How to zoom out and increase your field of view in WoW Classic

If you’re a retail World of Warcraft player making the switch to WoW Classic, one of the first things you’ll notice is that your field of view in Classic is smaller than in the modern version of the game. Luckily, we can fix that.

Although it’s standard for the zoom option in Classic WoW to be a bit more of a close-quarters experience, it’s possible to alter your field of view and expand the maximum zoom limit that’s in place. If you’re somebody who loves to zoom out and have the entire battlefield on your screen—whether you’re in a massive 40-player raid or questing alone in a starting zone—there’s an option in Classic that will allow you to adjust the game’s maximum field of view (FOV). 

Here’s how to change how far you can zoom out and increase your field of view in WoW Classic. 

How to get a bigger FOV in WoW Classic

To alter your Classic WoW FOV, you’ll first need to zoom all the way in until your WoW character’s point of view is completely first person. This essentially resets your FOV and allows the game to work with a blank canvas once you start messing around with its script. 

Once your character has a first-person view of the world around them, type the following command (as written) into your chat box to get the widest possible field of view. After typing the command, zoom all the way out and appreciate your newfound view on WoW.

• /console cameraDistanceMaxZoomFactor 3.9

By default, the minimum “ZoomFactor” in WoW Classic is 1.0, while its maximum is 3.9, so you could type any number between 1.0 and 3.9 at the end of that console command to get your desired field of view. If the max zoom setting is a bit too much for you, you can always copy-paste the command again with a smaller number at the end to return to the way things were.

Best FOV and zoom settings for WoW Classic Hardcore

Admittedly, the maximum zoom with an FOV of 3.9 is pretty jarring at first, and I don’t know if I’ll be playing with it myself. But if you’re a Hardcore player, having a frame of view that goes beyond the default option can be an advantage, especially since you’ll be able to see potential enemies, clusters of mobs, and other threats long before they see you. We recommend fiddling with the zoom options until you get a max zoom distance you’re comfortable with; you don’t want the game to be too heavy on the eyes.