Registering a product code in Origin

Redeeming a product code for an EA game is very easy. You’ll need to do this for a variety of reasons:

  • You’re switching platforms from Windows to Mac or Mac to Windows
  • You’re running Windows in Boot Camp or a VM on your Mac and want your games on both operating systems
  • Your disc drive is broken
  • You have a computer that doesn’t have a disc drive
  • Your discs are scratched
  • You’ve bought a Windows only physical copy of a game but the Mac version is available in Origin

Here’s what you do:

  1. Open Origin, you can download it from here, and log in with your Origin/EA account details.
  2. Click on Games in the menu bar then Redeem Product Code – redeem-product-code
  3. In the pop up window enter your product code. There’s even simple instructions on where to find the product code in case you’re a bit lost – origin-code-screen
  4. Once you’ve registered the code the game should now show up in your games library. You can now download it.

Please note:

  • You should always use the same Origin/EA account details to log in and register your games. Games are tied to the user, not the computer. If you cannot see previous purchases made through Origin check that you have used the right login details. If you have multiple user accounts and want to consolidate them you have to contact EA customer service.
  • If the game is greyed out in your games library it usually means that the game is not available on your operating system.
  • If your Expansion/Stuff/Game Packs are not immediately visible in your games library, right click (CTRL and click) on the game and select Show Game Details – origin-packsthen click the Extra Content tab.

59 thoughts on “Registering a product code in Origin”

  2. Hello,

    I’m sadly having the same problem as everyone here.
    I’m getting the notification “we are unable to verify that your disc is a valid copy of The Sims 3 Please contact customer service.”
    I just downloaded Origin again and logged in. I typed in my product numbers and then nothing happened. I did not get an email or a download button is anywhere.
    I tried this now for hours and i’m kinda in a bad mood now.
    What can I do?
    I uninstalled my expansion packs and my normal Sims 3 disc and installed it again.
    It didn’t work anyways. I tried to put the Sims 3 folder out of the Electronic arts folder and put it on my desktop. – did not work either.
    I logged in into the Sims 3 site and registered my Sims 3 game.
    Tried again and of course it didn’t work.
    What is happening here. How can I fix it?
    I bought this game years ago and the last 2 years i got busy with life and wanted to play again now. I played yesterday without any problems and today i can’t open it anymore?
    I checked my Disk utility and everything is fine.

    Can you please help me?

    I’m having an iMac OSX 10.9

    Like

    Reply

    1. The games should be showing up in your games library in Origin – are they not? You then click on the base game to install it. To see your EPs and SPs you hover your cursor over the base game in your games library and click ‘i’.

      Like

      Reply

      1. Hello, I’m sophie mew here to the forum, so apologies if posted in the wrong place. I have the MacBook Prob2019, macOSBigSur, I am behind on the latest update but only ONE behind not too far.

        Anyways, I brought Sims4 originally through steam. I’ve heard this can run into some issues but I’m
        posting here since people generally all be having the same issue. I’ve installed windows bootcamp on my MacBook since it seems that it’s the only real compatible way I can play with it being brought through steam. I seek to have come across a lot of issues since buying the game:

        – On my old original windows, I didn’t have any space at all, even though I had checked out the amount of requirements for storage things, so I didn’t play on that old laptop at all, but the old laptop was windows, & I brought it through steam. I played on it but realized I needed a much more needed larger storage capacity. So I had my parents, buy me a new one who is the MacBook I’ve mentioned above. It has much more room in it and runs sims well. But there’s an issue. Because it was brought through steam, and not originally through Origin I didn’t realize it needed to even be bro brought through origin, and now nothing no DLC expansion packs, or other dlc content I’ve had my parents purchase aren’t syncing at all…. Ive tried researching this spent abt a week and a half on it straight snd couldn’t find anything. Only real solution I found was to either if one didn’t work then try the other then it “should work,” right? Well anyways here were the two solutions I found that made the most since to me: getting Windows Bootcamp and installing the original Steam Sims version and downloading it on there, ofc still staying on the MacBook, or do the “redeem a product code” then add either the Steak version of sims to the “non-Origin” game library option for dk the same but through the “non-Steam game library option.

        IVE DONE ALL IF THESE. none have worked for me!!! I had my bf take time out of his day, really evening, into very late evening, to setup windows bootcamp for me, and then setup that windows account, but not only that then I then in the same night downloaded Sims4 from the steam version and it worked complete fine, the laptop not heating up as one of the issues w the old laptop, no “insufficient disk space error,” popping up like on the old laptop. Everything was completely fine until I saw that the 4 expansion packs and dlc content I had my mom buy weren’t syncing up even though I signed into the same account snd everything. So then because I originally had created an Origin account so I can go in and save/favorited things I liked when I first started looking at sims, I asked my mom maybe try buying the expansion packs (other ones I had found later that I wanted after I set up the bootcamp since the others weren’t syncing,) on this original Origin account I had. And so she tried w the correct account info and payment info but the website wasn’t taking it for some reason even though entering in everything correctly snd tried for about three times. So then she decides to purchase it on my bf’s Origin account which is the account everything is already on. So it doesn’t go through a couple times and before that takes us both a while to find it hut we eventually did! So purchase goes through just fine…

        So yes, while I have expansion and dlc content on my BF’s account, the stuff I brought (the dlc content plus expansion packs through the Steam Sims stuff since it runs cheaper through there,) aren’t currently syncing up w my bf’s account even through the bootcamp installation process that both my bf snd I tried and took hours to setup just for the expansion doc’s to start syncing up properly. What is there left to do??!! I contacted EA, but they said it’s a difficult one apparently because the steam brought one and Origin brought one, initially I asked the tech agent if I could some iOS convert my sims stuff to Mac, they said it would be extremely difficult if at all possible to do since the coding for the processing stuff on the game systems are completely different. So then he mentioned about the bootcamp and he said even thst seems strange that everything should be showing up even after adding it both from “non-Steam game library & non-Origjn Game Library”…

        Please help!!! It’s so incredibly frustrating. I’ve had a rough time mentally the past 4 months, and I’ve just been wanting to play sims to numb it all out because that’s what I’ve been doing since I love sims so much. I originally played on my iPad then found that the laptop version is so much better. And I was so happy when I got my MacBook to finally play only then to find out even after bootcamp stuff it still hasn’t been fixed at all!!! I am at a complete loss here and it would be truly amazing if someone were to keep constant engagement contact of something for try and help I figured here would be a good start since it seems active!

        Like

        Reply

        1. That’s……. a lot of words! Best thing you can do is post in the Origin tech forum at Answers HQ https://answers.ea.com/t5/Origin-Client-Web-Technical/bd-p/origin-technical-issues-en

          In the meantime:
          – you can’t play the Steam version of Sims 4 in macOS
          – you can’t download your Steam-bought content through Origin
          – therefore, you need to either buy again through Origin or use Steam in Bootcamp
          – in Bootcamp, you need to install the game through Steam
          – if your Steam account is NOT linked to your boyfriend’s Origin account, the Origin-bought packs in his account will not be accessible

          Like

          Reply

  4. Yes. When I click on it, it shows me a grey site where it says :

    Supported Platforms
    Mac,PC
    Last Played Date
    November 27, 2015
    Added to My Library
    October 8, 2012
    Product Code
    ****-****-****-****

    and now?

    Like

    Reply

  5. but when I wanna download the EP through Origin then it wants me to pay ? Is that normal? Do i have to buy it again?
    I’m sorry for all these question..
    Thank you for helping me 🙂

    Like

    Reply

    1. You redeem the product code in Origin that came with the disc. The game will then show up in your games library when you click on the ‘i’ All the relevant links are in the article 🙂

      Like

      Reply

  6. I tried to uninstall the EP and now my Mac says “You can’t open the application “The Sims 3 Uninstaller” because it may be damaged or incomplete” oh man.. how can i now uninstall it?

    Like

    Reply

  7. I did 🙂 It took me awhile to get all the Sims 3 EP files deleted but it worked.
    I’m downloading it through Origin now.
    Having just one more question ^^ If I now wanna buy new clothes or furniture on this Sims 3 site, how do I get this into the game?
    Thanks so much for helping me 🙂

    Like

    Reply

  9. i uninstalled my expansion pack “into the future” and then tried to redeem my code in Origin, however Origin is giving me a red error message that my code has already been used

    Like

    Reply

  10. Bluebellflora you’re blog is amazing! Has helped me so much in the past 24 hours… currently loading the digital copy of season s to see if it stops the stupid disk authorisation thing go away… wondering though, can you play ts3 while a game is still downloading?

    Like

    Reply

  11. Okay, so I have a sims 3 disc and generations disc and ambitions disc. For some reason it started saying no disc found, so I followed your blog and uninstalled the games, deleted all the com.transgaming stuff etc.. and I go to download them on origin and it says code already used? When I bought the game it was probably 3 years back and I don’t think I had to log into origin to install a disc game, so I don’t understand why it isn’t working. Please answer me back asap, as I am trying to fix it for my sister’s birthday! x Also, if you want to say that i need to log into the same origin account, even if I did, I don’t know what the origin account was! 🙂

    Like

    Reply
  13. Pingback: New Sims 3 update for Mac users | Bluebellflora

  15. hi, i followed the instructions to find the serial code but if you bought the game in a shop and lost the manual, would i have to repurchase the EP again?

    Like

    Reply

  17. Hey! i installed the sims 3 on my macbook with the latest version on the mac! with an USB Super drive. i installed the game! But when i click Play and after the video and downloading page. when you get to the Town. it stands i have to set the disc in. But its already inn.. i also tried with what you wrote here with the origin with add new game and putted the code in. i got the thing that a lot here has gotten with the code is already used. but do you have any idea why it says CD is missing when its in all the time. BTW i have never used Origin on old computers to registrering the sims and not EA eighter.

    Like

    Reply

  18. when i click games under it is ‘Redeem product code…’ like the picture above but it doesnt allow me to click it. I dont know if i is a problem with origin online because it doesnt allow me to login in to origin online.

    Like

    Reply

  19. Hi I’m having the same issues It didn’t give me this problem 2 years ago (last I played) now I have el captain and I cannot find a way through this. IT let me play today then i saved and quit but back to saying no disc found. I tried to redeem code but it said the code already registered but the sims 3 university life is in my games library so what do I do? I’m afraid if i uninstall the sims I will lose my save. Please help I just want to play the game I miss it so much ;/

    Like

    Reply

  22. Yes, I uninstalled into the future EP. Click on game in Library, says ” show me where your game is located in your computer for a short cut. Can’t I deleted it. So I reinstalled it. Clicked on game in Library, it opens in the dock. Game opens, l click arrow and get no disc again. In a loop, I don’t think that the digital copy ever downloaded. It simply will not give me the installer. The EP Into the Future is not in the download cache. It’s supernatural EP. That’s where I am at.

    Like

    Reply

  23. Hi, when i download origin onto my computer, as the sims 4 instructions say to, it will tell me to open applications (i have a mac by the way) but when i open applications there is nothing there? please help

    Like

    Reply

  24. HELLO,
    I installed The Sims 3 on my mac. Since few months : the disc issue, it says there’s no disc. OK well fine, i go on Origin, add a new game and put the product code. But, it says This code has already been used. NO WAY LMAO OF COURSE IT HAS ALREADY BEEN USED or how did i played before????? I can not play to this game anymore that’s really sad please help me :’-(

    Like

    Reply

  26. Hello I have a question and need help, I have purchased sims 4 on disk for my pic. my daughter fell in love the game that she wants me to put it on her Mac, the system is iOS cascade and origin is telling me I need origin help(password is needed only I don’t remember that) and being that said do I need to purchase a new version?

    Like

    Reply

    1. Not sure what iOS cascade is?! You don’t need to buy the game again but you will need the password for your Origin account in order to download the game onto your Mac. Can you not use the forgotten password option when prompted to log in?

      Like

      Reply

  27. Oh ok, but I have the issue with Origen help(pass word I do not have for that) I also wonder if I don’t have enough space on my mac to even download could that be possible as well?

    Like

    Reply

    1. I don’t understand, if you don’t know the password for Origin why can’t you follow the ‘forgotten password’ prompt and reset it? Have you checked how much space you have left on your internal storage? About This Mac > Storage.

      Like

      Reply

  30. I put in the my code that I got with my game disc, and it showed up in my origins account on the website. I downloaded origin, but it won’t let me open it.

    Like

    Reply
  33. Pingback: Sims 3 64-bit is almost here for Mac – BluebellFlora
  36. Pingback: Cómo instalar Los Sims 4 - Informacion-General

Leave a reply to Carroline Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.