EA App: How to Change Game Language

To change the game language in the EA app, you must change the language of the EA app itself, as the app does not offer a per-game language setting. This is done in the app’s Settings menu, and it affects all games you launch through the app. Below, we explain the exact steps, what to do if the change doesn’t stick, and how to handle games that have their own in-game language options.

Background: Why the EA App Ties Language to the App

When EA replaced Origin with the EA app in 2022, it consolidated many settings into a single profile. Unlike Steam, which lets you set a launch option like -language=japanese per game, the EA app applies one language to its entire interface and to every game it launches. This means if you want to play one game in French and another in Spanish, you have to change the app language each time. The setting is stored in your EA account profile, so it also syncs across devices—changing it on your PC will affect the app on your Mac or Steam Deck (if you use the EA app there).

How to Change the Language in the EA App

Here are the steps for the current version of the EA app on Windows and macOS:

Open the EA app and log in to your account.
Click on your profile icon in the bottom-left corner (it looks like a person or a circle with your initials).
Select Settings from the menu that appears.
In the Settings window, click on the Application tab (it’s usually the first tab on the left).
Find the Language drop-down menu. It will show the current language, such as “English (US)” or “Deutsch”.
Select your desired language from the list. The app will ask you to restart.
Click Restart to apply the change. The app will close and reopen in the new language.

After the restart, any game you launch from the EA app should also use that language, provided the game supports it. If the game has its own language setting, that setting will override the app’s choice once you’re in the game.

What If the Game Still Shows the Wrong Language?

Sometimes the change doesn’t take effect immediately. Here are the most common fixes:

Check the game’s own settings: Many games, like FIFA (now EA Sports FC) or The Sims 4, have an in-game language option. Look in the game’s Options or Settings menu, often under “Audio” or “Gameplay”. If you change it there, it will usually save and override the app’s language.
Clear the cache: The EA app caches some data. To clear it, close the app completely, then press Win + R (Windows) and type %ProgramData%\EA Services and delete the contents. On Mac, go to ~/Library/Application Support/EA and delete the “Cache” folder. Restart the app and try again.
Repair the game: A corrupted game file can cause language issues. In your game library, click the three dots on the game’s tile, select Repair, and wait for it to finish.
Reinstall the game: If nothing else works, uninstall and reinstall the game. This forces the game to download files in the language you’ve set.

Games That Have Their Own Language Options

Some games ignore the EA app’s language setting entirely. For example:

EA Sports FC (FIFA): The game has a language selector in the main menu. You can choose commentary language and text language separately.
The Sims 4: The game uses the system language of your computer by default, not the EA app language. To change it, you need to edit the game’s Options.ini file in the game’s folder (in Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4). Look for a line like locale = en_US and change it to your desired locale code (e.g., fr_FR for French).
Apex Legends: This game uses the EA app language, but you can also change it in the game’s settings file (in Documents\Respawn\Apex\localization.txt).

If your game is not listed, the safest bet is to check the game’s official support page or its in-game settings.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

“I changed the app language, but my game is still in English.” This is the most common complaint. As explained, the game may have its own setting, or the game may not support the language you chose. For older EA games, the language is often tied to the game’s region code (e.g., the European version might only have English, French, German, etc.). If the game doesn’t support your language, you won’t see it in the list.

“Can I have different languages for different games?” Not through the EA app. You can only set one global language. To play different games in different languages, you’d have to change the app language each time you switch games, and then also adjust any in-game settings if they don’t follow.

“The language drop-down is greyed out.” This can happen if you’re in a region where the app is restricted, or if your account is set to a specific region. Try logging out and back in, or check if your Windows system language matches the one you want. In some cases, you may need to change your computer’s display language first.

Changing Language on Steam Deck or via Command Line

If you’re using the EA app on a Steam Deck (via Proton), the process is similar, but you may need to force the language through the game’s launch options. In Steam, right-click the game, go to Properties, and add LANG=fr_FR %command% (for French) to the Launch Options. This sets the environment variable that the EA app and the game will use. On Windows, you can also create a shortcut to the game’s executable and add -locale=fr_FR to the target, but this only works if the game supports that command-line argument—most EA games do not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I change the language of the EA app itself?
Go to Settings (via your profile icon) → Application → Language, pick your language, and restart the app. The app’s interface will change immediately.

Q: Why is my game not in the language I selected?
Either the game has its own language setting that overrides the app, or the game doesn’t support that language. Check the game’s in-game options first. If it’s not there, the game likely doesn’t have that language pack installed.

Q: Can I change the language without reinstalling the game?
Yes, in most cases. Changing the app language and then repairing the game (via the three-dot menu in your library) will re-download the necessary language files without a full reinstall.

Q: Does changing the language affect my save files?
No, save files are independent of language. Your progress remains intact. However, some games store the language setting in the save file, so if you change it, it might reset your in-game language preferences.

Q: I only see a few languages in the list. Why?
The EA app shows languages based on your account region. If you want a language that isn’t listed, you may need to change your EA account country, but that can affect your payment methods and game availability. Alternatively, you can try changing your Windows system language to the desired one, as the app sometimes follows that.

Q: Is there a way to set language per game?
No, the EA app does not support per-game language settings. You have to change the global app language each time. Some games have their own in-game language selector, which is the only workaround.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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