Starting January 1, 2026, Steam will stop supporting 32-bit versions of Windows. At this point, the only 32-bit Windows release still officially working with Valve’s platform is Windows 10, and according to the Steam Hardware Survey, it represents a tiny 0.01 percent of active systems. Steam on Windows 10 64-bit will continue to be supported, and 32-bit games themselves will still run.
If you’re still on a 32-bit edition of Windows 10, the Steam client won’t immediately vanish, but you won’t get updates anymore. That means no bug fixes, no new features, and no security patches. Valve also won’t be offering support for people clinging to these old setups, and there’s no guarantee Steam itself will keep functioning as new features depend on drivers and system libraries that only exist in the 64-bit world.
Valve’s advice is simple: upgrade to a 64-bit version of Windows. The company says it’s unavoidable since modern Steam features rely on technologies that just aren’t available in 32-bit operating systems.
Personally, I think this is the right move. In 2026, absolutely nobody should still be running a processor that can’t handle 64-bit operating systems. Even budget desktops and laptops have been 64-bit for nearly two decades now. If money is the problem, you can find capable second-hand 64-bit PCs at thrift stores, garage sales, or even for free if you know where to look.
This is less about leaving users behind and more about cutting off an obsolete branch that almost nobody uses anymore. Valve is making a smart choice here by trimming dead weight and focusing resources where it actually matters.
