Steam to Drop Support for 32-bit Windows in 2026, Impacting a Tiny Fraction of Users
Valve announced it will discontinue support for 32-bit versions of Windows on January 1, 2026, effectively ending updates to the Steam client for those systems. While the move impacts a very small percentage of Steam gamers-currently just 0.01% use Windows 10 32-bit, according to Valve-it marks the final stage in the platform’s transition to 64-bit architecture and signals the continued decline of 32-bit computing.
This decision stems from fundamental limitations within 32-bit windows environments. Valve explained that core Steam features now rely on system drivers and libraries incompatible with 32-bit systems, making continued support unsustainable. Existing Steam installations on 32-bit Windows will continue to function for game downloads and play, including 32-bit titles, but will no longer receive feature or security updates. The change underscores the industry-wide shift towards 64-bit operating systems, necessitated by modern software demands.
currently, the majority of Steam’s Windows user base-60.39%-operates on Windows 11. Windows 10 64-bit accounts for a notable 35.08% share. Surprisingly, a small but persistent group, approximately 0.07%, still utilizes Windows 7 64-bit.
Valve emphasizes that upgrading to a 64-bit computer is the recommended solution for affected users. The Steam client itself is built on the Chromium browser engine. Windows 10 is the last version of Windows to support the x86 (32-bit) architecture; Windows 11 is exclusively 64-bit. valve will continue to support Windows 10 64-bit PCs.
