How to uninstall Origin client

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Origin game store is a digital distribution system by Electronic Arts that allows users to buy, download and play video games. EA is a globally popular game publisher with millions monthly active users. However, it is natural that some users stop playing for one reason or another and would like to remove the Origin client. We will discuss how to uninstall Origin in this article.

Note: if to remove the Origin client, you will not be able to play games and use the downloaded content, until reinstalling the client. It also implies the risk of deleting game files. But no need to worry, Origin will reload all  games as soon as you reinstall the client and sign in again.

Uninstall Origin using special software

Luckily, software developers offer many programs designed to perform complete uninstallation, including residual files and registry entries. One of the market leaders is IObit Uninstaller, let’s remove Origin with its help, as an example.

To get started, launch IObit and navigate to the Programs section and look for Origin. You can use the Large Programs or Recently Installed tabs for convenience. Next to the Origin icon, tick the checkbox first, and then click the green Uninstall button above.

The program will inform you how much disk space will be released after the action. In a next window, optionally, create a restore point and enable deletion of the residual files. Next, press the same Uninstall button again. In a few moments you’ll see a report confirming uninstallation.

Of course, IObit is not the only uninstaller app on the market. There’s plenty of choice, free and paid, basic and advanced. To find out more, visit our article 7 best uninstallers. As an alternative, let’s use another one – Special Uninstaller. Unlike IObit, it has no modern interface and additional features. The menu consists of a single tab – Installed Programs. Then all is usual: select a program, click Run Uninstaller and confirm.

Follow the instructions and then click Scan Leftovers. The last step is to select the residual files and registry entries (we recommend selecting all) and click Delete. Special Uninstaller will display a typical brief report.

Find more about PC optimization and malware cleaning in our best pc optimization article and best antimalware list.

Remove Origin client using Windows tools

To properly delete the Origin folder and all files:

1. Open the client location (by default it should be C:/Program Files/Electronic Arts/Origin).
2. Right-click it and select Delete.
3. In the Program Files directory, locate and open the InstallShield Installation Information folder. Important: If you do not see it, go to Explorer > Folder Properties and tick the Show hidden files and folders checkbox.    
4. Right-click on the folder {EF7E931D-DC84-471B-8DB6-A83358095474} and select Delete.
5. Right-click the Recycle Bin and select Empty Recycle Bin.

Alternatively, open the Start menu and go to Programs and Features. In the application list, locate Origin and press one of the Uninstall buttons (top or shortcut menu), then repeat 3-5 steps from the previous sequence.

Wiping the registry from any possible Origin leftover files would be appropriate too. To remove residuals in the registry, it is recommended to make a backup beforehand.

1. Click Start, then Run (Win+R). In the text box, type regedit, and then click OK.
2. Click File, then Export. Specify the file name and location to save it (this file will be a backup of the registry). Click Save.

Such backup could be useful in case of deleting the wrong files or emerging performance issues after changing registry. Restore the original registry via File > Import, selecting the recovery file.

To uninstall Origin games from the registry:

1. Open the Registry editor.
2. Find HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE folder and click the icon to expand it (on 64-bit systems it will be called Wow6432Node).
3. Find the Electronic Arts folder > EA Core, and select Delete.
4. Go to Microsoft category > Windows > Current Version > Uninstall > {EF7E931D-DC84-471B-8DB6-A83358095474} and select Uninstall.

To delete all Origin-related cache, if need be:

1. Go to My Computer > Drive C (or the drive where you’ve installed the game client).
2. Go to Program Data > Electronic Arts. Right-click on the Origin folder and select Delete, confirm.