StarCraft II™ Beginner’s Guide
What is StarCraft II?
Gameplay Overview
Campaign Overview
Battle.net Overview
Race Overviews
Installation Guide

Getting Started

Learn about Battle.net accounts, installation, and more

This section covers the StarCraft II installation process and Battle.net account creation. Battle.net profiles and characters are discussed in more detail in the Multiplayer Basics and Social Play sections. If you’ve already installed the game and created your account, skip ahead to Playing the Game.

Setting up a Battle.net Account

Battle.net accounts grant you access to Blizzard Entertainment online services and games with a single login. With your Battle.net account, you can manage purchases at the online Blizzard Store, keep track of authentication keys for your Blizzard Entertainment games, opt in for upcoming beta tests, and much more; we are always looking for other cool web services to add to our sites.

After signing up for your Battle.net account, you will be able to access Battle.net account features and services via the account management homepage. You can use the Manage My Games section to document your authentication keys and download our titles from anywhere with Internet access. Even your World of Warcraft account(s) can be linked, creating a single login for all of your Blizzard Entertainment games. During StarCraft II installation you will be prompted to visit our Battle.net website to enter your authentication key for the game.

Further details can be found on the Battle.net support site.



Digital Purchase

You can buy a digital copy of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. The difference between a digital copy and the retail version of the game is that the digital copy can be downloaded immediately upon purchase and does not include any physical media.

Visit the Battle.net website and select the digital download version of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. Once your purchase is complete, you will be able to download and install StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty on your computer. Also, if you ever need to download the game again, you can do so by visiting your Battle.net account management page.

For more information or if you need assistance, please visit the Blizzard Store support pages.

Digital Download
  • Digital copy of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
  • Download, install, and play
  • Can be downloaded again as needed
Buy digitally now!

Retail Box
  • Physical copy of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
  • Includes game box, printed manual, etc.
  • Once registered, can be downloaded as needed.

Installing StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty

PC INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

Place the StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty DVD into your DVD-ROM drive. If your computer has autoplay enabled, an installation window will automatically pop up on your Windows desktop. Left-click the Install StarCraft II button and follow the onscreen instructions to install StarCraft II on your hard drive.

If the installation window does not appear, double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop, and then double-click the drive letter corresponding to your DVD-ROM drive to open its contents. Double-click the Install.exe icon in the DVD-ROM contents and follow the onscreen instructions to install StarCraft II.

INSTALLING DIRECTX
You will need to install DirectX 9.0c in order to run StarCraft II properly. While installing StarCraft II, you will be prompted to install DirectX if you do not already have the most up-to-date version on your computer.
MAC INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
Place the StarCraft II DVD into your DVD-ROM drive. Double-click the StarCraft II DVD icon, and then double-click the Installer application to copy the required game files to your hard drive.
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Comments (65)

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Bogie #231
Bogie
4/17/2012
i bought SC2 from the blizzard website. I have to uninstall windows. will i be able to get SC back without having to pay for anything?
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AsainSWaGG #267
AsainSWaGG
4/7/2012
I downloaded starcraft 2 on my account and i dont have my key anymore i threw it away on accident do i still need it if i download it from my account?
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TheTurtleW #656
TheTurtleW
2/29/2012
please tell me you didn't throw away the cd case. I'm looking for something right now, and running out of time, so i cant walk you through it, but under no circumstancese throw out the cd case until you get it verified. Maybe someone more helpful will come along and explain.
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jhon #699
jhon
2/10/2012
i bought the start craft 2 wings of liberty how and it keeps telling me if i want to upgrade or continue starter adition dot i supose to have axces to everything or what
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Metal #816
Metal
2/28/2012
@jhon: You must first master the English language.
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Mikel #216
Mikel
2/5/2012
Just bought myself a new iMac. Os X version 10.7.3 i5. i downloaded it all up and went to play it. Started great. Wouldn't let me play single player or multiplayer. all grayed out. then i tried to close the appllication. Guess what? it like froze. my mouse still worked. I couldn't even Force quit. I have tried repairing the permissions and a bunch of other really random crap that the support told me to do. Nothing. Anyone know why a brand new computer that is all up to date is having problems with Starcraft 2?
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crizdawg #907
crizdawg
2/24/2012
@Mikel: y u playing sc on a mac fool? delete the whole game and try again. thats what i am doing after i had a power outage during patching
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chrischamp #726
chrischamp
1/28/2012
lol jk
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ThelVadam #584
ThelVadam
1/7/2012
I have been trying to re download Starcraft 2 but every time I reach 23% it tells me that my download is not authenticated and to repeat the process of re downloading the downloader and I have done this multiple times and it just keeps doing it. What do I do to fix this problem?
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JimTwo #210
JimTwo
1/4/2012
PLZ HELP MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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JimTwo #210
JimTwo
1/4/2012
FORGOT HOW TO DOWN LOAD WITHOUT DIGITAL DOWNLOAD OR DISK!!!!!!!!
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Tarren #937
Tarren
12/29/2011
https://us.battle.net/account/download/sc2/download.html?gameRegion=NA&lang=en-US&platform=win
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Darkquest #630
Darkquest
12/27/2011
how the !@#$ do u download
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where are the extra missions to be downloaded? it sent me out of the game, but nothing there??
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Dubgee #114
Dubgee
11/18/2011
open up finder
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TheGrayGhost #636
TheGrayGhost
11/12/2011
I tried downloading the game client, but when it finished the download screen disappeared nothing happened and now i can't find it on my computer at all except for the same file that i clicked to start the download, any ideas on where that 14 hours of time went?
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trig #910
trig
11/2/2011
i treid to download starcraft2 .. i had originally bought the game digitally on the imac of the house i was staying at.. now i have my own pc... i would like to know how to Get the game on here.. it wont let me download..
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PwnZer #146
PwnZer
10/25/2011
For the 2 comments below:
1)Sign into your battle.net account
2) Click account
3) Scroll down to Starcraft 2 and click it
4)Click download game client
5) ???
6) Starcraft
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Skyblast #482
Skyblast
10/21/2011
my computer broke can i get starcraft for free?
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zeratul #1984
zeratul
10/17/2011
i deleted my starcraft how do i get it back for free
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Canibalz #312
Canibalz
10/10/2011
Is there a way to play SC2 without connecting to the internet. I mean the single player campaign?
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Shadowstrike #879
Shadowstrike
10/17/2011
@Canibalz: No, because you have to connect to the internet to access your profile, where your progress in the campaign is saved. Sorry.
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TheGrayGhost #636
TheGrayGhost
11/12/2011
@Canibalz: you can still play, but no achievements will be saved if you get them.
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Meathead #316
Meathead
9/26/2011
I used my key then a while later i uninstalled the game and i recently installed it again now my key wont work what do i do? (STarcraft 2)
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Trogdor #597
Trogdor
8/24/2011
when you buy a digital copy, does the cd key come before you download, or must you download the game. My friend wants to buy the game, but use my copy of the game to install without downloading and wasting internet.
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Pyles #238
Pyles
8/15/2011
Is this game iPad compatible
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Frezer #977
Frezer
10/10/2011
@Pyles: no
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Ddirt #898
Ddirt
6/13/2011
i try to play when i dont have internet but cant
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Arcadias #647
Arcadias
8/8/2011
@Ddirt: You must log in to play the singleplayer and multiplayer. Blizzard has it this way to prevent pirates from making illegal copies of the game as well as making it easier for people to play their singleplayer campaign on the go.
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Ddirt #898
Ddirt
6/13/2011
how can i play the comp. before without being online
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EagleFlight #730
EagleFlight
5/29/2011
how do I download from the internet and not the CD? I lost my CD and the game crashed
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MxGVampyWorm #688
MxGVampyWorm
5/31/2011
@allhailamos: i do believe go to the game clieint
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Santino #468
Santino
5/26/2011
There really are like a million patches you have to download first.
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Tupac #516
Tupac
5/20/2011
hahahha
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booger #196
booger
5/17/2011
how many patches do you have to download before you can play?Cause i have either DL ed 20 or i keep DL the same one over and over again
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Eragon #916
Eragon
5/15/2011
how do I download SC2 so I can re install it.
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Axull #394
Axull
5/15/2011
how d oyou install SC2 after a computer crash happens and a forced windows reinstall happens?
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SoulKeeper #683
SoulKeeper
5/11/2011
if any one wont to add me its XProKillersX
code # 516
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Lantharus #888
Lantharus
5/10/2011
i cant start my galaxy editor it says its missin a file ne1 kno whats up?
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WhippaSnappa #398
WhippaSnappa
4/24/2011
How do I register my CD I actually bypassed it in the installation process.