Blizzard is upgrading World of Warcraft’s Cooldown Manager with new customization tools, debuff tracking, sound alerts, and UI improvements. Here’s everything we know so far.
More Control, Less Clutter: WoW’s Cooldown Manager Is Evolving
Blizzard is doubling down on quality-of-life improvements in World of Warcraft, and next in line for a glow-up is the Cooldown Manager. If you’re a min-maxer, a raid leader, or just someone who likes your cooldowns tidy and your timers exact, you’re in for a treat.
No release date yet, but the list of planned features reads like a dream update for anyone who juggles complex rotations, DoT uptime, or external defensives in group content.
Advanced Cooldown Settings: You’re in Control Now
Blizzard wants to give players full command over what shows up, how it looks, and where it goes. The upcoming Advanced Cooldown Settings include:
- Toggle specific abilities on or off
- Reorder cooldowns to prioritize essentials
- Switch between bars or icons for display
- Show unlearned abilities for planning ahead
- Toggle mouseover tooltips and timers
- Search bar to filter by name or keyword
- Customize Essentials vs. Utility frames
Whether you’re building a clean raid UI or a PvP setup packed with info, these tools aim to let you tune things exactly to your needs.
Debuff & External Defensive Tracking
The update also plans to tackle debuff and DoT awareness, making it easier to manage damage-over-time effects and track team cooldowns:
For DPS:
- Track if a DoT is missing, expiring, or in the pandemic window (aka safe to refresh)
- Especially useful for classes like Affliction Warlocks, Shadow Priests, and Balance Druids
For Tanks:
- Visual indicators for external defensive cooldowns used by allies (e.g., Pain Suppression, Blessing of Sacrifice), allowing for better mitigation management
Sound Alerts for the Win
In a nod to accessibility and clarity, Blizzard is adding customizable sound alerts that trigger when:
- Cooldowns come off CD
- Buffs proc or fall off
- Specific class mechanics activate
Players will be able to choose specific audio cues for different situations — giving you a more immersive and responsive way to stay on top of your toolkit without constantly staring at your bars.
Edit Mode Upgrades + Profile Swapping
The Cooldown Manager will also get deeper integration with Edit Mode, the UI editing system from Dragonflight, offering:
- Resizable cooldown frames
- Repositioning options to keep things ergonomic
- Multiple UI profiles that automatically switch based on content type (e.g., one layout for raids, another for Mythic+, and another for PvP)
That last one is still in the idea phase, but it’s one of the most requested features by the community — and it’s being seriously considered.
When Is It Coming?
Blizzard hasn’t locked in a timeline yet. All improvements are currently labeled as “in development” with no confirmed release patch. However, with fan feedback driving the roadmap, these features are clearly a high priority.
What’s Coming to the Cooldown Manager?
| Feature | Description |
| ✅ Advanced Settings | Toggle, reorder, and customize cooldowns by bar/icon format |
| 🔍 Search Function | Easily find specific spells or abilities |
| 🩹 Debuff/DoT Tracking | Alerts for missing or expiring DoTs |
| 🛡 External Cooldown Indicators | Track when allies use defensive cooldowns on you |
| 🔊 Sound Alerts | Custom cues for cooldowns and buffs |
| 🎛 Edit Mode Integration | Resizing, repositioning, and multi-profile support |
Final Word: A Welcome Buff to QoL
Blizzard’s attention to user interface depth and flexibility shows a real push to modernize WoW without bloating the experience. The Cooldown Manager changes are shaping up to be a huge win for players who love smart, reactive gameplay and crave more info at a glance.
No addons? No problem. With these official tools, your UI might finally feel tailor-made — and raid-ready.
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