Getting started

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1 Acquiring the client
2 Creating an Account
3 Account Management

Acquiring the client

Download

Download and install the EVE client from here: Download EVE Online
Double-click the EVE icon on your desktop, and accept to agree to the terms of the End User License Agreement (EULA).
The next step will be to create an account in order to log into EVE (first time only).

Buy an Retail Box

Buy the Special Edition Apocrypha retail box (list of retailers)
Install the EVE client from the DVD
Double-click the EVE icon on your desktop, and accept to agree to the terms of the End User License Agreement (EULA).
Patch the client to the current version (about 1.5GB), this should start automatically

System Requirements

The system requirements for running EVE Online on a Windows or Macintosh platform can be found here.

Creating an Account

If you are buying a new account click here
If you have a CD key from a boxed version or a promotion then click here
For creating a trial account click here
Follow the registration instructions.
Go back to the above login screen and enter your account username and password.
The account name you select will not be your in-game name.

Account Management

Introduction

Your subscription fee will cover the following:

Access to the EVE Online world, which is always open and hosted in a datacenter in England. The system runs on over 100 servers, which are all interconnected.
Access to our 24/7 customer support.
Free software updates but, unlike console games where you are purchasing the game as-is, the development of EVE as a persistent world is ongoing, with frequent updates to add new features and improvements.

Payment Options

For your convenience, payment for your EVE subscription can be sent in a variety of ways. We accept all major credit cards (American Express, MasterCard, and Visa) or you can set up an account through PayByCash™. More payment options are becoming available and you will see the most up to date list in your account management pages on the EVE website.

PayByCash™

PayByCash™ offers payment solutions for customers who wish to pay via check, direct debit (ACH,) bank transfer, CertaPay, money order, PayPal, Western Union , Cyphermint's PayCash system, Citibank's C2it, and many other options. As soon as PayByCash™ notifies us that you have placed an order with them, your account will be activated and your free 30-day trial subscription will begin. You then have 30 days to select your preferred method of payment with PayByCash™. Here is a comprehensive list of the payment options available through PayByCash™. Please note that not all payment types are available in all countries. Availability details can be found on the PayByCash™ website.

Auto-debit automatic, recurring direct debit from your bank account
Bank transfer, customer initiated electronic funds transfer
Citibank's C2it e-mail money transfer system
PayByCash
Cyphermint
CertaPay
Check by Fax
hyperWALLET
International direct debit
Money order or cashier's check by mail
PayPal e-mail money transfer system
Virtual check one-time direct debit from checking or savings
Western Union
Money Bookers e-mail fund transfer
EGold
WebMoney transfer
US Postal Service's SendMoney e-mail money transfer system
Yahoo! PayDirect
Bpay - Australian online EFT
ACTeCash

There is a small fee for using one of the PayByCash™ payment options. This will result in a slightly higher subscription fee for your EVE Online account.

Registration

For Boxed Versions:

Go to the Account Management section of the EVE Online website and follow these steps:

Enter the CD key code included with the game.
Enter the basic account information.
Enter billing information and select subscription type.
An e-mail will be sent to the specified address with further details.

For Downloaded Versions:

After downloading and installing the game, you will be prompted to create an account. Follow the instructions and select your preferred subscription method. Downloaded versions do not require a CD key, and you may disregard the key code-related instructions in this FAQ.

Connection Interrupts During Registration

Should a connection interruption occur, you should be able to continue by simply starting over from the beginning of the registration process. You will need to enter the key code again. It will be linked to the username used in the aborted session and you will be given two options: continue the session or release the key code and start over. You will not need to use the same username if you elect to start over.

If registration is interrupted before you enter your username, but you have already entered the key code, please contact customer service to request assistance. Please include the following information: your key code, a brief description of the error you encountered that resulted in the aborted registration, and proof of purchase in the form of a jpg file. You may fax your proof of purchase directly to CCP at +354-511-4998. (Note: this is not a toll-free number. Long distance charges may apply.) The question reference number, assigned when you contact customer support, should be included with your fax.

Account Maintenance

Unless you are using game time cards, cancel your account or desire to change your payment option, you will not need to manually renew your account. Once you've selected a subscription method, billing interval and have completed your account registration, your subscription will be renewed automatically.

Account Modification

Go to the Account Management page and log in with your username and password. When you have logged in successfully, you will be presented with these options:

Create a new account: register your new account.

Modify Existing Account: view and modify your billing information, monitor or cancel your subscription, or change your password and contact information.

Password Retrieval

Go to the Account Management page. Click the Modify Existing Account option, and then click where indicated to retrieve your password. Enter your e-mail address and your password will be sent to you within minutes. The e-mail address must match the one specified in the account profile. If this e-mail address is not current, you will need to contact customer service and verify that you are the account holder before the information can be sent to you.

Closed Account

An account may be closed for various reasons:

The trial period has ended and no payment option has been specified. When that time period has expired, a payment option must be selected to continue the subscription. Go to the Account Management page, select your preferred method of payment and your account will be reactivated.
The prepaid game-time has expired.
The credit card used in the registration process may have expired. Accounts that are paid via credit card will be closed at the end of the last billing cycle if the card has expired. To reactivate your account, go to the Account Management page and enter your current credit card information or select another payment method.
The account may have been temporarily suspended or permanently closed due to inappropriate behavior. Users must follow the guidelines presented in the EVE Online Rules and Policies, which includes the End User License, EVE Online Terms of Service and the EVE Online Forum Rules. Failure to comply may lead to a warning and, subsequently, a temporary suspension or permanent closure of the account.
We reserve the right to close an account without warning if the user has committed an infraction of any of the rules set forth. There will be no refunds given for unused subscription time.

For information regarding your account, contact our Account Status division.

Closing an Account Temporarily

All information about your characters and their belongings is stored on our servers. If your account is temporarily disabled for any reason, this data will be preserved for several months. You can reopen your account at any time through the Account Management page and restart your subscription.