With the arrival of the new year, there have been and will be many new developments in the gaming world. However, there is also some sad news that will impact a significant portion of players. In fact, as announced in December, starting from January 1, 2024, Steam will officially stop supporting Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 operating systems.
The cause can be primarily attributed to the integrated version of the Steam browser based on Google Chrome. This is compounded by the lack of support for these operating systems by Microsoft.
The reasons, as mentioned above, can be mainly attributed to Google Chrome integrations no longer being compatible with operating systems predating Windows 10. This is also combined with Microsoft’s decision to cease security updates from January 10, 2023.
While the announcement may seem abrupt, Valve has simply clarified what has been inevitable for several years. The support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 for various modern games had already been dropped in favor of Windows 10 and 11. The solution remains upgrading to Windows 10 for older systems, while Windows 11 is an option geared toward more recent systems due to the requirement of TPM 2.0, the foundation of Windows 11 security.
Fortunately, upgrading is straightforward, and while it’s possible not to format everything, a clean installation is always recommended. So, save your most important data on an external drive.
For Windows 10, just:
For Windows 11, you need:
What will happen to my Steam games if I’m still running Windows 7 or Windows 8?
If your games are compatible with these operating systems, they will remain accessible as usual. It’s the Steam client that may no longer function correctly in the future, but game compatibility will remain unchanged and at the discretion of the developers.
Will I need to upgrade my operating system to keep using Steam?
The definitive answer is yes. You will need to update to Windows 10 or 11 as soon as possible to receive all Steam client updates without encountering errors and compatibility issues.
What if I can’t upgrade my operating system?
Given the Windows 7 community, there may be alternative methods or remedies to make the client work, at least for the initial periods. But at some point, it will be inevitable to upgrade. If you can’t upgrade to Windows 10 or 11, you can install Steam OS, based on Linux (Debian 8), available for free but with limitations such as incompatibility with many multiplayer titles due to kernel-level anti-cheat systems excluding Linux operating systems.
Will Valve provide technical support for Steam on Windows 7, 8, and 8.1?
No, starting from January 1, 2024, Valve has officially stopped support for these operating systems. Any support and solutions will come from the community at the users’ discretion, given the reduced and exposed risks of these operating systems no longer officially supported by Microsoft.
Will I be able to access my Steam account and library from other devices?
Certainly. Your account and library will not undergo changes, and you will be able to access them as long as your devices remain compatible with the Steam client, depending on the type of device.
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