Set up Hyjal

Install Battle.net

WoW Forever is installed through Blizzard's Battle.net app. If you already have it, skip to step 2.

Install WoW Forever

Press Win + R, paste this command and press Enter. Battle.net opens on the WoW Forever install.

Pick the Forever beta (not Classic Era or Retail) and let it finish. It must be version 1.60.1.70532. You don't need to open the game. If Battle.net is installed somewhere else, change the path in the command.

Get the Hyjal launcher

Download and run the installer. It adds Hyjal Launcher to your Start menu and desktop, and keeps itself up to date.

Sign in, set the folder, play

Sign in with your Hyjal username and password (and the code we email you). The launcher finds the game by itself; if it asks, click Set game folder and pick:

Then press PLAY. The launcher logs you into the game, so there's nothing to type there.

Install Battle.net

WoW Forever is installed through Blizzard's Battle.net app. If you already have it, skip to step 2.

Install WoW Forever

Quit Battle.net, open Terminal (⌘ + Space, type Terminal), paste this command and press Return. Battle.net opens on the WoW Forever install.

Pick the Forever beta (not Classic Era or Retail) and let it finish. It must be version 1.60.1.70532. You don't need to open the game.

Get the Hyjal launcher

Open the DMG and drag Hyjal Launcher into Applications. Apple Silicon Macs.

If macOS says the app is damaged or can't be opened, run this once in Terminal, then open it again:

Sign in, set the folder, play

Sign in with your Hyjal username and password (and the code we email you). The launcher finds the game by itself; if it asks, click Set game folder and pick:

Then press PLAY. The launcher logs you into the game, so there's nothing to type there.

Start in Desktop Mode

On Steam Deck, hold Power and choose Switch to Desktop. On a Linux PC, use your normal desktop. Hyjal runs natively; WoW runs through Proton.

Save the AppImage in a permanent folder, right-click it → Properties → Permissions → Is executable, then open it. Keep it in a writable folder for updates. If FUSE is unavailable, run it with --appimage-extract-and-run.

Set up UMU / Proton

Launcher 1.4.22 and newer also run Steam’s own Proton directly: if Steam already has a Proton installed (Steam → Settings → Compatibility), UMU is optional and you can skip to step 03 and run the installer commands below with that Proton instead.

Install UMU from its official project. It manages Proton and the Steam runtime for Windows games. You need Python 3.10 or newer. The portable install below stays in your home folder and does not change SteamOS system packages.

The first Proton launch downloads its runtime and can take several minutes. In Hyjal → Settings → Linux, choose Automatic Proton (UMU). Installed Proton versions are also detected. Keep nested gamescope off in Steam Deck Gaming Mode.

Install Battle.net and WoW Forever

Download the Windows Battle.net installer from Blizzard. Run it in Konsole / Terminal using the same prefix as Hyjal:

After signing into Battle.net, close it. Run this to open the Forever installation:

Install WoW Forever 1.60.1.70532, then close Battle.net. If the installer or game lives elsewhere, adjust the path. Existing installations work too; choose their game folder and matching Wine prefix in Hyjal Settings.

Sign in, set the folder, play

Sign in with your Hyjal username and password (and the code we email you). If the launcher asks, click Set game folder and pick:

Use your installation's _classic_beta_ folder containing WowB.exe. In Settings → Linux, choose the matching Wine prefix. Then press PLAY. The launcher logs you into the game, so there's nothing to type there.

Steam Deck: add the AppImage to Steam as a non-Steam game. Leave forced Proton compatibility off for the native launcher. In Gaming Mode, use a trackpad layout; Steam + X opens the keyboard.