Fix: Origin Overlay not Working

Origin overlay may not work due to an outdated OS and system drivers. Even though the application is whitelisted from Antivirus software, there are instances where they block its access to system resources. Conflicting applications and corrupted Origin installation/Game Files/temp files may also be a reason for the Origin overlay not working.

Pre-requisites

1. Restart your system.
2. Use Down Detector to check if servers are up and running.
3. Make sure to disable the in-game option of other games except for the one you are trying to play.
4. Launch the Origin client with administrative privileges.

If you have followed the pre-requisites and the overlay still won’t work, then proceed with the solutions below.

Update Windows and System Drivers to the Latest Build

Outdated Windows and system drivers can expose your system to many risks and issues. Moreover, known bugs are patched in the latest builds. So, the first step in troubleshooting should be to update Windows and system drivers. Make sure that you have valid internet access and are logged in as an administrator.

1. Press Windows key and type Update. Then in the results, tap on Check for Updates.

   

2. Now click on Check for Updates in the Windows update.

   

3. If there are any updates are available, then download and install all the updates.

   

4. Although many manufacturers use Windows update to update system drivers, it will be a good idea to check the manufacturer’s website for updated system drivers especially the sound driver and sound management software.

Change Antivirus/Firewall Settings

Antivirus/Firewall applications have a known history of creating issues for games and games related applications (Avast Antivirus’ Behaviour Shield and Bitdefender antivirus are known to create this particular issue). Either you should add an exception for Origin (or the problematic game) in your antivirus/Firewall application or disable your antivirus/Firewall applications.

Warning: Proceed at your own risk as disabling your antivirus/Firewall may expose your system to vulnerabilities like viruses, malware, etc.

1. Turn off your antivirus and disable Firewall (or add an exception for Origin or the game you are having issues with).
2. Then check if you can use Origin overlay. Also, make sure that you are opening Origin as an administrator.

Clear Temporary Files and Origin’s Cache

Cache data is used by applications to speed-up loading time. If Origin’s cache is corrupted, then Origin overlay may not work. In that case, clearing Origin’s cache may solve the problem. For illustration purposes, we will discuss the process for Windows; you may follow instructions as per your OS.

1. Exit Origin and kill all running process of Origin through the Task Manager.
2. Press Windows key and type Run. Then in the search results, click on Run.

   

3. In the Run box, type the following and then press Enter.

%temp%

4. Delete all the files in this folder (skip those which are in use).
5. In the Run box, type the following and press Enter.

%ProgramData%/Origin

6. Find the folder LocalContent (This folder should not be deleted).

   

7. Delete all the other folders except the LocalContent folder.
8. Again, in the Run box type

%AppData%

9. Then in the Roaming folder, find and delete the Origin folder.
10. Now in the address bar of the Roaming folder, click on AppData.

    

11. Then open the Local folder.
12. Now find and delete the Origin folder.
13. Restart your PC, Log-in Origin client and then check if Origin overlay is working fine.

Repair/Uninstall/Reinstall the Game Files using Repair

Origin overlay may not work if the game files are corrupted/missing. This usually happens when you have a bad update which causes the modules to get installed incomplete or with missing dependencies. In that case, using the Origin’s build-in functionality to repair the game files may solve the problem.

1. Open the My Game Library of Origin.

   

2. Right-click on the problematic game icon and then select Repair.

   

3. After completion of the repair process, check if the Origin’s overlay is working fine.
4. If not, then Uninstall the Game.
5. Exit Origin and restart your system.
6. Then launch Origin, re-install the game and then check if the problem is solved.

Disable Applications that Conflict with Origin Overlay

Certain applications can cause Origin’s Overlay to display problems. To confirm that, you can clean boot windows and check if Origin overlay is working fine. If so, then find out the applications that are conflicting with Origin overlay. Following is the list of applications known to create issues for origin overlay.

1. Razer Synapse
2. OBS
3. Steam
4. Cortex
5. Nvidia GeForce Experience
6. Uplay
7. Xbox Windows app
8. Discord
9. MSI afterburner
10. Rivatuner statistics/server
11. Reshade
12. AMD’s Wattman program
13. Fraps
14. AB overlay
15. Asus Sonic Radar
16. NVIDIA Shadowplay
17. AverMedia Stream Engine

If you have any of these applications running (or overlay of the application running), then close the application (or disable overlay of the application). Even in some extreme case scenarios, you may have to uninstall the conflicting application.

Enable Origin Client Beta

Origin has a beta version which allows users to opt for experimental features which are not yet available in the stable release. Even though the Overlay is considered a stable feature, we came across instances where enabling the Beta features fixed the Overlay not working. You can always revert the changes if this doesn’t work out for you.

1. Launch Origin.
2. Click on the Origin menu and click on Application Settings.

   

3. In the Client Updates section, toggle the switch of Participate in Origin client betas to ON.

   

4. Wait for some time and then check if the problem is solved.

Change Video Settings and V Sync

If your video settings are not optimal, then it may cause issues with Origin overlay because the overlay is directly related to the video settings. In that case, changing the video settings of your system may solve the problem. Before moving on, make sure your screen is set to use the native resolution of your system.

1. Launch Origin.
2. Open the problematic game Settings and open Visual.
3. Now click on Turn on Windowed mode and then check if Origin overlay is working fine.
4. If not, then turn on V sync if turned off (or turn off if turned on) and check if Origin overlay is working fine.

Disable DX12

DirectX 12 is still not fully optimal/supported by many games and maybe Origin overlay’s issue you are facing is caused by the use of DirectX 12. In that case, changing the game settings to use DirectX 11 may solve the problem.

To change DirectX settings, follow solution 8 of the article How to Fix Battlefield 1 Crashing on Windows.

If you are having issues with another game, then guidelines will be nearly the same.

Create a New Administrator User

If nothing has helped you so far, then create another administrator account on your PC and check if Origin overlay is working fine. There are numerous instances where your account gets corrupt or some of its configurations are not syncing with the operating system. Creating a fresh administrator account will rule out these possibilities.

Manually Uninstall Origin and Then Reinstall it

Origin’s overlay not working may also be caused by the corrupted installation of Origin as explained above. If the repair feature of the game doesn’t work and you are still unable to launch the Overlay successfully, we can try manually uninstalling Origin and then installing it again. This way, all the files will be forced to get refreshed.

1. Exit Origin and kill all the origin related processes through the Task Manager.
2. Press Windows key and type Control Panel. Then in the results, click on Control Panel.

   

3. Now under Programs, click on Uninstall a Program.

   

4. Then in the list of installed programs, right-click on Origin and then click on Uninstall.
5. Now follow the instructions on the screen to complete the uninstallation process.
6. Then Navigate to the installation directory of Origin. Usually, it is

   C:\Program Files (x86)

7. Now find and delete the Origin folder.
8. Press Windows key and type Registry Editor. Now in the results, right-click on Registry Editor and then click on Run as Administrator.

   

9. First create a backup of your registry
   Warning: Proceed at your own risk as editing registry requires expertise and if not done carefully, then you may cause non-recoverable damage to your system.
10. Navigate to the folder

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\WOW6432Node

    

    If there is more than one WOW6432Node folder, then look for the folder with the Origin folder in it.

11. Now find and delete the Origin folder in it.
12. Then navigate to the folder

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

13. Now find and delete the Origin folder.
14. Then press Windows key and type Run. Then in the search results, click on Run.
15. Now type the following command in the Run box

    %ProgramData%/

    

16. Then find and delete the Origin folder (if Origin folder is not showing, then disable Hidden Files and Folder setting).
17. Now restart your system.
18. Then download Origin from the official link.
19. After the file is downloaded, right-click on it and then select “Run as Administrator”.
20. Then follow the instructions shown on your screen to complete the installation of Origin.
21. During the installation process, you may get the prompt that says if you want to use cloud saves of your games or local data (choose as per your liking).

    

22. After completion of the installation process, check if Origin overlay is working fine.

Reset windows

If nothing has helped you, then the issue may be caused by corrupted OS. In that case, resetting Windows may solve the problem. Do note that this will erase all your account’s content so make sure that you back up your computer’s data before proceeding.