
The thing that the basic UI does the worst job at is the management of your action bars and your inventory. Blizzard’s default path for addons is your WoW Folder > Interface > AddOns make sure that if you play both Classic and Retail that you choose the correct base WoW install folder. If you choose to install manually, you’ll want to place your addon files inside your WoW install directory. WoWup is what I use, but most perform more or less the same functions. If you come across any charging money avoid them, they’re likely a scam, the community-supported options are all free. Overwolf has done this in the past with their chat client, and you do not want to be messing around with an external program injecting something into WoW.

A number of options are available to you, and they’re all largely interchangeable, I would avoid those known for game integration.

However, while it isn’t necessary, it is massively helpful and I would recommend it. It’s not explicitly necessary to get an addon manager program, you can install and update your addons manually. Action bars, your bags, those sorts of things are presented in a fashion that is certainly flavorful but lacks in function. At a basic level, the most important thing is getting a better handle of the things the normal UI already gives you. There are a few things you just plain need to have to make your game experience smooth, and many sources will provide you with too much, or too little for someone just beginning to alter their UI. The best Addons for WoW Shadowlands are Bartender, Bagon, Details! Damage Meter, and WeakAuras if you like that kind of stuff. Still, many users can find it hard to select the addons that will help them most. Thankfully, they encourage a robust add-on development scene that allows you to customize as little or as much as you want.

Blizzard aims for a lightweight experience, but one that cuts out a lot of valuable information and can make your life a lot harder. There’s a lot to like about WoW, but for many players, the basic functions of the UI aren’t among them.
