Play Steam for Chromebook (Beta) (2024)

You can play Steam games when you install the games directly on your Chromebook. You can buy, download, and update video games on Valve Corporation’s third party app, Steam.

Important: There are a few limitations, known bugs, and performance issues that impact gameplay and title availability since Steam for Chromebook (Beta) is still in development.

Check or report issues with Steam for Chromebook (Beta).

Minimum hardware 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

To find the CPU and RAM information: Press Ctrl + Search + Esc.

To find storage information: Select Settings Play Steam for Chromebook (Beta) (1) Device Play Steam for Chromebook (Beta) (2) Storage Management.

Supported devices

The following Chromebook devices meet the minimum hardware requirements for Steam for Chromebook (Beta). You can search for a device by manufacturer and model, or by code name. To find your device code name, use keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Search + Esc on your Chromebook. This supported device list is subject to change as we roll out Steam for Chromebook (Beta) to additional devices that meet the hardware requirements.

Device manufacturer & model

Code name

Acer Chromebook 514 (CB514-1W)

volta

Acer Chromebook 515 (CB515-1W)

volet

Acer Chromebook 516 GE (CBG516-1H)

osiris

Acer Chromebook CB514-3H/3HT

markarth

Acer Chromebook Plus 515 (CB515-2H, CB515-2HT)

omnigul

Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE

calus

Acer Chromebook Spin 514 (CP514-3H, CP514-3HH, CP514-3WH)

dewatt

Acer Chromebook Spin 713 (CP713-3W)

voxel

Acer Chromebook Spin 714

kano

Acer Chromebook Vero 514

volmar

Asus Chromebook CM34 Flip

frostflow

Asus Chromebook CX34 Flip (CX3401)

mithrax

Asus Chromebook CX3402CBA

marasov

Asus Chromebook CX9 (CX9400)

drobit

Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 (CX5500)

delbin

Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 (CX5601)

felwinter

Asus Chromebook Plus CM34 Flip

frostflow

Asus Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip (CX3401)

mithrax

Asus Chromebook Vibe CX55 Flip

delbin

Dell 5430 Chromebook

crota

Dell 5430 Chromebook 2-in-1

crota360

Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition

banshee

HP Chromebook 15.6 inch

yaviks

HP Chromebook x360 14 inch

gimble

HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook

vell

HP Elite c640 14 inch G3 Chromebook

anahera

HP Elite c645 G2 Chromebook

nipperkin

HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook

redrix

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16

taniks

Lenovo 5i Chromebook 16”/IdeaPad 5i Chromebook 16

tarlo

Lenovo 5i-14 Chromebook

lindar

Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook 14” / IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook 14"

taeko

Lenovo Slim 3i Chromebook Plus 14

pujjoteen15w

Lenovo ThinkPad C14 Gen 1 Chromebook

primus

Download & install Steam

Important: We don't recommend you install Steam or Steam Link from the Play Store since they can cause performance issues.

To download Steam directly from your Chromebook:

  1. Select the Launcher Play Steam for Chromebook (Beta) (3) .
  2. Search for “Steam installer.”
    • If you can’t find “Steam installer” in the search results, your device doesn’t meet the requirements for the beta.
  3. Under the "Apps" section, select Steam installer.

You can also find installation instructions at store.steampowered.com/about.

Change in-game settings to optimize performance

Some games attempt to automatically change their performance-related settings based on your device’s specs. To optimize performance further, you can manually change in-game settings. Here are recommended steps to try:

  • Reduce game resolution: Find a balance between playability and visual quality. This helps devices with display resolution higher than 1920 x 1080 to run smoothly. To find your display resolution, go to Settings Play Steam for Chromebook (Beta) (4) Devices Play Steam for Chromebook (Beta) (5) Displays.
  • Close other windows: Other apps and websites can use resources in the background. To free up space on those resources for the game, close background apps or websites.
  • Reduce graphics settings: Find a balance between playability and graphics. A “Medium” or “Low” setting is generally a good place to start.

Compatible Steam games

The games below have performed well based on tests conducted on Chromebooks that meet the minimum hardware requirements. This list will be updated periodically during the course of the Steam for Chromebook (Beta).

Game Name

Game Name

A Short Hike

Mirror's Edge™

Among Us

Montaro

Barotrauma

Neon Abyss

Biped

Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition

Blasphemous

Noita

Blasphemous 2

Our Life: Beginnings & Always

BLEACH Brave Souls

Papers, Please

Bloons TD Battles 2

Penko Park

Braid

People Playground

Brick Rigs

Pikuniku

Brotato

Pilgrims

Buissons

Poly Bridge

Business Tour - Board Game with Online Multiplayer

Poly Bridge 2

CARRION

Portal 2

Cats Organized Neatly

PowerWash Simulator

Celeste

Rain on Your Parade

Cleo - a pirate's tale

Ravenfield

Cultist Simulator

Real Pool 3D - Poolians

Darkest Dungeon®

Realm of the Mad God Exalt

Dead Cells

Regency Solitaire

Dome Keeper

Return of the Obra Dinn

Don't Starve

RISK: Global Domination

Enter the Gungeon

Root

Fallout Shelter

Scoot Kaboom and the Tomb of Doom

Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County

Sea of Stars

Graveyard Keeper

Shantae and the Seven Sirens

Half-Life 2

SHEEPO

Half-Life 2: Episode One

Slime Rancher

Halls of Torment

SPORE™

Haven Park

Starbound

Heroes® of Might & Magic® III - HD Edition

Stronghold Crusader HD

Hollow Knight

Stumble Guys

Hotline Miami

Swords & Souls: Neverseen

Human-powered spacecraft

Teacup

Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms

Tetris® Effect: Connected

Into the Breach

The Adventures of Elena Temple: Definitive Edition

Iron Snout

The Battle of Polytopia

Island Saver

The Jackbox Party Pack 8

Jump King

The Sims™ 3

Katana ZERO

Total War: MEDIEVAL II – Definitive Edition

Kaze and the Wild Masks

Train Valley

Kingdom Rush - Tower Defense

ULTRAKILL

Kyle is Famous: Complete Edition

Universe Sandbox

La-Mulana

Vampire Survivors

La-Mulana 2

War Robots

Levelhead: Platformer Maker

We Were Here

Life is Strange 2

World of Goo

Lobotomy Corporation | Monster Management Simulation

WorldBox - God Simulator

Lords Mobile

Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel

Magic: The Gathering Arena

Troubleshoot known issues for Steam for Chromebook (Beta)

To give feedback about Steam and report issues, use keyboard shortcut Alt + Shift + I.

Game shows wrong size or position on screen

Some games can show at the wrong size or in the wrong position on the screen. To attempt to fix the issue, select Fullscreen Play Steam for Chromebook (Beta) (6).

"Vulkan shader processing" message

Some games show a "Vulkan shader processing" message. You can skip this and go directly to the game, but this can impact gameplay. To possibly fix this issue:

  1. Go to Steam settings.
  2. Turn on Allow background processing of Vulkan shaders.

Tip: If you turn on "Allow background processing of Vulkan shaders," it can impact battery life.

Submit feedback about Steam games

While in beta, we encourage you to try games and provide feedback about your experience. To submit feedback or report bugs and issues:

  • Press Alt + Shift + I.
  • To provide specific feedback on games that you've played, go to ProtonDB.

Related resources

  • Use gaming features on your Chromebook

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Play Steam for Chromebook (Beta) (2024)

FAQs

Play Steam for Chromebook (Beta)? ›

You can install the official Steam for Chromebook Beta on select Chromebooks to run Steam on a Chromebook. On unsupported Chromebooks, you can either use the Steam Link Android app, install the Linux version of Steam, install the complete Ubuntu Linux OS, stream Steam from another PC, or use cloud streaming.

Can you run Steam on a Chromebook? ›

You can install the official Steam for Chromebook Beta on select Chromebooks to run Steam on a Chromebook. On unsupported Chromebooks, you can either use the Steam Link Android app, install the Linux version of Steam, install the complete Ubuntu Linux OS, stream Steam from another PC, or use cloud streaming.

How to install Chromebook beta? ›

For Chromebook:
  1. Sign in to your Chromebook with the owner's account, and go to the menu by clicking the time.
  2. Select Settings > About Chrome OS > Detailed Build Information > Channel.
  3. Next to Chanel, choose Channel Change and select Beta. Your Chromebook will download and install the update, then prompt you to restart.

Can you play PC games on a Chromebook? ›

There are plenty of reasons to choose a Chromebook for gaming. Chromebook is your one device to play your favorite PC, console and mobile games. Instantly play the latest high quality games like Cyberpunk 2077, Halo Infinite and more through cloud gaming platforms like NVIDIA GeForce NOW or Amazon Luna1, 2.

Why doesn't Steam work on Chromebooks? ›

Again, though, these are higher-end Chromebooks, and most require Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 CPUs from at least Intel's 11th generation lineup and 8GB of RAM. If you have a Chromebook with an Intel Core i3 CPU and 4GB of RAM, Steam on ChromeOS won't work correctly.

Can a Chromebook run Windows? ›

A Chromebook is a cheap alternative to laptops developed by Google with several models that cost as low as $300. However, they don't run Windows since they use Chrome OS, similar to Google Chrome web browser. Chromebooks are ubiquitously popular for their speed, stability, and straightforward user interface.

Does Chrome Beta replace Chrome? ›

Chrome Beta is one step ahead of the stable version, so it gets new features and enhancements first, however since it is a beta software (it is being tested), you may find weird behavior or crashes, etc.

How to enable beta mode on Chromebook? ›

You'll have to sign in with your Google Account again.
  1. Sign in to your Chromebook with the owner account.
  2. At the bottom right, select the time. Settings .
  3. At the bottom left, select About ChromeOS.
  4. Select Additional details.
  5. Next to "Channel," select Change channel.
  6. Select a channel.
  7. Select Change channel.

Should I install Chrome Beta? ›

Chrome Beta is a version of the Chrome browser with new features and bug fixes that are still being tested, while Chrome is the stable version of the browser. If you prefer a stable and reliable browsing experience, it is recommended to use the regular Chrome browser.

What Steam games work on Chromebooks? ›

What games can Chromebooks play on Steam?
  • Portal 2.
  • Hades.
  • Team Fortress 2.
  • The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition.
  • World of Tanks Blitz.
  • Vampire Survivors.
  • Euro Truck Simulator 2.
  • Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition.
Mar 22, 2022

Why can't i play PC games on Chromebook? ›

You would be forgiven for thinking your Chromebook can't handle the rigors of PC gaming. After all, it's an underpowered and lightweight device used primarily for browser-based tasks. A device running ChromeOS won't be able to natively support the latest AAA titles on high settings, but it can play quite a bit.

How do you turn your Chromebook into a gaming laptop? ›

Use the Launcher to find & download games
  1. In the corner of your screen, select the Launcher .
  2. In the search bar at the top, search for a game title or keyword. If you already have the game downloaded, select it to play. ...
  3. If you choose to buy the game, follow the on-screen instructions.

How to download Steam games on Chromebook? ›

To download Steam directly from your Chromebook:
  1. Select the Launcher .
  2. Search for “Steam installer.” If you can't find “Steam installer” in the search results, your device doesn't meet the requirements for the beta.
  3. Under the "Apps" section, select Steam installer.

How to install PC games on Chromebook? ›

Windows games can be installed by Steam on ChromeOS after either enabling Proton in the Steam Play tab of the Steam settings or enabling Proton for a specific game in the Compatibility tab of the game properties. Proton is automatically installed by Steam alongside game installations that require it.

Can Chromebook run APK games? ›

Chromebooks now support downloading and installing Android apps from Google Play Store. However, not all Android apps are available on Google Play Store. A few apps are available outside of Google Play as APK files. You can install these apps on your Chromebook.

How to run Windows games on Chromebook? ›

Windows games can be installed by Steam on ChromeOS after either enabling Proton in the Steam Play tab of the Steam settings or enabling Proton for a specific game in the Compatibility tab of the game properties. Proton is automatically installed by Steam alongside game installations that require it.

Can I play Minecraft on a Chromebook? ›

Minecraft is now available on Chromebook, including the new Trails & Tales Update. We are constantly working to bring the best gaming experiences to Chromebooks, whether they're new devices or new games.

Can I play Sims 4 on Chromebook? ›

Does Sims 4 run on a Chromebook ? No, the Sims 4 does not run on a Chromebook. Sims 4 needs either macOS or Windows to run.

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