reviews, to ensure that the AddOn meets your requirements. Some AddOns may have misleading/poorly chosen names that don’t correctly convey the AddOn’s true function.
Where are the AddOns Downloaded to?
After locating the desired AddOn(s) click the appropriate download button to download the zip-file.
Default settings will have all downloaded content stored in the Downloads File, easily accessible through file explorer and Quick Access.
How Do I Install WoW AddOns?
Opening the File Explorer in another window, locate where the World of Warcraft file has been installed. For the purposes of this article we will be using the default location:
- Opening the World of Warcraft file, you will notice two folders, one call Data, and the other is _retail_.
- Open the _retail_ folder, then the Interface folder, followed by the AddOns folder.
Move the downloaded zip file to the AddOns folder. This can make the next step easier, as there will not be a need to relocate the location of the unzipped files destination, and in the event of a stuff up, the zip file can be easily located.
- Right click on the zip file and select Extract Files. As the Zip File is already located in the desired destination, click the Extract button.
After the files have been extracted, double check that there are no nested folders (folders stored within folders), by right clicking the folder and selecting open in a new window. You will know if there are any nested folders by the absence of files along with the folder. If there are files present, more then likely, this is not a nested folder.
If nested a folder(s) is present, highlight all of the folders and move them back to the AddOns tab. Remove the original unzipped file that should now be empty, and either delete or relocate the original Zipped File that you down loaded, to a secure folder. This will make re-installations simpler if something goes wrong, and avoids uses data limits, if your internet service has a cap on downloadable data limits.
How Do I Know if the AddOns Installed Correctly?
A WoW session that doesn’t have any AddOns installed, will only have two buttons located in the lower left corner of the character selection screen. If you have successfully installed your AddOns, there will be a new button called AddOns, see above image for details. If this button is absent, and you have installed the unzipped files in the correct folder location*, then you may need to double check for any nested folders.
*…World of Warcraft/_retail_/Interface/AddOns
Remember that if you open the folder, and find another folder by itself without any files on the same level, then you may have another nested folder. Some AddOns will still use sub-folders, but there will usually be files stored on the same level as this folder(s).
With the AddOns button present. click it to active the AddOn(s) features, prior to loading your toon.