Linux Usage on Steam Climbs Back Above 4% in July 2026

Linux has returned to more than 4 percent of Steam’s active operating system share, according to Valve’s July 2026 hardware survey.

The platform gained 0.32 percentage points during the month, while Windows declined by 0.43 points. macOS also increased slightly, adding 0.11 points.

Windows remains dominant across Steam, but Linux has continued to grow from the roughly 2 percent share it held several years ago. The latest result suggests that adoption is expanding beyond a temporary increase tied only to the Steam Deck.

Valve’s handheld remains an important part of the Linux gaming market, although SteamOS reportedly lost some share within the Linux category during July. Other distributions, including Fedora, CachyOS, Bazzite, Ubuntu, and Linux Mint, all recorded gains.

Steam operating system share changed in July

The July survey shows movement away from Windows toward both Linux and macOS, although the scale remains relatively small compared with the total Steam audience.

Operating system	Monthly change
Linux	Up 0.32 percentage points
Windows	Down 0.43 percentage points
macOS	Up 0.11 percentage points

Valve’s hardware survey is based on participating Steam accounts and provides a monthly snapshot of the systems used by PC players. Results can move between months because participation is voluntary and the group of surveyed players may change.

Even with that limitation, Linux remaining around or above 4 percent is meaningful because Windows has historically controlled the overwhelming majority of PC gaming.

Linux does not need to approach Windows market share to have a greater influence. Continued growth can still encourage developers to test their games through Proton, support SteamOS handhelds, and consider Linux compatibility during development.

Growth is spreading across several Linux distributions

SteamOS remains one of the most visible Linux gaming platforms because it powers the Steam Deck. However, the July figures indicate that growth was not limited to Valve’s operating system.

Fedora, CachyOS, Bazzite, Ubuntu, and Linux Mint reportedly gained share during the month. This suggests that more players are using Linux on desktops, laptops, and handheld PCs outside Valve’s official hardware.

Linux distribution	July direction
SteamOS	Decreased slightly
Fedora	Increased
CachyOS	Increased
Bazzite	Increased
Ubuntu	Increased
Linux Mint	Increased

Bazzite and CachyOS have become increasingly relevant to gaming because they offer configurations aimed at handheld PCs and gaming focused desktops. Fedora, Ubuntu, and Mint remain broader desktop distributions that can also run Steam and Proton.

The movement across several platforms indicates that Linux gaming is becoming less dependent on one operating system image.

Steam Deck hardware remains important

Although SteamOS lost some share inside the Linux category, Steam Deck hardware reportedly remained the leading individual hardware configuration.

This distinction matters because an operating system can lose percentage share even while the number of people using it grows. If other Linux distributions expand faster, SteamOS can represent a smaller portion of a larger Linux audience.

The Steam Deck has played a major role in making Linux gaming more accessible. Its console style interface hides much of the traditional setup associated with desktop Linux, while Proton allows many Windows games to run without native Linux versions.

Valve’s work on drivers, shaders, controller support, and game compatibility has also benefited Linux players who do not own a Steam Deck.

Proton has reduced the need for native ports

Proton is the compatibility technology Steam uses to run many Windows games on Linux. It combines several open source tools and game specific fixes under a simpler Steam interface.

For many games, players can install and launch the Windows version without manually configuring a separate compatibility environment.

Linux gaming component	Purpose
Proton	Runs many Windows games on Linux
SteamOS	Provides Valve’s gaming focused operating system
Steam Deck	Offers a mainstream Linux handheld
Community Proton builds	Add game specific fixes and newer components
Linux distributions	Provide alternatives for desktop and handheld gaming

Compatibility is still uneven. Some games have visual problems, launcher failures, unsupported video formats, or performance differences compared with Windows.

Online multiplayer games can present a larger obstacle because anti cheat systems may not support Linux or Proton, even when the game itself can run.

Anti cheat support remains a major barrier

A higher Linux share could give publishers more reason to enable anti cheat compatibility.

Some widely used anti cheat systems have Linux and Proton support, but developers often need to activate or test it for their individual games. When that work is not completed, Linux players may be blocked from joining multiplayer modes.

This remains one of the largest gaps between Linux and Windows gaming. Single player games often work well through Proton, while competitive online releases are more likely to be unavailable.

Continued Linux growth does not guarantee that every publisher will add support. However, a larger audience improves the commercial argument for testing and maintaining compatibility.

The 4% milestone shows steady progress

Linux remains a minority platform on Steam, and Windows continues to lead by a wide margin. The importance of the July result is therefore not that Linux is close to challenging Windows.

The more useful signal is that the platform has grown from its earlier position near 2 percent and is now returning to levels above 4 percent. That represents a considerably larger audience for developers, hardware manufacturers, and compatibility projects.

The increase across Fedora, CachyOS, Bazzite, Ubuntu, and Mint also suggests broader interest beyond SteamOS. With Steam Deck hardware still leading the Linux category, Valve’s handheld remains central to that progress even as other distributions gain ground.