no clue where to post this, so…
Just got around to downloading the PTR, so I dont have any idea how it works.
The PTR is a testing realm. All characters are deleted at the end of the tests, sometimes during the tests, and nothing transfers from the test realm to live.
You can copy over your live characters to the test realm to test out the new content. Please be mindful that this is for testing purposes and you should be submitting bugs when they appear.
Addons do work, but might be unstable. I recommend don’t using them for a week or two while their Devs fix any kinks.
I see.
What I guess I was wondering is that it seems like they allow leveling if we were supposed to make and keep a character to test every new patch that was coming out.
But you say they delete each time?
On that note, yeah, I did send a couple details when I turned in a couple quests. the game seemed to hang up pretty badly twice.
My toons from 8.2 are still there.
You can use addons, I recommend getting the twitch client, it has a drop down menu to select the PTR where you can download addons to it, and they keep it updated too.
Your stuff is there as it was last time you logged in on it. They can use your gold but your retail live gold won’t be depleted. You also won’t be able to make it anymore gold on retail.
Leveling with the Allied Races still need to happen. Sometimes races don’t get certain quests which is a weird bug that pops up from time to time.
Edit: Apparently characters persisted. Normally you’d have to transfer them again.
Just think of it as a temporary realm or beta realm you can play on. It doesn’t matter in the long run but you get to help out the Devs.
Another question is, isnt this to test the current content patch?
If Im playing a level 20 character, am I supposed to actually invest time levling it up to BFA to test it?
Sorry. When I downloaded it I guess I assumed all characters created would be BFA level so we could test BFA content, but that doesnt seem to be the case.
ah…ok. yeah, not worth the time then.
I got confused when I realized it was having me make lowbie characters. I thought it was to test CURRENT content only for some reason.
I just dont have that kind of personal time to blow leveling up that much for a character thats going to be deleted.
Ah well. I guess if they didnt delete the characters it’d be worth the time investment to help out
Yes this is to test 8.3 content. There is normally a post asking for what they’d like to test but right now it is all of 8.3 content.
There is an option to copy over your toon/s and account info. Look in the lower left corner of the character select screen. Sometimes there is also an option to make a premade toon but that is usually when they are testing new xpacs.
You can copy your 120s over, and sometimes it’ll have a faction change option or a race change option to make your current toon that faction on the PTR. 
ohhhhh ok. I see. THAT would actually make it worth bothering with
Im an idiot. I see the copy character button now.
sorry 
The copy data button will make sure that all your mounts, pets, and such copy over as well and not just the toon itself Np