How to Install the WoW Forever Beta in Battle.net

The WoW Forever beta is live from September 17 to October 21, 2026, and you can install it directly through the Battle.net app with a one-line command. The beta product does not always appear on its own in your games list right away, but you can ask Battle.net to open it and start the download immediately.

This guide shows the command prompt method step by step, explains what each part of the command does, and covers what to change when Battle.net is not installed in the default folder.

Before you start

The Battle.net app is installed on Windows, and you have signed in to it at least once.
The beta window is open: the beta runs September 17 to October 21, 2026, and the full release follows on November 4, 2026.
You know where Battle.net is installed. The default location is C:\Program Files (x86)\Battle.net\Battle.net.exe.

How to install the WoW Forever Beta step by step

Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.
Type cmd and press Enter. A command prompt window opens.
Paste this command exactly as written, including the quotes, and press Enter:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Battle.net\Battle.net.exe" --game=wow_classic_beta --install

Battle.net opens and prompts you to install the WoW Forever Beta. Confirm the prompt, choose an install location, and the download starts. That is the whole method: the command tells Battle.net which product to open, the WoW Forever Beta (wow_classic_beta), and to start installing it (--install).

What each part of the command does

Part of the command	What it does
`"C:\Program Files (x86)\Battle.net\Battle.net.exe"`	Starts the Battle.net app from its default install folder. The quotes are required because the path contains spaces.
`--game=wow_classic_beta`	Tells Battle.net to open the WoW Forever Beta product instead of whichever game you played last.
`--install`	Tells Battle.net to start installing that product, not just open its page.

If Battle.net is not in the default folder

The command above assumes the default install location. If you installed Battle.net somewhere else, replace the path with your own path to Battle.net.exe and keep the quotes:

"D:\Games\Battle.net\Battle.net.exe" --game=wow_classic_beta --install

To find your install folder, right-click the Battle.net shortcut on your desktop or taskbar and choose Open file location. Windows opens the folder that holds Battle.net.exe; that full path is what goes in front of --game=wow_classic_beta --install.

If something goes wrong

Symptom	What to check
The command prompt says the path is not recognized	The path to `Battle.net.exe` is wrong, or the quotes were lost when you pasted. Copy the command again and keep the quotes around the path.
Battle.net opens a different game	The command was cut short or wrapped when it was pasted. Run it again and make sure `--game=wow_classic_beta --install` is at the end.
Battle.net opens but there is no install prompt	Update the Battle.net app to the current version, sign in, close it fully, then run the command again.

While the beta downloads

Our WoW Forever hub collects everything we have datamined and everything Blizzard has confirmed about the game.
The September 17 developer Q&A notes cover what the team said about classes, raids, PvP and launch.
The Forever talent calculator lets you plan a build before you log in.

The beta closes on October 21, 2026, and WoW Forever launches on November 4, 2026.