Valve is transitioning the Steam client on Windows to 64-bit only. The latest beta builds already run as 64-bit applications on Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Users running 32-bit versions of Windows will continue receiving updates to the legacy Steam client until January 1, 2026. After that date, Valve will end all support and updates for the 32-bit client.
The change only affects the Steam launcher itself. This is not about games. 32-bit games will continue running on 64-bit Windows through the standard compatibility layer. Users on 64-bit Windows systems will simply receive the updated client through normal updates.
The shift addresses several technical limitations. A 32-bit process typically maxes out at 2-3 GB of addressable RAM. A 64-bit client can use far more memory for Steam’s Chromium-based browser, large game libraries, and in-client features like the workshop and community hub.
Maintaining both 32-bit and 64-bit builds doubles development work. Testing and quality assurance must happen twice. Modern dependencies like Chromium are ending 32-bit support, forcing Valve’s hand. Newer Windows security features focus on 64-bit systems.
According to Steam’s Hardware and Software Survey, 32-bit Windows users represent approximately 0.05 percent of the platform’s Windows user base. That figure includes all non-64-bit Windows entries, meaning the actual number affected is likely even smaller.
The last holdout
Most CPUs since the mid-2000s support 64-bit. Running 32-bit Windows on modern hardware is typically a configuration choice rather than a hardware limitation. Systems still on 32-bit Windows often exist for legacy software compatibility or haven’t been upgraded since Windows XP or Windows 7.
After January 2026, already-installed 32-bit Steam clients may continue functioning for a time. However, they’ll receive no updates. New features won’t arrive. Security fixes will stop. Online functionality may degrade or break as Valve’s backend evolves.
Valve previously ended 32-bit support on macOS when Apple dropped 32-bit apps entirely with Catalina in 2019. The Linux Steam client remains 32-bit, requiring users to install 32-bit compatibility libraries even on fully 64-bit systems.
