Fix Origin Can’t Download Game: Five Insane Fixes [2024]

Written By Farhan Max

You have built the perfect gaming PC and installed the perfect gaming client so you could have a smooth gaming experience, so it’s only natural to get frustrated when the games you want to play are not even downloading.

The question on your mind right now is:

Why won’t my Origin game download?

fix-origin-cant-download-game

Your Origin game won’t download because either your internet connection is not stable enough or there is a temporary issue with Origin servers. Moreover, there could also be an issue with the Origin client you have installed.

You don’t have to worry about this much longer because I can’t tell you how many times I have faced this issue. All I can tell you is that I have managed to fix the problem 99% of the time.

I know you are curious about how I managed that, and you will get all your answers. Just remember to not skip any part while you are reading.

How To Fix Origin Can’t Download Game?

The fixes I am going to tell you about have been tested and proven to work if you are in a situation where your Origin downloads fail even when your internet connection is perfectly stable.

The key here is to not get discouraged and keep patience if one of the fixes doesn’t work because there’s a good chance the next one will work.

Here are the methods to fix Origin can’t download game:

1. Launch Origin With Admin Privileges

Most people don’t actually need administrator rights for downloading but that depends entirely on your Windows settings. Let me explain.

Most people use their computers while they are logged into an Administrator account which means most permissions are granted automatically but it could be that the account you are using is a standard account.

Don’t worry, you didn’t do anything wrong here. You can get around this situation by simply right-clicking the Origin icon on your desktop and selecting Run as Administrator. 

origin-run-administration

If launching it like this fixed your problem, you can launch with admin privileges by default with these steps:

  • Do a right-click on your Origin icon and go to Properties.

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  • Switch to the shortcut tab, and click on the Advanced button.
  • In the new window, check the box that says Run as Administrator and click on OK.

origin-advanced-run-as-administration

It is recommended to always run Origin as Administrator even if this fix didn’t work for you.

2. Exclude Origin From Your Firewall

You probably already know that Windows Firewall occasionally blocks internet access to apps if it considers them a threat.

That is exactly what could be happening here. However, you can add an exception for Origin in Windows Firewall to do this.

Here are the steps:

  • Click on the Start button on your taskbar and type Allow an app through firewall and select the first item that shows up.

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  • Next, click on Change Settings to unlock the editing feature.

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  • At the bottom of the window, you should see a button that says Allow another app and you need to click this and then Browse to find the Origin application.

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3. Remove Download Restrictions

Origin has a feature that restricts downloading and you might have accidentally enabled it, so you need to make sure it is disabled.

You can do that by following these steps:

  • Launch your Origin client.
  • Go to the top right corner and click on Origin and select Application Settings from the drop-down menu.

origin-application-settings

  • Next, go to the Download Restrictions section and set both the options to no limit as shown in the image.

origin-data-limit

4. Lower the UAC settings

UAC stands for User Access Control and this basically exists for better malware detection. You could lower these settings to fix the downloading issue.

  • Close your Origin client if it’s already running.
  • Go to your Start menu and search for UAC. Click on the first result.

windpws-uac

  • You should see a User Access Control window. You have to click and slide the bar indicated below to its lowest setting.

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  • After that, click on OK and try running Origin again.

Follow our guide to  Fix Origin Your Request Could Not Be Processed

5. Reinstall Origin

If you are one of the unlucky ones and none of the above fixes worked for you, then you can try uninstalling your Origin client and then installing it again.

The steps to uninstall Origin in Windows are as follows:

  • Go to your Start menu and do a search for Control Panel. Click on the first result. 
  • Once you are in the control panel window, click on the small text that says Uninstall a Program as shown in the image below.
  • Find Origin from the list and click on the Uninstall button on the top left corner.

origin-unistall

  • After it is successfully removed from your computer, reboot your PC and then install Origin again from their official website.

FAQ

Why is my online login currently unavailable on Origin?

Your online login is currently unavailable on Origin because your time and date settings are probably wrong. You can try restarting Origin to see if it fixes the issue. Otherwise, simply change the date and time from the Windows settings.

What do I do if my Origin credentials have expired?

If your Origin credentials have expired, then all you need to do to save your account is reset your password. This typically happens due to safety and security reasons.

Did Origin delete my account?

Origin won’t delete your account even if your account has been inactive for some time as long as that account has some games associated with it. Only some accounts with total inactivity will be removed.

How do I get unbanned from EA?

You can get unbanned from EA by visiting the EA help website and clicking on Contact Us. After that, you need to select the game from which you were banned and then select all the necessary options from there and leave your contact information there.

How long do EA bans last?

EA bans typically last forever but you can try to recover them by contacting them from the EA help website. However, banned accounts typically can’t be recovered.

How can I play Sims 4 without Origin?

You can’t play Sims 4 without Origin. In order to run the game, you need to be registered on Origin and the client should be installed on your computer. The only way to launch Sims 4 is through the Origin client.

Is Origin free to use?

Origin is free to use and you can purchase games inside Origin without paying a dime. With that said, there is a subscription-based upgrade you can opt for called Origin Access that offers benefits like additional games, pre-released games, and discounts.

Final Thoughts

I know how annoying it can be to not be able to play or download a game when you want to do it. When it happened to me, I almost wanted to give up on gaming, but thankfully, I was able to fix my problems and enjoy all my games without any issues.

If you liked this article, make sure to bookmark our page for more solutions.

About The Author
Farhan Max is a tech geek with a particular interest in computer hardware. He's been fascinated by gaming since childhood and is now completing his undergraduate studies while researching and testing the latest tech innovations. Alongside his love for all things geeky, Farhan is also a skilled photographer.

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