CurseForge is a free addon manager for World of Warcraft. Install the CurseForge desktop app, choose World of Warcraft, let it find your game folder, pick your version (Retail or Classic), then search for an addon and click Install. It also updates your addons for you. If you'd rather skip it, copy the addon folder into Interface\AddOns by hand.
How to install WoW addons with CurseForge
- Download the CurseForge app from curseforge.com. There's a standalone desktop version and one that runs inside Overwolf. Either works for WoW.
- Open the app and pick World of Warcraft from the game list.
- Check the game path. CurseForge usually finds your WoW install on its own. If it doesn't, point it at the main World of Warcraft folder in settings.
- Choose your game version at the top: Retail or one of the Classic versions. Each version keeps its own set of addons.
- Open the browse tab, search for an addon by name and click Install.
- Start WoW (or restart it). On the character select screen, click AddOns to make sure the addon is turned on.
- Use Update All in CurseForge after each major patch.
Quick facts
| Cost | Free |
| Retail addon folder | World of Warcraft\retail\Interface\AddOns |
| Classic addon folders | classic or classicera instead of retail_ |
| Allowed by Blizzard? | Yes. Addons run on Blizzard's own interface API and only change your UI |
| Other managers | Wago App, WowUp, or installing by hand |
How do I install WoW addons without CurseForge?
Download the addon's .zip from its project page or GitHub, then extract it. Inside you'll find a folder with a .toc file in it. Put that folder straight into Interface\AddOns for your game version. A common mistake is leaving it one level too deep (AddOns\AddonName\AddonName). WoW won't see it if that happens. Once the folder is in place, restart the game or type /reload.
Installing by hand keeps your PC free of extra software. The downside is that every update after a patch is up to you.
Why isn't my addon showing up or loading?
There are three usual reasons. The folder is nested too deep. It went into the wrong game version's folder (Retail addons do nothing in Classic). Or the addon is marked as out of date after a patch. For that last one, tick Load out of date AddOns on the character select AddOns screen, or update the addon. If it still loads but throws errors, a fixed version is often a few days behind the patch.
Is CurseForge safe, and can addons get you banned?
Addons from well-known managers are normal UI mods, and Blizzard lets you use them. They can only do what Blizzard's interface API allows, so they can't play the game for you. What does get accounts actioned is third-party automation: bots, injectors, and programs that read the game's memory. None of that is an addon, so stay away from anything that promises it.
Which WoW addons should I install first?
Most players start with a boss-timer addon (Deadly Boss Mods or BigWigs), Details! for damage meters, and a bag addon. Group content players add a Mythic+ timer and a weak-aura style tool for class alerts. Begin small. Every addon you add is one more thing that can break after a patch.
Addons make the game easier to read, but they won't win the hard fights for you. If you'd like a vetted pro to coach you through your UI setup or play alongside you through tough progression, PewPewShop's coaching and rent-a-pro help is there when you need it.