How To Install Steam on Debian 12

In this tutorial, we will show you how to install Steam on Debian 12. Steam, the renowned digital distribution platform for video games, has become an integral part of the gaming community. With a vast library of games and a thriving online multiplayer ecosystem, Steam offers gamers a rich and immersive experience. If you’re a Debian 12 user and want to dive into the world of gaming, you’re in the right place.

This article assumes you have at least basic knowledge of Linux, know how to use the shell, and most importantly, you host your site on your own VPS. The installation is quite simple and assumes you are running in the root account, if not you may need to add ‘sudo‘ to the commands to get root privileges. I will show you the step-by-step installation of the Steam on a Debian 12 (Bookworm).

Prerequisites

• A server running one of the following operating systems: Debian 12 (Bookworm).
• It’s recommended that you use a fresh OS install to prevent any potential issues.
• SSH access to the server (or just open Terminal if you’re on a desktop).
• An active internet connection. You’ll need an internet connection to download the necessary packages and dependencies for Steam.
• A non-root sudo user or access to the root user. We recommend acting as a non-root sudo user, however, as you can harm your system if you’re not careful when acting as the root.

Install Steam on Debian 12 Bookworm

Step 1. Before we install any software, it’s important to make sure your system is up to date by running the following apt commands in the terminal:

sudo apt update

This command will refresh the repository, allowing you to install the latest versions of software packages.

Step 2. Installing Dependencies.

To ensure a smooth gaming experience, install the required dependencies for Steam. Execute the following command in the terminal:

sudo apt install libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 libgl1-mesa-glx:i386 libc6:i386

Step 3. Enable 32-bit Support

Steam relies on 32-bit libraries to function properly. To enable support for these libraries, you need to add the i386 architecture to your system. Open a terminal and run the following command:

dpkg --add-architecture i386

Step 3. Installing Steam on Debian 12.

Download the Steam installer from the official website by visiting https://store.steampowered.com/about/ and clicking on the “Install Steam” button.

Once the download is complete, navigate to the Downloads folder by running the following command:

cd ~/Downloads

Make the installer executable by running the following command:

chmod +x steam_latest.deb

Install Steam by running the following command:

sudo apt install -y ./steam_latest.deb

Step 4. Accessing Steam on Debian Linux.

Once the installation is complete, you can launch Steam by running the following command in the terminal:

steam

Steam will start up, and you can log in or create a new account to access your game library and start playing.

Step 5. Troubleshooting

• A. Library Dependencies.

If you encounter library dependency issues, try installing them manually using the following command:

sudo apt install libgl1-mesa-dri:i386

• B. Graphics Drivers.

Ensure you have the latest graphics drivers installed. Outdated drivers can cause graphical glitches and performance issues in games.

• C. Network Issues.

If you face network-related problems while downloading games or updates, check your internet connection and any firewall settings that might be blocking Steam’s access.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Steam. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing the latest version of Steam on Debian 12 Bookworm. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official Steam website.