Just a few short weeks before Microsoft ends Windows 10 support, digital video game storefront Steam announced it would stop support for its 32-bit versions. Valve, the platform’s parent company, cited ultra-low player numbers in its decision to discontinue support; in a Steam Hardware Survey administered in August 2025, only 0.01% of players reported reliance on the old-school OS. In an official statement shared on the Steam Support blog, the brand said support would officially end on January 1, 2026.
“As of January 1 2026, Steam will stop supporting systems running 32-bit versions of Windows. Windows 10 32-bit is the only 32-bit version that is currently supported by Steam and is only in use on 0.01% of systems reported through the Steam Hardware Survey. Windows 10 64-bit will still be supported and 32-bit games will still run.
“Existing Steam Client installations will continue to function for the near term on Windows 10 32-bit but will no longer receive updates of any kind including security updates. Steam Support will be unable to offer users technical support for issues related to the old operating systems, and Steam will be unable to guarantee continued functionality of Steam on the unsupported operating system versions.
“To ensure continued updates and compatibility, users should update to a 64-bit version of Windows.
“This change is required as core features in Steam rely on system drivers and other libraries that are not supported on 32-bit versions of Windows. Future versions of Steam will run on 64-bit versions of Windows only. We strongly encourage all 32-bit Windows users to update sooner rather than later.”
According to the platform’s blog post, Steam’s drivers are too much for 32-bit architecture to handle. Comparatively modern 64-bit systems, on the other hand, can run intensive software that requires more memory.
Most modern gaming PCs utilize 64-bit Windows 11 or another contemporary operating system, but if you’re using the retro Windows OS, you’ll likely still be able to play 32-bit titles through Steam. However, you will no longer be able to install the Steam app on any 32-bit Windows OS.
Microsoft is ending Windows 10 support across the board on October 14, 2025.
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