EA App has a built in recovery tool that clears cache and other files that may cause issues with launching and running the app or Sims 3 or Sims 4. The tool is great but doesn’t clear all related files, leaving some residual ones behind. To start from a clean slate it’s preferable to trash all the files. This will not affect your game library within EA App, your games will still remain installed. Furthermore, the migration to EA App from Origin left behind some residual files. The steps below will remove all EA App and Origin files ensuring a clean launch next time you open EA App.
Never use 3rd party apps that claim to “clean” your Mac of unwanted files or uninstall apps for you. They can trash files they shouldn’t, potentially destabilising the operating system and possibly other apps, and leave behind relevant files that should be removed. These type of “cleaning” apps are typically used and suggested by Windows or past Windows users. They are absolutely not recommended in macOS and not needed.
If you want to completely uninstall EA App trash the EA App wherever you have it installed, usually the main Applications folder by default, and then follow these instructions to trash all the residual files before re-downloading and installing.
The main files we’re going to trash are located in two separate locations on your Mac – the User Library folder and the Macintosh HD Library folder. There are several different ways to access these Library folders, below is just one method. Make sure you do not have EA App open whilst trashing these files.
1) The User Library folder:
To access the User Library folder make sure you are in Finder, click on Go in the menu bar then Go to Folder:
Enter ~/Library, the file path will start to appear below the text field, then hit Enter/Return:
A Finder window will open the User Library folder:
Navigate to the following locations and trash the files and folders in bold and underlined. If you do not have all the files and folders listed don’t worry, just trash what you do have:
~/Library/Application Support > Electronic Arts
~/Library/Application Support > Origin
~/Library/Caches > com.ea.Origin
~/Library/Caches > EA app
~/Library/Caches > EALaunchHelper
~/Library/Caches > com.EA.EA-app-Migrator
~/Library/Caches > Origin
~/Library/HTTPStorages > com.EA.EA-app-Migrator
~/Library/HTTPStorages > com.ea.Origin
~/Library/LaunchAgents > com.ea.app.backgroundAgent.plist
~/Library/Preferences > com.ea.EACefSubProcessRenderer.plist
~/Library/Preferences > com.ea.mac.eaapp.plist
~/Library/Preferences > com.ea.Origin.plist
~/Library/Saved Application State > com.EA.EA-app-Migrator.savedState
~/Library/Saved Application State > com.ea.EALaunchHelper.savedState
~/Library/Saved Application State > com.ea.ErrorReporter.savedState
~/Library/Saved Application State > com.ea.mac.eaapp.savedState
~/Library/Saved Application State > Electronic Arts
~/Library/Saved Application State > Origin2) The Macintosh Library folder
Follow the Finder > Go > Go To Folder step above and this time enter /Library in the text field and hit Enter/Return
In the Finder window that opens navigate to the following locations and trash the files and folders in bold and underlined. Again, if you do not have all the files and folders listed don’t worry, just trash what you do have. Your password may be required to trash these files:
/Library/Application Support/Electronic Arts
/Library/Application Support/Origin
/Library/Application Support/CrashReporter/com.ea.origin.ESHelper_.plist (this file will have a mixture of numbers and letters after ESHelper)
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.ea.app.backgroundservice.plistIn addition to the above you also need to trash the following:
- Macintosh HD (or whatever your internal disk is called) > Users > root > Library > Application Support and trash the Origin folder.
- Macintosh HD (or whatever your internal disk is called) > Users > Shared and trash the Electronic Arts folder.
Once you’ve trashed the files, empty the bin and relaunch EA App. You will be prompted to login using your EA details and may receive prompts from macOS to enter your user password to allow EA App access, this is fine.
Bluebellflora 