How to Link Origin (EA App) to Steam

Tech & Gaming
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EA rebranded Origin as the EA App in 2023, but the question of connecting your EA library to Steam remains relevant. Here’s what’s actually possible and how it works.

What “linking” actually means

You can’t merge your EA and Steam libraries into one account or transfer games between platforms. What you can do is:

  1. Play EA games purchased on Steam – EA games bought on Steam launch through the EA App automatically. Steam handles the purchase, EA App handles the DRM and online features.

  2. Add EA App games as non-Steam shortcuts – Games you own in the EA App can be added to Steam as non-Steam game shortcuts, letting you launch them from Steam’s library and use Steam overlay features.

  3. Connect EA and Steam accounts – Some EA games support cross-progression or friend finding between platforms when accounts are linked.

Playing EA games bought on Steam

When you buy an EA game on Steam and launch it, Steam opens the EA App automatically. You’ll need an EA account – Steam will prompt you to sign in or create one on first launch. The game then runs through the EA App’s ecosystem (achievements, online features) while Steam records playtime.

No special setup needed beyond having the EA App installed.

Adding EA App games to Steam as shortcuts

  1. Open Steam > Library
  2. Bottom left: click “Add a Game” > “Add a Non-Steam Game”
  3. Browse to the EA App game’s .exe file (usually in C:\Program Files\EA Games\[GameName]\)
  4. Select the executable and click “Add Selected Programs”

The game now appears in your Steam library. Launch it from Steam to get Steam overlay (screenshot, friends list) while playing. Note: Steam achievements and playtime tracking don’t fully work for non-Steam shortcuts.

Linking EA and Steam accounts

For games that support cross-platform features, go to your EA account settings at myaccount.ea.com > Connections > find Steam and connect. This enables features like cross-platform friend finding in supported titles.

The EA App vs Origin

If you still have Origin installed, EA officially discontinued it in 2023. The EA App replaced it. Uninstalling Origin and installing the EA App from ea.com is the current path.

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the non-steam shortcut method works but the lack of proper steam achievement and playtime tracking is annoying. if you care about your steam stats being accurate it’s worth noting that hours played in non-steam shortcuts are tracked inconsistently depending on the game.

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EA games bought on Steam launching through the EA App automatically is seamless in practice. You click play in Steam, EA App opens in the background if it isn’t running, and the game launches. The double-launcher approach is slightly inelegant but in day-to-day use it’s not noticeable.