Fix: EA App Login Error: “There’s Been an Error”

When launching an EA app game through Steam, you may see: “There’s been an error. Try resetting your password and restarting your game.” inside the EA app, and the game won’t start even though the EA client opens.

This is almost always a sign-in/session problem: the EA app is using stale or corrupted login tokens, your session expired, or Steam is trying to launch the game under a different EA account than the one you’re signed into.

Common causes:

• Expired/invalid session (after password changes, long inactivity, or too many failed sign-ins).
• Steam ↔ EA linking mismatch (Steam is linked to another EA account).
• Corrupted cached credentials in the EA app.
• Restricted/disabled EA account (sometimes you’ll notice @disabled.ea.com on an account or login screen).
• Network/time validation issues (VPN/proxy, DNS, firewall, or incorrect system time can break token checks).

Before you start:

• Do not spam password resets. Repeating resets can trigger security checks or temporary lockouts.
• Assume the Steam-linked EA account is the “owner.” If Steam is linked to a different EA account, most fixes will fail until you use the correct linked account.

Quick Checks

These remove simple blockers (stuck background sessions or failed validation) before you do deeper fixes.

1. Fully close both launchers:
   • Exit the EA app from the system tray (right-click EA icon > Exit).
   • Exit Steam completely.
   • Restart your PC, then open Steam and try again.
2. Turn off VPN/Proxy and retry (common cause of token/region validation failures).
3. Sync system time:
   • Windows: Settings > Time & language > Date & time > enable Set time automatically > Sync now.
     

1. Reset Password (only if you’re sure it’s the linked EA account)

A password reset forces EA to invalidate old sessions and issue a fresh authentication token. It helps most when your session is expired or stuck after security changes.

Critical: Reset the password for the same EA account that’s linked to your Steam. If you reset the wrong email, Steam will still launch under the linked account and the error will continue.

1. Go to the EA sign-in page.
2. Choose Forgot your password? and reset it using your EA email.
   
3. Open the EA app, sign in with the new password.
4. Launch the game again from Steam.

If you’re not sure which EA email is linked, do Fix 3 first to avoid resetting the wrong account.

2. Use EA app “App Recovery”

If the EA app is reusing broken cached credentials, clearing cache forces a clean restart and a new sign-in flow.

1. Open the EA app.
2. Menu (three lines) > Help > App Recovery.
   
3. Click Clear Cache and let the app restart.
4. Sign in again, then launch from Steam.

If it instantly comes back, fully kill background services so the old session cannot reload:

1. Exit EA app from the tray.
2. Open Task Manager and end EA / EABackgroundService processes.
3. Reopen EA app, sign in, then launch from Steam again.

3. Verify the Steam-to-EA Account Link

If Steam is linked to a different EA account than the one you’re using, password resets and cache clears won’t “fix” the mismatch. You must sign into the linked EA account, or support must help if you cannot access it.

1. Open the EA website and sign in.
2. Click your profile (top-right) > Account (opens EA account page).
3. Find Connections / Connected Accounts and confirm Steam is linked to this EA account.
   
4. If Steam is linked to an unexpected EA account:
   • Use the EA account that is already linked (if you still have access), or
   • Contact EA Support if you no longer have access to the linked EA account.
5. After confirming the correct link, sign out of EA app, exit it from tray, then launch the game from Steam.

Note: Linking changes can be restricted, especially if the linked account is inaccessible. In that case, support is usually required.

4. Run the EA Updater (Repair/Update the App Files)

If the EA app’s components are outdated or damaged, sign-in can fail even with correct credentials. Running the updater repairs or refreshes key files.

1. Close the EA app (exit from tray too).
2. Open File Explorer and go to (common location):

   C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\EA Desktop\

   

3. Right-click EAUpdater.exe > Run as administrator.
   
4. Restart your PC, then launch again from Steam.

If you don’t see EAUpdater.exe, the EA app is installed elsewhere. Search Windows for EAUpdater and run it as admin, or go to the reinstall step.

5. Reinstall the EA App

If cache clearing and repair do not work, a reinstall replaces the sign-in/web components and resets app-level corruption.

1. Uninstall the EA app: Settings > Apps.
   
2. Restart your PC.
3. Download and install the latest EA app from EA’s official page.
4. Open EA app, sign in, then launch the game from Steam.

Tip: After reinstalling, launch from Steam first and let EA prompt you for the correct login/link instead of signing into multiple accounts.

6. Contact EA Support

If nothing works, it’s likely account-side (restriction/disabled account, entitlement mismatch, or locked Steam linkage) or a temporary EA services issue.

1. Go to EA Help.
2. Log in with your EA account.
3. Select your game (or EA app) and choose Login / Account linking.
   
4. Use chat/email options to contact support.

Ask them to check account status, Steam linkage, and entitlements, and confirm which EA account your Steam is currently linked to.