Valve is dropping support for Steam running on 32-bit versions of Windows, starting January 1, 2026. Steam has been available on Windows for more than two decades and, therefore, was built with 32-bit systems in mind. Today, every modern computer is 64-bit, with compatibility layers built in to support older 32-bit apps. So, even though 32-bit apps have carried forward, there's really no place for 32-bit operating systems anymore — which is why Valve is axing support for them.
It's important to understand the distinction between 32-bit apps and operating systems. Steam itself is 32-bit, partly because it's from that era, but mostly because it doesn't need to be updated to a 64-bit instruction set, given its lightweight nature. A lot of games on Steam are also 32-bit. None of that will be affected by the sunsetting of 32-bit Windows support, since it's only support for the operating system itself that's being phased out. Windows 10 32-bit is the only version Steam currently supports anyways, and Valve says just 0.01% of players are still using it today.
Windows 11 is exclusively 64-bit, on the other hand, and now holds more than 60% of the OS share, according to Steam's August 2025 Hardware Survey. Valve has made it clear that 32-bit Windows is no longer compatible with drivers and libraries required for the core features of the Steam client, rendering continued support for it unfeasible.
Come January 1st, the client itself will still work for a while, but will stop receiving security updates, and Valve won't entertain support requests for it. The company advises gamers to upgrade to 64-bit Windows to keep receiving timely updates and assistance. This move somewhat aligns with Microsoft's own plans for Windows 10, which will completely lose official support next month. Steam should still continue to run on 64-bit versions of Windows 10, however, which makes up 35% of all Steam users right now.
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