- Steam will no longer support Windows 7/8/8.1 operating systems as of January 1, 2024.
- Steam claims that a lack of security updates can create an issue for Steam users on older operating systems.
- You can still enjoy the games you own in your Steam library for now, but Valve makes no promises for the future.
As time passes and new Windows releases come out, the relevancy for older versions is becoming shorter and shorter. Valve had recently announced that Steam will no longer be supported on any pre-Windows 10 OS, including 7/8/8.1 in 2024. Well, that time is now here, as the discontinuation has rolled out.
According to the official Steam support page, the Steam launcher will not support Windows 7.8. or 8.1 operating systems after January 1, 2024. This means the services for these operating systems have been discontinued as of now. This includes support services, including installation, system requirements, and technical issues.
This decision was heavily influenced by Microsoft shutting down security updates for Windows 7 earlier in January 2020 and for Windows 8.1 in January 2023. Systems without security updates can be prone to malware attacks and cyberattacks. Google Chrome followed suit with the ending of support for Chrome on Windows 7.
These attacks exploit the vulnerability of your outdated system, causing harm to any application or identity theft. This is one of the key reasons for Steam to move away from Windows 7/8/8.1 support.
Can I Still Play Steam Games on Windows 7, 8, or 8.1?
Valve reminded players to upgrade their operating system to Windows 10 or later before January 1, 2024. However, the company does mention that the Steam client and games should run for some time, but full functionality cannot be promised. This also means these older versions won’t receive any future updates, so it’s better to upgrade your device as soon as you can.
“We expect the Steam client and games on these older operating systems to continue running for some time without updates after January 1st, 2024, but we are unable to guarantee continued functionality after that date.” – Valve
Make sure you get yourself upgraded to the latest Windows build with that news coming forward. So, what do you think about the older operating systems losing their Steam support? Let us know your reaction to this decision taken by Valve in the comments below.
