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WoW Dragonflight PTR: How To Join, Install, Copy Character & More

A step-by-step guide to joining the Public Test Realm (PTR) for WoW Dragonflight, copying a character over, installing the test version, and more.

By Wessel Minnie |

First Published June 14, 2023, 10:39

WoW Dragonflight PTR: How To Join, Install, Copy Character & More

The Public Test Realm (PTR) in World of Warcraft is a valuable asset for Blizzard. It is a place to test new features, balance changes, and even new content, such as Raids, before they get pushed live. For WoW Dragonflight players, the PTR is a way to experience this content and start theory-crafting before it goes live.

If that sounds like something you would be interested in trying, we've covered you. This guide outlines how you can join a WoW Dragonflight PTR, install the test version on your PC, and copy your live character over.

Update on 14 June 2023: We've updated this article to reflect any new information about the latest PTR for WoW Dragonflight.

How to Join Latest WoW Dragonflight PTR

wow dragonflight public test realm ptr how to join copy character latest version new features installing patch update world of warcraft — Test WoW Dragonflight content before it gets released by joining the PTR. An active subscription is required.(Picture: Blizzard)

To join the latest WoW Dragonflight PTR version and test the new content, you will need to own a standard game account, and you will need to have an active subscription. Starter Editions of WoW won't allow you to get in. Then, you also need a WoW PTR account. Follow the steps below to create one.

Log in to Blizzard Account Management.
Select Games and Subscriptions.
In the Starter Editions & Public Test Regions section, select Create PTR Account.
Click the Create Account button.

An important additional note here is that the WoW Dragonflight PTRs are only available in the following languages: English, French, German, and Korean.

How To Install WoW PTR Version

With a PTR account created, you will now need to install the latest WoW Dragonflight test realm version. Follow the steps below to do just that.

Open the Blizzard Battle.net App and select World of Warcraft from your Games list.
In the selector above the Play button, change your Region / Account to Public Test Realm.
Click Install to install the PTR client. This becomes a Play button when ready.
Click Play to log in to the PTR, and select any of the available Test Servers.

The last piece of the puzzle to join the WoW Dragonflight PTR is to copy a live version of a character.

How To Copy WoW Dragonflight Character To PTR

Follow the official steps below to copy a WoW Dragonflight live character over to the PTR with ease.

Log in to the World of Warcraft PTR
If this is the first time you launch the PTR, you will need to create at least one new character before you can continue to the character selection screen
In the character selection screen, click Copy Character
Click Copy Account Data to transfer your live account settings to the PTR
Select a character and click Copy

With the complete account creation, version installation, and character copy process steps done, you can enjoy the latest WoW PTR content and help Blizzard test upcoming features. Remember that this is a test version; progress does not carry over to the live version. You can also expect some bugs and glitches.

How Long Does A WoW PTR Run?

Wondering how long the current WoW Dragonflight PTR version will be available? We are too! There's no clear indication of how long a WoW PTR version can run. It all depends on the content being tested and the feedback provided on the new features to Blizzard.

On average, a PTR for WoW Dragonflight can run for roughly four to six weeks. Sometimes, however, a PTR could only run for a couple of weeks if something as simple as a few balance changes are being tested and enough valuable feedback is provided.

That's everything you need to know about WoW Dragonflight Public Test Realm PTR, from how you can join in the testing to copying a character and installing the PTR version of World of Warcraft to get started.

Check out our video below, where we dive deep into the lore of the Dragon Aspects in World of Warcraft, discussing all the leaders, their history, and some family drama!