As of November 2024, the most recent model of Valve’s Steam PC shopper not helps or runs on Home windows 7 or Home windows 8 methods. Per the discharge and patch notes for the current Steam Consumer Replace from November 5, customers with these older Microsoft working methods will not have their Steam shopper routinely up to date.
Home windows 8 + Steam = the stuff of nightmares.
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Valve warned customers in regards to the change, saying fairly some time in the past that as of January 1, 2024, Steam would cease formally supporting the Home windows 7, Home windows 8, and Home windows 8.1 working methods. Steam will probably nonetheless work on these methods, however with no extra updates, Valve will likely be “unable to ensure continued performance of Steam.”
The excellent news is that solely a fraction of PC players are affected. In response to Valve’s newest Steam {Hardware} & Software program Survey outcomes for October 2024, 96.26% of all PC players on the platform are working both Home windows 11 or Home windows 10 – with solely 0.28% working Home windows 7.
Nonetheless, because of the sheer variety of PC players working Steam, many individuals are nonetheless working Home windows 7. These customers can not entry or use Valve’s brand-new Steam Recreation Recording characteristic, which is a part of the most recent shopper launch.
Why are these working methods not supported? Steam depends closely on an embedded model of Google Chrome that not “features on older variations of Home windows.” Additionally, the Steam shopper requires sure OS options and safety updates which might be solely accessible on Home windows 10 and above.
The transfer is unsurprising, as Microsoft formally ended its help for Home windows 7 in 2020 and Home windows 8 in 2023. Methods working these working methods are extra inclined to malware and safety breaches.
