Steam will stop supporting older versions of Windows any longer. Due to the fact that the latest features in Steam rely on an embedded version of Google Chrome. Here you can find out which versions this includes.
Valve, the company behind Steam, has announced that starting from January 1, 2024, it will no longer support Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1. This means that gamers who still use these older operating systems will no longer be able to access their games through Steam. To continue using the platform, they will need to upgrade to a current Windows version such as Windows 10 or 11.
Valve has stated that the new features in Steam are based on an embedded version of Google Chrome, which does not work on older versions of Windows. In addition, future versions of Steam will require Windows features and security updates that are only available on Windows 10 and higher.
Support Stop: Steam Won't Work On These Windows Versions Anymore
Valve's decision to end support for these older operating systems is not surprising, as Microsoft discontinued support for Windows 7 and Windows 8 earlier this year. Valve had previously allowed players to use older versions of Steam to access their games, even after support was discontinued by Microsoft.
The reason for this decision is that the new features in Steam are based on an embedded version of Google Chrome, which does not work on older versions of Windows. In addition, future versions of Steam will require Windows features and security updates that are only available on Windows 10 and higher. Therefore, to continue using Steam, users will need to upgrade to a current Windows version such as Windows 10 or 11.
However, Valve eventually updated its authentication servers, making it impossible for players to use older versions of the platform. According to Steam's hardware survey, only a small percentage of users still use Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. Therefore, the impact of Valve's decision is likely to be minimal.
