WRITTEN ARTICLE · WISP INSTALLATION
How to install ForeverWisp: addon setup and troubleshooting
Install the free Wisp tester alpha on Windows or Mac, create its .toc file, find the right AddOns folder and update without deleting saved progress.
Before you install: this is a tester alpha
The free download contains five Classic reference guides and requires manual setup for your target client. It is not a verified, ready-to-install Forever release. Setting an interface number allows the client to identify the package; it does not prove that its APIs or routes work in that client.
You do not need a Wisp account or payment for the tester ZIP. You do need access to the WoW client you intend to test. Downloading Wisp does not grant access to Blizzard’s beta.
1. Download and extract the tester ZIP
Use the download button on our addon page and extract the ZIP into a temporary folder. Locate the ForeverWisp folder inside it. That folder contains the Lua files and ForeverWisp.toc.template. Do not copy the unopened ZIP into the game.
The release manifest lists the current version and SHA-256 checksum. This article was checked against 0.12.0-alpha; read the release instructions again if you download a newer version.
2. Read your client’s interface number
In the target game client, enter the command below in chat and note the number printed. Use the number from the client where you will install Wisp, rather than copying one from a different WoW edition or an old tutorial.
| Purpose | Command |
|---|---|
| Print the client interface number | /run print(select(4, GetBuildInfo())) |
3. Create ForeverWisp.toc on Windows or Mac
Inside the extracted ForeverWisp folder, copy ForeverWisp.toc.template to a new file named ForeverWisp.toc. Open the new file in a plain-text editor, replace @INTERFACE@ with the number from your client and save. Preserve the rest of the file: its module list is part of the release.
On Windows, show file extensions when checking the filename. ForeverWisp.toc.txt is not the required filename. The optional Prepare-Windows.ps1 helper asks for the number and writes the .toc beside the extracted addon files; it does not copy the addon into WoW or change PowerShell’s execution policy. Use the manual method if the helper cannot run.
On Mac, use a plain-text editor, or switch TextEdit to plain-text mode before saving. Check in Finder that the final file is named ForeverWisp.toc rather than a .txt or .rtf document.
4. Copy the addon into the correct client folder
Locate the installation folder for the particular WoW client you are testing. If you have multiple editions installed, check the selected game version and its location in Battle.net first. Folder names can differ between versions; do not assume the folder used by another edition is correct.
Copy the extracted ForeverWisp folder into that client’s Interface/AddOns folder. The .toc and Lua files must be directly inside ForeverWisp, not inside a second nested folder.
| Folder layout | Result |
|---|---|
| Interface/AddOns/ForeverWisp/ForeverWisp.toc | Expected final .toc location |
| Interface/AddOns/ForeverWisp/Core.lua | Example Lua file alongside the .toc |
| Interface/AddOns/ForeverWisp/ForeverWisp/ForeverWisp.toc | Extra nesting: copy the inner addon folder instead |
5. Restart WoW, enable Wisp and select a guide
Fully restart the game after adding the folder. Enable ForeverWisp in the AddOns list, enter /wisp, then open Guides and choose a route that matches your character. Select Start guide for a new route or Continue guide for saved progress.
The current levelling references cover Human Elwynn 1–10 and Human Westfall/Redridge 10–20. Profession and farming guides have their own requirements. An unavailable guide may reflect a character mismatch rather than a broken installation. These are Classic test routes, not verified Forever routes.
ForeverWisp not showing or not opening?
Work through the checks in order. Fix one issue, restart the client and check again so you can tell which change helped.
| Symptom | Check next |
|---|---|
| No ForeverWisp entry in AddOns | Correct client folder, extracted ZIP, no extra folder nesting, and a real ForeverWisp.toc file. |
| Listed as out of date | Read the interface number from this client and regenerate the .toc using this release’s template. That still does not establish compatibility. |
| /wisp does not open the panel | Check that Wisp is enabled. A load-time error can prevent command registration; record the first error rather than repeatedly reinstalling. |
| Panel or arrow is off screen | If Wisp loads, try /wisp reset-position. |
| No suitable route in the chooser | Check the route’s race, faction and level requirements. |
| Arrow or automatic completion does not work | Record the client build, guide and step. Check the instructions manually; report the issue instead of treating missing tracking as a completed objective. |
How to update without deleting saved progress
Exit WoW and back up the relevant client’s WTF folder before an update. Wisp saves settings and progress in SavedVariables there. Preserve those files; do not delete the WTF folder as an installation fix.
Use the new release’s addon files and generate a fresh .toc from its new template. Reusing an old .toc can omit newly added modules. Keep an identifiable copy of the previous addon folder outside Interface/AddOns if you need it for troubleshooting.
Progress depends on the guide version and available migrations. Keeping SavedVariables preserves the records, but does not promise that every new route version maps to the same step. Website checklist progress remains separate from in-game progress.
What to include in an installation report
If the alpha produces errors, disable it and send the client version/build, Wisp version, operating system, selected guide and steps that reproduce the issue to hello@foreverwisp.com. Include the first error message if available.
A screenshot of the addon folder can help diagnose nesting or filename problems. Remove account names, personal paths and unrelated chat before sharing. We do not need your password or your entire WTF folder.
Related reading and guides
Sources and review notes
- ForeverWisp: installation, updates and commands in the release README
- ForeverWisp: current public release version and checksum
- ForeverWisp: Windows setup helper source
Checked against the published Wisp 0.12.0-alpha ZIP, README and Windows helper. These are source-package setup instructions, not evidence of a successful Forever client playtest. Forever compatibility remains unverified.
