What’s new: Valve has announced that Steam will discontinue support for 32-bit versions of Windows starting January 1, 2026. This follows the earlier decision to drop support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 in January 2024. Steam will continue to function on Windows 10 64-bit, while 32-bit games will remain playable.
Who’s affected
Only a minimal number of users, approximately 0.01% according to Steam’s hardware survey, are currently using 32-bit versions of Windows. These users will no longer receive updates, including security updates, after the cutoff date.
What to do
- Upgrade to a 64-bit version of Windows to maintain compatibility with future Steam updates.
- Consider enrolling in Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) program if hardware limitations prevent upgrading to Windows 11.
