How to Update ElvUI Without Losing Settings

Back up ElvUI before updating

Copy the WTF folder to a safe location. It contains account, realm and character saved variables, including ElvUI profiles. A backup is especially important before a major WoW patch or large ElvUI version jump.

• Exit WoW before copying files.
• Back up WTF, and optionally Interface for a complete addon snapshot.
• Record the profile name you currently use.
• Export important profiles from /ec → Profiles when practical.

Update ElvUI step by step

1. 1

   Download the verified current tag

   Use the v15.18 source archive linked above or the official Tukui distribution page.

2. 2

   Remove the old addon code

   Delete ElvUI, ElvUI_Libraries and ElvUI_Options from AddOns. Do not delete WTF.

3. 3

   Copy the replacement folders

   Extract the archive and place the same three fresh directories into AddOns.

4. 4

   Launch and verify

   Confirm the version in the AddOns list, then log in and test the interface.

Why replacing folders is better than merging

Copying a new release over an old directory can leave removed or renamed files behind. A clean replacement prevents stale Lua modules from loading while preserving profiles in the separate WTF directory.

Fix errors after an update

First disable third-party ElvUI plugins such as skins, profile packs or feature extensions. If base ElvUI works, re-enable plugins one at a time. If errors continue, test a new ElvUI profile before resetting all saved variables.

• Confirm that all three core folders share the same release.
• Check that the files were installed into the active WoW client.
• Update companion plugins separately.
• Report reproducible base-addon issues through the public ElvUI issue tracker.

How to update ElvUI safely after a release check

The first step in how to update ElvUI safely is checking whether an update actually exists. Compare the installed addon version shown at character selection or in ElvUI with the release displayed by Tukui. Also compare the supported interface number with the WoW client being launched. At the July 16, 2026 verification, Tukui reported ElvUI 15.18, updated July 7, with several live client interfaces. A future visitor should use a newer Tukui release if one has replaced that version.

Knowing how to update ElvUI safely also means choosing the right time: after a major WoW patch, when Tukui publishes compatibility fixes, when ElvUI reports an available version or when a reproducible base-addon error is fixed by a newer release. Do not update only one of the three core directories. ElvUI, ElvUI_Libraries and ElvUI_Options are one release unit and should always be replaced together.

The process for how to update ElvUI safely uses Tukui or a matching public Git tag. Avoid updater executables and mirrors that cannot demonstrate provenance. Keep the new archive and the previous working archive until the updated installation has completed a full login, reload and restart without repeated errors.

Back up profiles before you update ElvUI

ElvUI profiles and saved variables live under the World of Warcraft WTF directory, not inside the three addon code folders. A routine update therefore should not erase profiles, but a backup protects against deleting the wrong directory, saved-variable migration problems and unrelated addon corruption. Close WoW, copy the WTF directory to a dated backup location and verify that the copy completed before changing Interface/AddOns.

For important layouts, open /ec, select Profiles and export the profile string as an additional portable record. Note the ElvUI version, screen resolution, UI scale and required plugins beside the export. The string does not include every WeakAura, SharedMedia font or third-party addon, so a complete recovery still benefits from the WTF backup and a written dependency list.

Players with Retail and Classic installed should back up the branch they are changing and confirm the selected Battle.net client. The folders can sit beside each other and contain profiles with similar names. A careful branch check prevents an update from being applied to the wrong installation while the intended client remains outdated.

Replace ElvUI folders instead of merging an update

Exit WoW completely. Open the active client's Interface/AddOns directory and delete ElvUI, ElvUI_Libraries and ElvUI_Options. Do not delete WTF. Extract the new archive, open any outer wrapper and copy the three fresh core directories into AddOns. This clean replacement is the recommended practical answer to how to update ElvUI because it removes files that the new release may have renamed or retired.

Merging a new archive over an old installation can leave stale Lua files. Those files may load even though they are absent from the current release, producing errors that appear to be new-version defects. A clean replacement also prevents the main directory, libraries and options module from ending on different versions. Verify the directory depth and confirm that each TOC file is directly under its core addon folder.

Start WoW, open AddOns and confirm the displayed version. Enter the world and allow any saved-variable migration to complete. Test base ElvUI before updating optional plugins. Companion projects may require their own updates and can produce errors even when the core replacement is correct.

Troubleshoot an ElvUI update without deleting settings

If WoW still reports the old version, the most likely causes are updating a different client directory, leaving an outer archive wrapper or keeping the game open during file replacement. Reopen the selected Battle.net install location and compare it with the edited path. Confirm that the AddOns list points to all three fresh directories and that no duplicate ElvUI copy exists under another nested folder.

If Lua errors begin after updating, disable every optional ElvUI extension and test a new temporary profile. When base ElvUI works, update and re-enable extensions one at a time. When the options panel is missing, inspect ElvUI_Options and ElvUI_Libraries. When the whole addon is absent, inspect directory depth. Do not delete WTF as the first troubleshooting step because that resets many addons and destroys useful evidence.

Restore the backup only after preserving any new changes that matter. If an older core release is needed for diagnosis, install a verified tag cleanly and use a copied profile. Return to the supported current version when testing ends. The safest method for how to update ElvUI is repeatable: verify, back up, replace three folders, test base ElvUI, then restore optional components.