Valve adds Secure Boot and TPM checks to Steam on Windows

In 2021, when Windows 11 officially launched, PC users began to get acquainted with two new concepts: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and Secure Boot . These are mandatory features for a valid Windows 11 installation. However, for most other users, TPM and Secure Boot seem to be less important.

But by 2025, these two features are once again in the spotlight, as more and more popular games begin to rely on them to power their anti-cheat systems.

Why are TPM and Secure Boot important?

TPM and Secure Boot are low-level security features, usually managed outside the operating system, meaning users cannot enable/disable them directly in Windows. For those who are less tech-savvy, they may not have heard of them or know how to enable them.

To support gamers, Valve has just added a TPM/Secure Boot check feature directly in Steam.

As of the latest beta update, users can navigate to Help > System Information to check the status of Secure Boot and TPM on their computer.

Changelog:

1. Added feature to detect if Secure Boot and TPM are enabled.
2. This information is displayed under System Information and is collected when participating in the Steam Hardware Survey .

While Steam doesn't provide detailed instructions on how to enable TPM and Secure Boot, it's still useful. At the very least, players will know why certain games — like Call of Duty — won't boot, rather than being left confused by some 'mysterious error.'

Steam stops supporting Windows 10 32-bit

Additionally, Valve announced that Steam will stop supporting 32-bit Windows 10 on January 1, 2026. Older versions of the app will still work for a short time, but to continue receiving updates and support, users will be required to upgrade to 64-bit Windows.

Lesley Montoya

Update 30 September 2025