Steam is ending support for 32-bit Windows as it moves fully to 64-bit

Most users should find no difference in the architectural change

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Looking ahead: The vast majority of Windows users already run Steam on 64-bit operating systems, even though the client has continued to support a legacy 32-bit version of Windows. That era is ending: Valve will discontinue 32-bit support in the coming days as Steam fully transitions to a 64-bit architecture.

Valve has begun rolling out the latest version of the Steam client, which users will receive the next time they launch the application. While the update includes several changes, the most consequential is the end of official support for 32-bit versions of Windows.

The official changelog confirms that Steam is now a fully 64-bit application on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. As a result, Windows 10 32-bit – the last remaining 32-bit version still supported by the client – will lose support starting January 1, 2026.

Valve says just 0.01 percent of the Steam user base still runs the client on 32-bit Windows 10, making the change effectively negligible for the broader PC gaming ecosystem. The move comes five years after Microsoft abandoned 32-bit Windows in favor of a fully 64-bit architecture.

Modern 64-bit versions of Windows offer clear advantages over their 32-bit predecessors. The WoW64 compatibility subsystem allows most legacy 32-bit applications to run seamlessly, since modern x86-64 processors include native support for executing 32-bit code with little to no performance penalty.

Furthermore, 64-bit operating systems can address far more system memory and generally offer greater stability. Valve said the 32-bit version of Steam will continue to run on 32-bit versions of Windows for now, but it will no longer receive updates. The company is urging affected users to upgrade to a 64-bit edition of Windows to keep access to the latest Steam features and fixes.

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While the end of 32-bit support affects only a tiny fraction of users, the update also includes changes with broader impact. The new Steam client fixes an H.265 game-recording bug on systems using Nvidia 50-series GPUs, improves reporting tools for suspicious or harassing group chat messages, and adds support for Nintendo Switch 2 USB controllers and GameCube adapters operating in Wii U mode.