How to Import and Export WoW Housing Layouts

What Are Layout Codes?

Layout codes are text-based snapshots of your housing decoration arrangements. They encode the position, rotation, scale, and type of every item placed in a room or your entire house. Think of them as save files for your builds.

Layout codes let you:

- Back up your current decoration before making changes

• Share your builds with friends and the community
• Import other players' designs into your own house
• Move arrangements between characters

  How to Export a Layout

  Exporting your layout is straightforward:

  Export a Single Room

  - Enter your house and navigate to the room you want to export

• Open the Housing menu (default keybind: Shift+H)
• Select Layout Manager
• Click Export Room
• Choose the room from the dropdown
• Click Copy to Clipboard

  The layout code is now in your clipboard. You can paste it anywhere — a text file, Discord message, or directly into WoWPlots when community uploads launch.

  Export Your Entire House

  - Open the Housing menu

• Select Layout Manager
• Click Export House
• Choose whether to include outdoor areas
• Click Copy to Clipboard

  Full house exports are larger codes but capture everything in one go.

  How to Import a Layout

  Before You Import

  Important: Importing a layout will replace all existing decorations in the target room or house. The game will warn you before applying, and your current layout is automatically backed up.

  You also need to own the decor items referenced in the layout. Items you don't own will be skipped during import, and you'll see a summary of what was placed and what was missing.

  Import Steps

  - Find a layout code you want to use (from WoWPlots, Discord, or a friend)

• Copy the code to your clipboard
• Open the Housing menu (Shift+H)
• Select Layout Manager
• Click Import
• Paste the layout code
• Preview the layout (optional but recommended)
• Click Apply

  The import processes immediately. Items you own are placed according to the layout. Missing items are listed in a report so you know what to collect.

  Understanding Layout Code Format

  Layout codes use a JSON-based format that third-party tools can parse. While you don't need to understand the format to use it, here's what's inside:

  - Header: Version, house size, room type, biome

• Items array: Each item includes an ID, position (x, y, z), rotation (pitch, yaw, roll), and scale
• Metadata: Creator name, creation date, description (optional)

  This structured format is what allows tools like WoWPlots to display layout information and eventually offer preview renders.

  Tips for Layout Sharing

  For Exporters

  - Add descriptions to your exports so importers know what to expect

• Export room-by-room if your full house is too large — it gives importers more flexibility
• Include an item list when sharing — this helps importers know what they need to collect

  For Importers

  - Preview first — always use the preview feature before applying

• Start with single rooms rather than full house imports to get comfortable
• Check the item report after importing — missing items often have cheaper alternatives
• Make it your own — a great import is a starting point, not a final product. Personalize it!

  Where to Find Layouts

  The best places to find quality WoW housing layouts:

  - WoWPlots Gallery — browse builds with screenshots and copy layout codes directly from build pages

• Architects of Azeroth Discord — active community sharing layouts daily
• r/wow subreddit — housing showcase posts often include layout codes
• WoW forums — official Housing & Decoration subforum

  Common Issues

  "Some items could not be placed"

  This means you don't own all the items in the layout. Check the report for missing items and work on obtaining them. The rest of the layout will be placed correctly.

  "Layout version mismatch"

  Layout codes include a version number. If the format has been updated since the code was created, you may see this warning. Most version mismatches are handled automatically, but very old codes may need to be re-exported.

  "Exceeds decor budget"

  Your housing level determines your maximum decor budget. If a layout uses more items than your budget allows, you'll need to level up your housing before importing it.

  What's Next

  Blizzard has announced several upcoming improvements to the layout system:

  - Copy/paste within houses — duplicate arrangements from room to room

• Partial imports — select which parts of a layout to apply
• Visitor codes — share time-limited access to view (not copy) your house

  The layout import/export system is one of the most powerful features of WoW housing. Combined with the WoWPlots gallery, it makes discovering and replicating inspiring builds easier than ever.

  If you're new to housing, start with our Complete Beginner's Guide. For placement techniques that make imported layouts even better, check out our Advanced Mode Tutorial and 25 Tips and Tricks.