According to Steam, DayZ on PC needs at least 64-bit Windows 10, an Intel Core i5-4430 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600, 8 GB of RAM, a GeForce GTX 760 or Radeon R9 270X and 25 GB of free storage. For the recommended setup, plan on 12 GB of RAM, a GTX 1060 or RX 580 and 30 GB. Below you will find the full table, what the expansions mean for storage, why DayZ is not officially supported on Steam Deck and how things stand with Mac, Linux and consoles. The information is valid as of 20 October 2026.
Minimum and recommended PC requirements
The table takes the requirements from the game’s Steam page. Bohemia Interactive both develops and publishes DayZ, so these are the studio’s official figures.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 10 / 11 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-4430 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600 | Intel Core i5-6600K or AMD R5 1600X |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 12 GB RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 or AMD R9 270X | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD RX 580 |
| DirectX | version 11 | version 11 |
| Storage | 25 GB | 30 GB |
| Network | internet connection | internet connection |
| Sound | DirectX compatible sound card | not listed |
A few things follow from the table. The game needs a 64-bit system, so it will not run on 32-bit Windows. Steam names Windows 11 only for the recommended setup, while the minimum assumes Windows 10. The gap between minimum and recommended is mainly memory, a jump from 8 to 12 GB, and graphics, where the recommendation targets a GTX 1060 or RX 580.
An internet connection is required
Steam lists an internet connection already in the minimum requirements, and it is not a formality. DayZ is an online game without an official offline or single-player mode, so you always play on a server.
How much storage DayZ needs and the expansions
Steam asks for 25 GB of free storage for the minimum and 30 GB for the recommended setup. The DayZ Frostline (Sakhal map) and DayZ Badlands (Nasdara map) expansions only list a 64-bit processor and operating system as a requirement on Steam. Steam does not show separate hardware or storage requirements for them.
Together with Badlands, update 1.30 arrived for the whole game on 15 October 2026, bringing motorbikes and reworked inventory icons. The requirements in the table are what Steam lists for the game on 20 October 2026, so after 1.30 was released. What both expansions contain is covered in our DayZ DLC guide.
DayZ on Steam Deck
Steam rates DayZ as “Unsupported” on Steam Deck. According to Valve’s test result, SteamOS does not support the game, and the same status applies to SteamOS in general. Neither Valve nor Bohemia gives a reason for the rating.
For the record: back in 2021, before the Steam Deck launched, Bohemia said in response to a question that Deck support was unlikely. The official status has not changed since. If you want to play DayZ on the go, there is no officially supported way to do it on Steam Deck.
Mac and Linux
There are no macOS or Linux versions. Steam lists only Windows for the game and the official PC version runs only there.
Consoles and Game Pass
On consoles you do not have to worry about hardware requirements. On PlayStation, DayZ is listed as a PS4 game that, according to the PlayStation Store, can also be played on PS5. On Xbox it runs on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, where it carries the Optimized for Xbox Series X|S label, and the Microsoft Store also lists cloud play and Xbox Play Anywhere. Since 8 April 2026 the PC version of DayZ has been part of Game Pass. Prices, editions and subscriptions are covered in our guide to DayZ editions and prices.
If the game will not start on PC and shows an anti-cheat error, our article on BattlEye errors will help.
Join our Discord and ask other players what hardware they run DayZ on: Discord GamersTogether.
FAQ
Steam lists 25 GB of free storage for the minimum and 30 GB for the recommended setup. The Frostline and Badlands expansions do not list their own storage requirement.
According to Steam, yes, 8 GB of RAM is the minimum. The recommendation is 12 GB.
Steam rates the game as “Unsupported”, and according to Valve’s test SteamOS does not support it. Neither Valve nor Bohemia gives a reason.
No. The official PC version is for 64-bit Windows 10 and 11 only.
Yes. An internet connection is part of the minimum requirements because the game has no official offline mode.
Information verified on 20 October 2026. More guides are waiting in our DayZ guides section.