Valve's Steam Machine can now run Windows officially but requires wiping SteamOS first

Before headlines turned to the Steam Machine's red line issue and its $1,000-plus price tag, much of the conversation centred on Valve's vision for the hardware. From the start, the company framed it as an open PC rather than a locked-down console. Owners would be free to install any operating system or storefront they wanted, and Valve's latest move reflects that same philosophy.

Valve has published official Windows drivers for the Steam Machine, giving owners the files needed to install Microsoft's operating system on the device. The driver package covers the essentials: graphics, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and SD card reader, enough to get Windows running with full hardware functionality on the cube.

However, it's worth noting that installing Windows currently requires wiping SteamOS entirely. Dual-boot support is not yet available, even though the hardware itself is fully capable of it. Valve says the SteamOS installer's dual-boot wizard is not ready yet and will ship alongside a future SteamOS update. Anyone hoping to switch between SteamOS and Windows on the same machine should wait rather than jump in now.

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Valve is also upfront that these drivers come as-is, with no official Windows on Steam Hardware support if something goes wrong. There are also a few installation notes worth knowing. Users need to enter the boot menu by powering down and tapping Escape while booting, and an Ethernet connection is required during Windows installation since Wi-Fi drivers are not available at that stage.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Question #1

When Valve enables the SteamOS dual-boot wizard, will existing SteamOS installations be preserved or require reinstallation?

When Valve enables the SteamOS dual-boot wizard in a future update, existing SteamOS installations will be preserved and users will be able to dual-boot rather than having to wipe SteamOS. The primary article states that dual-boot support is not yet available but will ship alongside a future SteamOS update.

Answered

Question #2

Are there any known hardware features on the Steam Machine that remain unsupported by the published Windows drivers?

Yes. According to the article, the published Windows driver package covers graphics, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and the SD card reader, which the article says is "enough to get Windows running with full hardware functionality on the cube." The article does not list any specific hardware features that remain unsupported by the published Windows drivers.

Answered

Question #3

What steps are required to prepare a Steam Machine for Windows installation, including BIOS/UEFI settings?

You must wipe SteamOS first because dual-boot is not yet supported. Enter the boot menu by powering down and tapping Escape while booting. Ensure you have an Ethernet connection during Windows installation since Wi-Fi drivers are not available at that stage.

Answered

Question #4

If Ethernet is required during installation, can users install Wi‑Fi drivers later from within Windows without reinstalling?

Yes. The article says an Ethernet connection is required during Windows installation because Wi-Fi drivers are not available at that stage, but the driver package Valve published includes Wi-Fi drivers, so users can install Windows using Ethernet and then install the Wi-Fi drivers from within Windows afterward.

Answered

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For most Steam Machine owners, SteamOS will likely remain the obvious choice. Microsoft has been working hard to make Windows 11 the "best place to play" PC games, with initiatives like Project K2 moving the operating system closer to SteamOS, but it still has some catching up to do. Regardless, giving users an official path to Windows definitely sets Valve's hardware apart from traditional consoles.