Star Citizen PTU vs Live: Access, Account Copy and Installation
How to join a test build, keep your installations separate and understand what happens to your progress.
A promising new ship or gameplay change can appear in Star Citizen footage before it reaches the version you normally play. Often, the missing word is PTU: the Public Test Universe, a separate environment used to prepare upcoming builds for the Live service.
Joining it can give you an early look, but it is a separate visit rather than an extension of your Live progression. Choose Live for your regular character and the PTU when you specifically want the build being tested.
Live, PTU and experimental branches
- Live
- The regular public service. Star Citizen remains in alpha even when a patch is described as a Live release.
- PTU
- A separate pre-release environment. Access opens in waves according to testing needs and is not permanently available.
- EPTU and Tech Preview
- Additional branches that may appear in the launcher when a test is available to your account. Their presence is not guaranteed by ordinary PTU access.
Always read the environment and build number together. A change demonstrated in a PTU build should not be assumed to exist on Live, and a test build number is not a release date.
Copy your account, then select the client
- Sign in to your RSI account and open Account Dashboard → Settings → Public Test Universe.
- Choose Copy your account to the PTU.
- Wait for the account-copy email before continuing. Busy periods can delay it.
- Sign in to the RSI Launcher with your normal account login.
- Use the environment selector above the launch button to choose PTU, then install or update that client.
The Public Test Universe setting is greyed out when your account does not currently have access or the environment is unavailable. That is different from an installation failure. Reinstalling a working Live client will not grant access to a closed test.
Keep the two installations straight
The launcher manages Live and PTU through the same application, but their game directories are separate. The default paths end in StarCitizen\LIVE and StarCitizen\PTU. Before using a troubleshooting instruction that refers to one of them, confirm which branch is actually causing the problem.
In launcher settings, the Games section shows installation locations and file verification. If a location does not match the installed files, the launcher can behave as though the game is absent. Check the selected branch and its path before committing to another large download.
What happens to your ships and progress?
Account copying brings across eligible ships, equipment and account information. Rentals, REC, UEC and flair are among the exclusions listed in the PTU FAQ. Anything earned on PTU stays there; it does not become Live progress.
A new test cycle or account change can require another copy. Recopying resets the PTU account state, so it is not a harmless refresh of an ongoing test session. Your regular Live play and your PTU visit should be treated as separate activities.
If access or the build goes wrong
For an all-backer phase, the published requirements include an active game package and backer status. A standalone ship alone is not a game package, and an account containing only gifted pledges does not meet the stated backer definition.
For problems within the test build, use the Issue Council or the relevant Spectrum discussion. PTU faults need to reach the teams evaluating that build; ordinary customer-support tickets are redirected to those channels. Existing reports may also explain a failure you have just encountered.
If you simply want a reliable evening with friends, there is no obligation to join every test. Stay on Live and follow the release coverage. The PTU is an option for seeing an upcoming build, not a requirement for keeping up with the game.