Getting Started
_ First things first. Before you can begin your adventures in Azeroth, you'll need to either set up a free Starter Edition WoW account (which you can do here) or purchase the full version of the WoW game software. Physical copies of WoW are available for $19.99 USD at most major retailers that sell video games, or you can purchase it directly from Blizzard as a digital download here. As stated above, you can start playing WoW for free with a Starter Edition account, but Starter Edition accounts have a number of limitations, which you can read about by clicking here. This guide will assume that you have purchased at least the full basic version of WoW.
At some point after you've started installing WoW, you'll be prompted to set up a Battle.net account as well as download the Battle.net Desktop App. Battle.net is the overarching gaming network set up by Blizzard to maintain and run all of their games (you can click here to get started setting up a Battle.net account before you install WoW, if you choose). The Battle.net Desktop App is a simple launcher app that provides easy access to all Blizzard games you have on your computer, as well as automatically updating them (click here for more info, and to start downloading & installing the app). You should also consider setting up a Battle.net Authenticator for additional account security (please see the bottom of this page for more information). Once you finish setting up your Battle.net account, installing the Battle.net Desktop App, and installing WoW (and it finishes its automatic updating process), your Desktop App should look something like this:
At some point after you've started installing WoW, you'll be prompted to set up a Battle.net account as well as download the Battle.net Desktop App. Battle.net is the overarching gaming network set up by Blizzard to maintain and run all of their games (you can click here to get started setting up a Battle.net account before you install WoW, if you choose). The Battle.net Desktop App is a simple launcher app that provides easy access to all Blizzard games you have on your computer, as well as automatically updating them (click here for more info, and to start downloading & installing the app). You should also consider setting up a Battle.net Authenticator for additional account security (please see the bottom of this page for more information). Once you finish setting up your Battle.net account, installing the Battle.net Desktop App, and installing WoW (and it finishes its automatic updating process), your Desktop App should look something like this:
_
The Desktop App displays links to current news
items about the game, the Blizzard online Store, and options & preferences for WoW and any other Blizzard games you have (as well as for the Desktop App itself). For right now, the only thing you need to worry about is the large "Play" button in the lower left corner. When you're
ready, click on it to enter the game and watch this awesome opening cinematic, which shows a key moment in Orc history being rewritten, as well as the birth of Grommash Hellscream's Iron Horde!
Once you've finished watching the cinematic and clicked "Accept" on the Terms of Use, you should be automatically logged into the game, and should find yourself at the game's Character Creation screen, which looks like this:
If you don't see this screen, then follow any on-screen instructions you see until you reach it. Don't do anything with your character yet, though!
Before you try to create a character, you should do something really quickly. First, click the "Back" button or press the "ESC" key on your keyboard, so that you see the Character Selection screen, which should look something like this:
Before you try to create a character, you should do something really quickly. First, click the "Back" button or press the "ESC" key on your keyboard, so that you see the Character Selection screen, which should look something like this:
Now, click the "Menu" button or hit the "ESC" key on your keyboard, and click the "System" button. You should see a menu that looks like this:
_ What you see here are the Graphics options,
where you can adjust how the game looks. You can make a lot of fine adjustments
to specific aspects of the game's graphics, but for right now, just click on
the "Recommended" button in the lower left corner of the screen. What
this does is automatically adjust all of your graphics settings at once based
on your computer's system specs, so that you have the best balance between
pleasant graphics and smooth gameplay. Clicking the "Recommended"
button will bring up this message:
_
Click on the "These Settings" button, and once the
game adjusts the graphics settings, click the "Okay" button in the
lower right corner to return to the Character Selection screen. The next step will be to choose a Realm to play on.
*IMPORTANT: Strictly speaking, it is not necessary to link a Blizzard Authenticator to your Battle.net account in order to play WoW. However, it is strongly recommended that you get one as soon as possible, as it will add an extra layer of security to your Battle.net and WoW accounts and make it much less likely that someone will be able to gain unauthorized access to them! For more information, check out this website: https://us.battle.net/support/en/article/battlenet-authenticator
*IMPORTANT: Strictly speaking, it is not necessary to link a Blizzard Authenticator to your Battle.net account in order to play WoW. However, it is strongly recommended that you get one as soon as possible, as it will add an extra layer of security to your Battle.net and WoW accounts and make it much less likely that someone will be able to gain unauthorized access to them! For more information, check out this website: https://us.battle.net/support/en/article/battlenet-authenticator
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World of Warcraft, The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria, Warlords of Draenor, and Legion are registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
World of Warcraft, its associated expansions, all content described by this guide, and all images contained in this guide are the sole intellectual property of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. No copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Any questions, comments, or concerns about this guide? E-mail: [email protected]
World of Warcraft, The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria, Warlords of Draenor, and Legion are registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
World of Warcraft, its associated expansions, all content described by this guide, and all images contained in this guide are the sole intellectual property of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. No copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Any questions, comments, or concerns about this guide? E-mail: [email protected]