Activision has shared a full setup guide for the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Beta, covering the download schedule, PC requirements, security checks, rewards, and the changes coming to the game’s launch experience. The Modern Warfare 4 beta briefing also confirms that preloading will begin on August 20, one day before the first test weekend.
The two-weekend structure matches the previously confirmed beta calendar, while the latest details give players a better idea of what needs to be installed and configured before jumping in.
Modern Warfare 4 Beta dates and preload times
Call of Duty: NEXT is scheduled for 9:00 AM PT on Friday, August 21. The event will feature reveals, developer discussions, live gameplay, and creator broadcasts focused on Modern Warfare 4.
The Beta will begin immediately afterward at 11:00 AM PT on August 21. Weekend One will run until 10:00 AM PT on Tuesday, August 25, and will be limited to players with Early Access through a pre-order, pre-purchase, or redeemed Beta Code.
Early Access will be available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PlayStation 5, Steam, and Battle.net. Nintendo Switch 2 players will not be able to participate during Weekend One.
Weekend Two will be an Open Beta for everyone on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PlayStation 5, Steam, Battle.net, and Nintendo Switch 2. It will begin at 10:00 AM PT on Friday, August 28 and end at 10:00 AM PT on Tuesday, September 1. No pre-order or Beta Code will be required.
- Early Access preload: 9:00 AM PT on Thursday, August 20, on every platform except Nintendo Switch 2.
- Open Beta preload: 9:00 AM PT on Thursday, August 26, on all supported platforms.
- Xbox on PC: A small part of the Beta can be downloaded early, while the main download becomes available at 7:00 AM PT on August 21.
The Beta is a separate installation from the main Call of Duty experience, so it will not download automatically through a normal game update. Players joining both weekends only need to install it once; content and progression will carry from Weekend One into Weekend Two.
Modern Warfare 4 Beta PC requirements
PC players will need a 64-bit Windows system, an SSD, broadband internet, and a DirectX-compatible sound card. The minimum and recommended configurations are as follows.
Minimum specifications
- OS: Windows 10 64 Bit, latest update
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1600 or Intel Core i5-8400
- RAM: 12GB
- Video Card – AMD: Radeon RX 470
- Video Card – NVIDIA: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 / 1060
- Video Card – Intel: Intel Arc A580
- Video Memory: 3 GB
- Storage Space: SSD required
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
Recommended specifications
- OS: Windows 11 64 Bit, latest update
- CPU – AMD: AMD Ryzen 5 3600
- CPU – Intel: Intel Core i7-8700
- RAM: 16 GB
- Video Card – AMD: AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT
- Video Card – NVIDIA: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
- Video Card – Intel: Intel Arc B580
- Video Memory: 8 GB
- Storage Space: SSD required
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
Recommended graphics drivers
- NVIDIA: 610.47
- AMD: 26.7.1
- Intel: 32.0.101.8861
These specifications apply to the Beta and may differ from the requirements for the full game when it launches.
TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are required on PC
PC players must have TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot enabled to play the Beta online. Activision says the Windows security features provide a trusted foundation for RICOCHET Anti-Cheat™ and make system-level tampering more difficult.
Players who need help checking these settings can use the Call of Duty Secure Attestation Wizard. Activision also has a TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot support page with further instructions. If either feature is disabled, the Beta will not be playable online.
Shader Preloading should reduce PC startup waits
Shader Preloading will be available in the Modern Warfare 4 Beta. The feature prepares the small graphics programs used for lighting, shadows, surfaces, and visual effects before they are needed during a match. On PC, that preparation can help reduce stutters and other performance interruptions.
After the Beta is installed or updated, a Windows system-tray notification may say that “Shader Pre-Loading Will Start.” That notification is expected. The process runs in the background and uses some system resources, but players can continue using their computers while it works.
- Battle.net: Shader Preloading will be enabled when the Beta is first installed.
- Steam: The first launch still requires a one-time shader compilation. Shader Preloading will take effect after later updates.
Steam players who participate in Weekend One will be able to use Shader Preloading for the Weekend Two update. After launch, the feature will support the regular seasonal update schedule, with players only needing to compile shaders once.
Shader Preloading can be disabled in the settings. Players can also interrupt the process by right-clicking it; it will resume after entering the game. Infinity Ward and Beenox are bringing the feature to the Beta so it can be tested across the wide range of PC hardware and configurations used by the community.
Data patches will cause fewer restarts
Modern Warfare 4 will reduce the number of times a data patch forces players to restart the game. Playlist updates, store updates, and other smaller background updates already work without a restart in many cases, and the Beta will expand that approach to data patches.
There are still exceptions. If a data patch goes live while the game is running, a restart may be required. The Beta behavior also differs by platform:
- PC, Xbox on PC, Battle.net, and Steam: Data patches will usually not require a restart, except when a patch arrives while the game is running.
- Xbox Series X|S: Data patches will require a restart during the Beta. The plan is to reduce those situations at launch.
- PlayStation 5: Data patches will usually avoid a restart, though one may be needed if a patch arrives while the game is running or suspended.
- Nintendo Switch 2: Data patches will require a restart during the Beta and at launch.
How to download the separate Beta install
Players need to sign in with an Activision Account before launching. The account carries progression between supported platforms, stores eligible Beta rewards, and connects those rewards to the full game.
Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC
- Open the Store on the console or in the Xbox PC app.
- Search for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Beta.
- Select the Beta and choose Install.
- Once the Beta is live, open My Games & Apps, select the Beta, and choose Play.
PlayStation 5
- Open the PlayStation Store.
- Search for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Beta.
- Select the Beta and choose Download.
- Once the window opens, select it from the Home screen or Game Library and press Play.
Steam
- Open Steam and search the Store for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.
- Open the store page. Steam will add the Beta to the Library and begin the download.
- Select the Beta from the Library and click Play once the test is live.
Battle.net
- Open Battle.net and go to the Call of Duty page.
- Select Call of Duty: MW4 Beta from the Game Version menu.
- Choose Install.
- After installation, select the same Beta version and click Play when the window begins.
Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders for the full game and Beta preloading will begin at 9:00 AM PT on Thursday, August 26. A pre-order is not required to play the Open Beta.
- Open the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch 2.
- Search for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Beta.
- Select the Beta and choose Download.
- Once the Open Beta is live, select it from the HOME Menu and press Start.
Beta rewards and Twitch Drops
Beta progression will reset after the test ends. Player level, weapon unlocks, and other in-Beta progression will not carry into the full game, but eligible cosmetic rewards will remain tied to the Activision Account and become available when Modern Warfare 4 launches on October 23, 2026.
Weekend One raises the level cap to 20 and includes the first five rewards, ending with the “Dread Tiger” Operator Skin – Reece. Weekend Two raises the cap to 30 and includes all eight rewards, ending with the “Beta Forged” ISO Nightshade Weapon Blueprint.
- Level 4: “Through the Paces” Legendary Emblem
- Level 8: “First Served” Weapon Charm
- Level 12: “Meonjeo” Legendary Weapon Sticker
- Level 16: “Last Charge” Legendary Calling Card
- Level 20: “Dread Tiger” Operator Skin – Reece
- Level 23: “Field Tested” Epic Spray
- Level 26: “Beta Rights” Epic Loading Screen
- Level 30: “Beta Forged” ISO Nightshade Weapon Blueprint
Other cosmetic rewards include three Emblems, three Calling Cards, one Spray, and three Loading Screens available immediately. Combat Record rewards and challenge rewards include additional classified items, including a Charm, Weapon Blueprint, Emblem, and another undisclosed reward.
Players can also link their Activision and Twitch accounts to earn cosmetic content by watching Call of Duty: NEXT and participating Modern Warfare 4 Beta streams. These rewards will be delivered in-game when the full game launches. Instructions are available through Activision’s account-linking support page.
Call of Duty: NEXT Twitch Drops
- 15 minutes: “Gas Ready” Emblem
- 30 minutes: “Rapple Repel” Calling Card
- 45 minutes: “Ghost Helmet” Charm
Modern Warfare 4 Beta Twitch Drops
- 15 minutes: “Get Tactical” Emblem
- 30 minutes: “Clearing House” Calling Card
- 45 minutes: “Action Ready” Charm
Modern Warfare 4 launches October 23
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is scheduled to launch globally on Friday, October 23, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC through Battle.net, Xbox on PC, and Steam. The game is also being developed natively for Nintendo Switch 2.
Infinity Ward is leading development, with Beenox working on the PC version and Digital Legends partnering on the Nintendo Switch 2 version. At launch, the full game will remain connected to Call of Duty: Warzone, allowing players to switch between the titles in the same session when the Season 1 update arrives. An updated Call of Duty interface is also planned before Campaign Early Access begins.
Activision notes that Beta dates, times, and platform availability may change. The Open Beta is scheduled to run for at least two days, and an internet connection is required.
Share your plans for the Modern Warfare 4 Beta in the comments, and follow along on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
Developed by Infinity Ward
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is a first-person shooter and the follow-up to Modern Warfare III (2023), continuing the rebooted Modern Warfare storyline. The campaign is set during a North Korean invasion of South Korea and features dual perspectives: a young South Korean soldier named Private Park facing his first combat deployment, and Captain Price operating outside official channels on a personal mission. The game also includes multiplayer with 6v6 core maps, large-scale vehicle combat maps, and a dynamic map system called Kill Block that reshapes layouts between rounds. A DMZ extraction mode is also featured. The game is released exclusively on current-generation platforms and PC.
- Genre Shooter
- Platforms Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
- Perspective First person
- Modes Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative
- Release October 23, 2026
- Publisher Activision
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Age Rating
