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Gaming on Steam

Google is in the process of releasing Steam for several newer ChromeOS Devices, starting with ChromeOS M110, which will allow you to play PC and Console quality games on supported devices. Steam offers thousands of high-quality games, and you can access your existing Steam library on your ChromeOS Device, so there is no need to re-purchase your games. It is technically possible to install Steam on Linux within the ChromeOS Linux environment, but this method is not officially recommended by Google and may lack the ability to properly use the systems' graphics card to its fullest potential.

If you are using a managed ChromeOS device issued by an employer or educational institute, you will not be able to leverage this feature at this time.

Unlike other methods of playing games on Steam such as Nvidia GeForce Now or Amazon Luna, Steam games are locally installed on your device and as such the games will consume a large amount of the available storage on your ChromeOS Powered device. It is currently unknown if it will be officially possible to install game libraries to an external storage device, such as a USB hard drive or Micro SD Card.

Steam will work best when playing games that were designed to run on Linux however thanks to the joint efforts from the developers of Steam (Valve) and WineHQ a powerful compatibility layer known as Proton was created to allow several games that were only designed for Windows to run on your device, however 100% compatibility is not guaranteed. The performance of Steam games on ChromeOS will vary based on a number of factors, including the specifications of your ChromeOS Device.

Minimum Requirements

Steam is available on select Chromebooks that have:

  • At least an Intel i3 or Ryzen 3 CPU
  • 8GB RAM or more
  • 128GB storage or more

Installing Steam

If you have a supported ChromeOS Device, open the ChromeOS Application Launcher and type "Steam" to locate the "Steam Installer". This will start the download and installation of the Steam Game Launcher.

The download and installation may take several minutes to complete, depending on your internet speed and device specifications.

Select "Open Steam" to complete the installation. Steam's background update tool will start and download the latest version of the Steam Launcher. This process may take several minutes to complete, depending on your device specifications and internet speed. The steam updater will periodically run when you start steam to check for updates and automatically install the updates as needed.

You will be presented with the Steam Login, use your existing steam account to sign in, you may also create a new account if you have not used steam in the past. If you have the Steam Application on your Android or iOS Smartphone, you can scan the QR code to authenticate instead of entering a username/password.

As a standard security step, Steam will send you a one-time security code to your email address. Enter this security code to continue.

After you have entered your security code, Steam will connect your Steam Client Application to your Steam Profile. This process will take a few seconds.

Once you are fully connected, you will be taken to the Steam Home section of the Steam Application, which will present you with news and updates. You will also see your friends list in a separate window. From here you can access the Steam Store to purchase games or proceed to the Steam Library to access your purchased games

Clicking on the "Library" tab will bring you to your Steam Library, which consists of all the games you have purchased.

Installing Steam Games

If you have purchased a game, it will be listed in your Steam Library.

Locate the game you wish to install and select the "Install" option.

The installer will ask you for the location you wish to install the game to, select "Install" without changing any of the values.

Steam will begin downloading and installing the game and any other dependencies needed to play the game on your ChromeOS Device. This process may take several minutes or even hours, depending on your device specifications and internet speed. Steam will also install the Proton Runtime, which allows ChromeOS to run games designed for Microsoft Windows. Once the application installation has completed, simply select the "Play" button to start the game.

Optimizing Steam Game Performance on ChromeOS

Some Steam games attempt to adjust performance settings automatically based on your device's hardware. However, you can manually fine-tune settings for better performance. Follow these steps to enhance gameplay on ChromeOS:

Adjusting Game Resolution

Lowering the resolution can improve performance, especially on devices with high-resolution displays (above 1920×1080). Aim for a balance between smooth gameplay and visual quality. To check your display resolution:

  • Open Settings > Device > Displays.

Closeing Unnecessary Apps and Tabs

Background applications, open browser tabs, and Android apps consume system resources, affecting game performance. Before launching a game, close unnecessary tabs, apps, and processes to free up RAM and CPU power.

Lowering Graphics Settings

Many games allow you to adjust graphical details. If performance is sluggish, reduce settings like texture quality, shadows, and effects. Starting with Medium or Low settings can significantly improve frame rates while maintaining a decent visual experience.

By following these steps, you can improve gaming performance on ChromeOS when using Steam, ensuring a smoother and more enjoyable experience.

Steam for Unsupported Devices

Official support for Steam Games on ChromeOS is currently limited to a subset of newer ChromeOS Devices; however, it is possible to install Steam on older devices as long as they use an Intel or AMD Processor and have access to enable Linux Support. We provide a dedicated guide to installing Steam on your ChromeOS Linux Environment, but the performance of several games may not be at the same level as it would be on newer ChromeOS devices. 

It is currently not possible to install Steam on an ARM based Chromebook however it is possible to install Steam's Game Streaming Client to stream your games from a higher-end gaming PC on your local network.