Steam Client to Require macOS 12+ Starting October 15

Steam will stop supporting macOS 11 Big Sur on October 15, 2025, according to Valve, requiring Mac users to upgrade to macOS Monterey or later to continue accessing the gaming platform.

steam apple logo
The reason Steam will soon stop working on Big Sur is due to the client's reliance on an embedded version of Google Chrome, which no longer functions on older macOS versions. Future Steam updates will also require security features only available in macOS 12 and above.

Apple also discontinued security updates for Big Sur in 2023, and that's left legacy systems vulnerable to malware that could compromise Steam accounts and game performance. Valve is strongly recommending affected Mac users upgrade before the October deadline.

The announcement comes amid Steam's transition to a native Apple silicon client following Apple's stated plan to phase out Rosetta 2. Valve released the first native beta shortly after WWDC in June, signalling its dedication to continue to support Mac gaming. Testers have generally reported dramatically faster launch times and smoother navigation through the Store and Library.

Not that if you're still running Big Sur, you won't be able to launch Steam or any purchased games after the cutoff date.

Tag: Steam

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

iPhone 18 Pro Max Rumored to Deliver Next-Level Battery Life

Friday February 6, 2026 5:14 am PST by
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker. Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...

Top Rated Comments

senttoschool Avatar
27 weeks ago
That's fair.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ImperialForces Avatar
27 weeks ago
… at least Steam is updating the MacOS client.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Donkey Man Avatar
27 weeks ago

I don't have a Steam account, so can't check, but I thought the majority of the games didn't make the 32-bit to 64-bit transition? Surprised they are updating the client.
The client is the easy bit; nothing to do with games themselves.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
27 weeks ago

The client is the easy bit; nothing to do with games themselves.
What's the client without games?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sydnxt Avatar
27 weeks ago

What's the client without games?
Essentially, any 32-bit macOS game that wasn't actively receiving new features or updates was not updated. Games released after 2018 are typically 64-bit and work properly. Additionally, some games are even native, such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Factorio.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sonic84 Avatar
27 weeks ago
please recompile Orange box for x64/arm. I miss CS:S and HL2...
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)