LockItems
Every World of Warcraft player knows the sinking feeling: you have just sold a stack of materials you spent hours farming, or worse, a piece of gear you meant to keep. Vendor windows are dangerous places, especially when you are clearing bag space after a long raid night or a grind session. LockItems is a lightweight addon built to solve exactly that problem, and it does so with a clever visual trick rather than restrictive mechanics.
The addon was originally created as a personal project, then released publicly for anyone who finds it useful. Its purpose is simple: it lets you "lock" inventory items so they fade out whenever you open a vendor window. The faded appearance acts as a visual reminder that this item matters to you, reducing the chance you will click Sell without thinking. It is a small quality-of-life improvement, but once you use it, going back feels strange.
How LockItems Works
Despite the name, LockItems does not literally lock anything. You can still sell or destroy a locked item whenever you choose, without unlocking it first. The addon is not designed to limit your gameplay in any way. Instead, it changes how your inventory looks at the moment of danger: when a vendor window opens, every locked item fades into the background while everything else stays fully visible.
This matters because accidental vendoring usually happens through muscle memory. You open a vendor, spam the sell button, and only notice the mistake afterward. A faded icon breaks that autopilot moment. Your eye catches the ghosted stack of Copper Ore or that spare flask, and you pause before clicking.
Locking and Unlocking Items
- Grab any item in your bags and press CTRL + T to toggle its locked or unlocked state.
- Locking one stack of a material locks every stack of that same item, so you never have to repeat the process for each bag slot.
- Open a vendor window to see the fade effect immediately.
- Type /li in chat for an in-game reminder of the controls.
That is the entire learning curve. There are no profiles to configure, no slash command trees to memorize, and no performance overhead worth mentioning. The addon stays out of your way until the moment it is needed.
Compatibility Across World of Warcraft Versions
LockItems for World of Warcraft is built to work across the major client branches players still enjoy today. Whether you are raiding current content or reliving older expansions, the addon fits in without fuss:
- Retail (current expansion)
- Classic Era
- The Burning Crusade Classic (TBC)
- Wrath of the Lich King Classic (WotLK)
- Cataclysm Classic
- Mists of Pandaria Classic (MoP)
Because the core mechanic relies on basic inventory and merchant frame behavior, the addon remains stable across these versions. If you play on multiple clients, you can keep the same habits everywhere.
If you would rather skip manual file management, the foxygame.net launcher handles the whole process in a single click, pulling LockItems straight into your addon folder alongside the rest of its catalog and keeping every addon updated automatically as new game patches land.
How to Install LockItems
Installation follows the standard World of Warcraft addon routine. Download LockItems from your preferred addon source, then place the extracted folder inside the Interface/AddOns directory of the client you play. The folder name must match exactly, so avoid renaming it during extraction. Restart the game or reload your interface, and the addon will be active. You can confirm it is running by typing /li in chat and seeing the reminder message appear.
If you use a launcher or addon manager, the process is even shorter: search, install, and let the tool handle updates. Either way, setup takes less than a minute.
Potential Addon Conflicts
LockItems has been tested alongside several popular inventory addons without issues. That said, any addon that heavily modifies bag frames or vendor windows carries some risk of conflict. If you notice strange behavior, overlapping frames, or missing fade effects, reach out to the author directly. Reports help identify and resolve conflicts quickly, and the addon is actively maintained with that feedback in mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will LockItems warn me before I sell something?
No. The addon deliberately avoids pop-ups or confirmation dialogs because those interrupt normal play. The fade effect is the warning, and it works passively in the background.
Why is it called LockItems instead of FadeItems?
Simple searchability. Players looking for this kind of protection search for the word "lock," not "fade," so the name matches how people actually look for the addon.
Final Thoughts
LockItems is one of those small utilities that quietly saves you from expensive mistakes. It does not add menus, timers, or complex settings. It fades the items you care about the moment a vendor window appears, giving you a half-second of awareness that can protect hours of farming. For players across Retail, Classic, TBC, WotLK, Cataclysm, and MoP, it is an easy addition to any UI setup and a sensible habit to build before your next bag cleanup.