Steam to stop Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 support next year
Bad news for old Windows users - it's apparently google chrome's fault
Share this article...
WePC is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices subject to change. Learn more
Steam to scrap Windows 7 support: Steam is going to be obsolete on Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 come January 1st, 2024. Why? Google Chrome, that’s why. Valve announced the discontinuation of steam for older Windows versions today.
Now Read: How to download Steam
What does this mean? well, we’re going to go through all that now, so read on.
When will steam stop support for Windows 7?
Valve announced that Steam will no longer be supported on operating systems below Windows 10 as of January 1st, 2023. This included Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1. It goes without saying that this also includes all of the Windows versions before them. It’s the end of an era in PC gaming, as Windows 7 (one of our favorite operating systems) fades into the darkness, never to be supported by anything again.
Steam announces the discontinuation of steam on older Windows versions
Valve released an FAQ on its help hub which read:
“As of January 1st, 2024, Steam will officially stop supporting the Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 operating systems. After that date, the Steam Client will no longer run on those versions of Windows. In order to continue running Steam and any games or other products purchased through Steam, users will need to update to a more recent version of Windows.”
According to the most recent Steam Hardware Survey, almost 1.5% of all steam users use Windows 7 in either 32 or 64-bit format, and almost 0.5% use Windows 8. Definitely a minority, but enough users to rack up a hefty upgrade bill.
Microsoft officially ended support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 in January 2023. This means all security and QOL updates will cease, and the OS is no longer officially supported by Microsoft. So if you’re still on any one of these older OS’ then you’re at risk, as these none supported operating systems do not receive new virus definition updates or security patches.
If you want to know how to Install Windows, then we have a guide for you. This will save you buying a whole new machine with a pre-load of Windows 10 or 11, so long as your current system can run it.
Why is Valve stopping Steam support on older Windows machines?
But why is Valve stopping Steam support on older Wind0ws machines? Valve gave the following reason:
“The newest features in Steam rely on an embedded version of Google Chrome, which no longer functions on older versions of Windows. In addition, future versions of Steam will require Windows features and security updates only present in Windows 10 and above.”
So, in conclusion, all of you who still run windows 7, 8, or 8.1, have Google Chrome to blame for this. It’s a good thing in the long run, however. As Windows 7 has not received any security updates in years, meaning those of you on Windows 7 are still at risk of some serious internet nasties.
