How to get WoW Forever beta access
There are two ways in. Opt in for a free chance at an invite, or buy a digital bundle that comes with guaranteed access.
Opting in is a lottery. Blizzard pulls accounts from the opt-in pool in waves throughout the test, and guides report new names are still being added to the pool in October. An invite can arrive the first week or not at all. Buying a bundle skips the wait: the Skyborne Epic Pack, the Warcraft Forever Collection, and the physical WoW: Forever Collector's Edition all include beta access. The cheaper Skyborne Heroic Pack does not.
Either way, double check before you install anything. Blizzard warns that invitation emails get spoofed, so confirm a real invite by logging into Battle.net and checking Your Game Accounts for a WoW: Forever beta license before you click a link.
- Go to worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com/en-us/forever and sign in to your Battle.net account.
- Click Beta Opt-In to join the invite pool. It is free and does not guarantee you a spot.
- Watch your email and the Battle.net app; selected accounts are flagged automatically, with no key to redeem.
- If you bought a bundle with guaranteed access instead, open the Battle.net app, pick World of Warcraft, and choose the Forever Beta option under the Game Version menu once it appears under In Development.
- If an invite email looks off, log into Battle.net directly and check Your Game Accounts for a WoW: Forever beta license before clicking anything.
When does the WoW Forever beta end?
The beta started 17 September 2026, and Blizzard's own announcement names 21 October 2026, Pacific time, as "the last full day of testing," with WoW: Forever launching 4 November 2026. A few fan guides list 22 October instead, a day later than Blizzard's own date, but Blizzard has not published an exact closing hour.
That leaves about five weeks of testing, with new zones, dungeons and a battleground opening on a weekly schedule, plus a planned "Server Slam" window when anyone can log in for a few hours without an invite.
What's the level cap in the WoW Forever beta?
The beta opened at level 20 on 17 September 2026. Blizzard raised the cap to level 30 on 1 October 2026.
The beta is capped at level 30, and Blizzard's 1 October playable-dungeon list contains no raids. Week one content included the Skyborne starting zone Zephras Isle and the Hall of Thanes and Ruins of Lordaeron dungeons; the 1 October build added the Excavation Site: Wetlands dungeon plus access to Razorfen Downs and Uldaman.
Does WoW Forever beta access carry over?
No. Every character, level, item and gold total on the beta realms is wiped before launch, and guides plus a Blizzard developer's BlizzCon interview agree that everyone starts fresh at level one on 4 November 2026. Having beta access does not reserve your character names either; that is a separate perk tied to the paid bundles, open 27 October through 3 November.
The one exception testers get mid-beta is not permanent progress but a testing shortcut. On 1 October 2026, community manager Kaivax announced Blizzard would grant every beta tester 16 Legacy points so the Legacy system could be tested without a long grind through classes and dungeons first. Blizzard expects to keep that grant active only until the beta ends, so it disappears with everything else.
Wowdee will keep a simple reminder for the beta's last day and the early name reservation window right after it, so you know when to stop investing in a beta character and when to grab the name you actually want for launch.
Still to come
Not yet settled by our sources or tested in game:
- The exact hour the beta realms close on 21 October, Pacific time, has not been published.
- The exact date and hours of the promised Server Slam free-access window have not been announced yet.
- Whether the level 30 cap could rise again before the beta ends, since Blizzard has not ruled out a further increase.
- Whether the mid-beta Legacy Points grant gets fully removed at the beta's end or just stops growing.
Sources
Beta notes are dated because Forever is still changing.
- Blizzard News, 17 September 2026Official beta start and end dates, the level 20 to 30 cap plan, the Server Slam, and how to opt in or install the beta client.
- Kaivax (Blizzard community manager), beta forums, 1 October 2026Confirms the 16 Legacy Points grant for beta testers and that Blizzard expects it to stay active only until the beta ends.
- Warcraft Tavern beta guide, updated October 2026Confirms the level 30 cap took effect 1 October, lists 22 October as an alternate end date, and says beta progress does not carry over.
- Method.gg guide, October 2026Breaks down which purchase bundles include beta access, confirms opt-in invites are still going out, and the separate 27 October to 3 November name reservation window.
- Player reports, Blizzard EU forums, 2 October 2026Player thread citing a Blizzard developer's BlizzCon statement that all beta progress is wiped at launch.
- Timesaver.gg, 5 October 2026Confirms beta characters, levels, gold and gear are wiped before the 4 November launch, with no catch-up mechanic announced.