How to Set Up a Bank Alt in WoW: Forever

A bank alt in World of Warcraft: Forever is another character you use to store items and receive mail. Create an eligible alt, get them to a settlement with a mailbox and a bank, and send one inexpensive tradeable item as a test. Once it arrives, use that character for materials you want to keep without carrying them on the character you play most.

Create and position the storage character

1. Create the alt in a realm and ruleset that can exchange mail with your main. Use the same faction when setting up your first storage character.
2. Move the alt to a settlement with a mailbox and a bank. If you expect to sell materials, look for a convenient Auction House too.
3. Open the bank with the alt and check its available storage. Put a few spare general bags on the character if you need more space for sorting.
4. Switch to your main and open a mailbox. Enter the alt's exact name and send one inexpensive tradeable item. Switch back and check that the test item arrives before sending valuables.

Keep the name somewhere easy to check, particularly if you have several similar characters. Before clicking Send, compare the recipient and attachments with what you meant to transfer. A test with a cheap item also helps you catch a realm or character restriction before putting valuable materials in the mail.

Sort by what you need to retrieve

Give the alt one or two clear jobs at first. For example, use the bank for materials you intend to keep and the carried bags for items you intend to sell. This makes it easier to find something after you switch characters. If you pile every spare item into the same space, you can end up logging in just to sort before you can retrieve anything.

For crafting supplies, group materials by purpose. Keep materials for an active recipe together so you can send the full set back in one trip. Keep anything your main needs on the next dungeon or quest route on the main. The bank alt saves bag space only when you can afford to leave the stored items behind for a while.

For sale items, sort them when you receive the mail. Check which items you actually want to list and which should go back to the character who needs them. Avoid using unopened mail as your only storage system. Mail can expire or be returned, and it becomes harder to find an item when it's one of many messages with a similar subject.

Send items back before you start the next activity

Log into the alt, withdraw the required stack, and check its quantity before attaching it to a message. Enter the main character's name and verify the destination. If you need the materials for a craft or a run, confirm receipt before leaving for the destination. That way, a delay or a rejected attachment doesn't force you to travel back to a mailbox.

If you're using the alt to supply several characters, use clear subjects for your own reference. A message such as “Ore for Jewelcrafting” is easier to identify than a string of similar empty messages. Keep only as much stock on each character as they need for the near term so you know which inventory holds the reserve.

Fix a rejected attachment or missing mail

If an item can't be attached, check its binding and whether it is eligible to move between those characters. Gear bound to the sender typically belongs in that character's own bank or bags unless the item specifically allows transfer. Don't send a substitute item until you know which restriction caused the first attempt to fail.

If the message doesn't arrive, check the recipient's spelling, realm, and eligibility. Reopen the mailbox and look for the message subject before sending another copy. A cheap test gives you a known item to look for, so use one again if you change the storage character or try a new transfer arrangement.

Once the route works in both directions, keep the alt near the services you use most. Check the bank before buying materials you may already own. The useful habit is simple: send surplus tradeable items to one known place, sort them when they arrive, and retrieve them before you need to leave town.