Steam’s December Update Moves the Windows Client Fully to 64-bit
Valve has shipped a long-awaited change to the Steam client on Windows. As of the December update, Steam now runs as a fully 64-bit application on supported systems, ending years of partial 32-bit support and aligning the client with modern Windows environments.
The change applies to 64-bit installations of Windows 10 and Windows 11. Systems still running 32-bit Windows are not cut off immediately, but Valve has set a clear end date for support.
What changed?
The Windows version of the Steam client is now fully 64-bit. Previously, parts of the client remained 32-bit even on 64-bit systems, a legacy setup that limited how much memory the application could efficiently use and constrained future development.
With this update, Steam matches the architecture already used on other platforms and removes a technical ceiling that has existed for years.
Who is affected by the update?
Most Steam users are on Windows, and the majority of those systems already run a 64-bit version of the operating system. For these users, no action is required. Steam updates automatically and continues to function as normal.
Users still on 32-bit Windows should take note of Valve's timeline. Steam will continue to receive updates on 32-bit Windows only until January 1, 2026. After that date, the client will no longer be supported on those systems.
Valve has not announced any extensions or exceptions to this cutoff.
Why does it matter?
The benefits of a 64-bit client are practical rather than dramatic. Steam is not suddenly faster across the board, and Valve has not claimed large performance gains.
What changes is the foundation. A 64-bit application can access more system memory, handle larger workloads more reliably, and avoid certain stability issues that affect long-running processes. For a client that manages game downloads, overlays, chat, input devices, and background services, that headroom matters.
More importantly, the shift removes limitations that complicate future updates. Features that would have been awkward or impossible under mixed 32-bit support can now be developed without legacy constraints.
Other notable fixes in the December update
The 64-bit transition is the headline change, but it is not the only one included in the update.
Steam Friends and Chat now allow users to report suspicious or harassing messages directly from within chat windows. This closes a long-standing gap where moderation actions required navigating away from the conversation.
Valve also addressed a set of issues affecting Big Picture Mode and Remote Play, improving reliability in scenarios that are sensitive to client crashes or memory limits.
Controller support saw several additions and fixes. Steam Input now supports Nintendo Switch 2 controllers over USB on Windows, along with GameCube adapters operating in Wii U mode with rumble support. The update also resolves pairing and configuration problems affecting DualSense Edge, Xbox Elite, and Nintendo Joy-Con controllers.
These changes are incremental, but they target areas where Steam functions as infrastructure rather than a simple storefront.
What users should do now?
For users on Windows 10 or Windows 11 with a 64-bit installation, there is nothing to configure. The update installs automatically and runs in the background.
Users still on 32-bit Windows should treat the January 1, 2026 cutoff as a firm deadline. Continuing to use Steam beyond that point will require moving to a 64-bit version of Windows, as Valve has not indicated plans to maintain legacy builds.
The December update does not change Steam's system requirements for games themselves, but it does signal a broader move away from older platforms.
Valve “lied”, they still have legacy dependencies:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Steam\SteamService.exe
Still 32-bit, and it’s the most crucial part as this EXE provides administrative permissions to the entire client. And yes, I wiped the service and forced another update, re-installed it. Still legacy 32.bit. Of course most people will not notice.
That’s not a lie, Steam indeed switched entirely to 64-bit.
However, you have to think of it much like when you install a video program that includes system ‘codecs’:
Even if your video program or codec pack itself is primarily for 64-bit, you need to offer 32-bit codecs too, because otherwise your program’s videos will not play in a 32-bit media player, which causes unnecessary support tickets and issues.
Indeed, even if you have a 64-bit OS sometimes users end up using 32-bit programs on it.
Now back to Steam, that’s exactly what’s happening.
Steam cannot avoid e.g. providing a 32-bit Steam API DLL and Steam service, because some Steam games are 32-bit programs.
How are these games supposed to load a 64-bit Steam API file?
So Valve still needs to provide 32-bit Steam API DLL file to game developers, which will want to talk to a 32-bit Steam service.
So unless Steam brutally requires game developers to immediately switch to 64-bit games, it does make sense to give them some more time to migrate gracefully towards 64-bit.
Basically Valve just announced ‘Steam is now 64-bit, game devs need to start migrating to 64-bit’ and now these partial compatibility files (32-bit) are only there temporarily for easing the transition.
It’s expected that Valve will entirely stop giving these 32-bit files sometime in 2026 though.
That’s a lot of mental gymnastics for not having debunked that a core component was overlooked and not updated to 64-bit.
Now to which fallacy may I reply first?
I’ve heard the arguments about dropping 32 in favor of 64 – less code, less size, more lightweight, it was bound to happen for every software. In a few years maybe the term 64 will become forgotten as there is no 32 to compare it to. Maybe in the future we will see 128 bit processor instructions and so forth … we will see.
Strangely, a few days ago my Steam client on Linux suddenly decided to refuse to add non-Steam games as executables for Proton. I found on reddit some discussions that other people are experiencing this too, but no real solution or explanation why. I was using the Stable build of Steam, but decided to switch to the Beta one in hopes of this being fixed, but so far nothing.