Counter-Strike 2 Launch Options Guide
If you’re looking to enhance your Counter-Strike 2 experience, you might be wondering whether Launch Options can make a difference. In this guide, we’ll explore what launch options are, whether they still matter in CS2, and how (or if) they can help optimize your gameplay.
What are Launch Options?
Steam Launch Options (also known as command-line options) are special parameters that players can enter before launching the game. These settings take priority over in-game configurations, allowing for some degree of customization.
Using launch options, you can optimize performance, adjust display settings, disable unnecessary hardware, and more. However, it’s important to note that launch options are not the same as console commands or configuration files—they function as a separate tool for modifying game behavior at startup.
How and where to set the Launch Options?
Launch options for CS2 can be configured directly in Steam. Here’s how:
- Open Steam and go to the “Library” tab.
- Find Counter-Strike 2 in your game list and right-click it.
- Select “Properties” from the dropdown menu.
- In the “General” tab, locate the “Selected Launch Options” section.
- Enter your desired launch options (separate each option with a space).
- To remove launch options, simply delete them from the field.
Tip!
Steam stores launch options in the following file:
..\Steam\userdata\SteamID\config\localconfig.vdf
However, editing this file directly will not change your launch options. All modifications must be made through Steam’s Launch Options field.
Syntax Rules for CS2 Launch Options
- Use the correct prefixes:
– (dash) for Launch Options
+ (plus) for Console Commands
- Separate commands with spaces
- Avoid special characters like quotes (” “), commas (,), or semicolons (;)
Example of correct syntax:
-allow_third_party_software -insecure +map cs_mansion +exec /mycfg/bots.cfg
Explained CS2 Launch Options List
Below is a categorized breakdown of which launch options work in CS2, which are outdated, and what they actually do.
General Options
These options affect how CS2 starts but don’t impact in-game performance significantly.
| Option | Description | CS2? |
|---|---|---|
|
-novid |
Skips the intro video (not needed in CS2, as there is no intro video). |
Useless |
|
-console |
Opens the in-game developer console at startup. |
Works |
|
-lv |
Low-violence mode (used in CS:GO but not in CS2). |
Useless |
|
-nosound |
Disables all sound (useful for debugging only). |
Works |
|
-safe |
Launches the game in “safe mode” with minimal settings. |
Useless |
|
-insecure |
Disables Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC) (used for playing on non-secure servers). |
Works |
|
allow_third_party_software |
Enables third-party software (OBS, Discord, etc.). |
Works |
|
-language |
Forces a specific game language (e.g., -language English). |
Works |
|
+console command |
Allows execution of specific console commands at launch (e.g., load your own configuration +exec config.cfg or load a specific map directly without going through the main menu +map mapname). |
Works (not a launch option) |
Display & Graphics Options
These options affect how CS2 is rendered on your screen.
| Option | Description | CS2? |
|---|---|---|
|
-w XXX -h XXX |
Sets the screen resolution (e.g., -w 1920 -h 1080). |
Works |
|
-fullscreen or -full |
Forces full-screen mode. |
Works |
|
-window, -sw, -startwindowed, or -windowed |
Forces windowed mode. |
Works |
|
-refresh X |
Forces a specific refresh rate (e.g., -refresh 144). |
Works |
|
-noborder |
Removes window borders (useful for borderless windowed mode). |
Useless |
|
-stretchaspect |
Stretches the aspect ratio (for widescreen scaling). |
Useless |
Mouse Input Options
These options controlled mouse acceleration in CS 1.6, CS:Source, and CS:GO but don’t work in CS2.
| Option | Description | CS2? |
|---|---|---|
|
-noforcemparms |
Prevents game from overriding Windows mouse settings. |
Useless |
|
-noforcemaccel |
Disables forced mouse acceleration. |
Useless |
|
-noforcemspd |
Disables forced mouse speed settings. |
Useless |
|
-nomouse |
Disables mouse input (used for debugging). |
Useless |
Use in-game settings and Windows settings instead of these launch options.
CPU & RAM Optimization Options
These options affect how CS2 uses CPU and memory.
| Option | Description | CS2? |
|---|---|---|
|
-threads |
Forces the game to use a specific number of CPU threads. CS2 automatically manages this. The sys_info command will show you how many CPU are uses. |
Works |
|
-nosse4 |
Disables SSE4 CPU instructions. Not needed unless debugging. |
Useless |
|
-high |
Sets CS2 to high CPU priority. A better solution is to configure this through the Windows registry. |
Works |
|
-low |
Sets CS2 to low CPU priority. |
Useless |
|
-heapsize X |
Allocates a specific amount of RAM |
Useless |
|
-dev |
Developer mode (used for debugging). |
Works |
|
-condebug |
Saves console output to a log file (console.log). |
Works |
|
-nocrashdialog |
Prevents crash error pop-ups. |
Works |
|
-zone |
Used in old Source games to allocate memory. |
Useless |
GPU & Graphics API Options
Most of these were used in older Source Engine games and no longer work in CS2.
| Option | Description | CS2? |
|---|---|---|
|
-dxlevel 81 / -dxlevel / -d3d9ex |
Forces a specific DirectX version (CS2 only supports DX11/Vulkan). |
Useless |
|
-soft |
Forces software rendering. |
Useless |
|
-d3d |
Forces Direct3D (CS2 automatically selects the best API). |
Useless |
|
-gl |
Forces OpenGL (CS2 does not support OpenGL). |
Useless |
|
-nosync |
Disables VSync (use in-game/NVIDIA settings instead). |
Useless |
|
-noaafonts |
Disables anti-aliasing for fonts. |
Useless |
|
-r_emulate_gl |
Emulates OpenGL (not supported in CS2). |
Useless |
|
-softparticlesdefaultoff |
Disables soft particles. |
Useless |
|
-limitvsconst |
Limits vertex shader constants (used for DirectX 8). |
Useless |
|
-forcenovsync |
Forces V-Sync off (better to use NVIDIA/AMD settings). |
Useless |
Miscellaneous Options
These options are mostly obsolete or unnecessary in CS2.
| Option | Description | CS2? |
|---|---|---|
|
-nojoy |
Disables joystick support (CS2 already disables it by default). |
Useless |
|
-noipx |
Disables IPX network protocol. |
Useless |
|
-nopreload /-preload |
Prevents / Forces preloading of game assets. |
Useless |
|
-no-browser |
Disables in-game browser. |
Useless |
|
-autoconfig |
Resets game settings to default. |
Works |
Why Launch Options Are Unnecessary in CS2?
Valve has made it clear that launch options are not necessary for Counter-Strike 2. John McDonald, a developer on the CS:GO/CS2 team, has stated that “the best launch options are no launch options“. In a public Q&A, he explained that the game is tested and optimized using the default startup settings, meaning that any custom parameters are unlikely to improve performance. If a particular tweak really improved performance or stability for all players, Valve would have already included it in the game’s default settings.
Also, many of the startup options that players used to use in CS:GO are now obsolete in CS2. The Source 2 engine automatically manages settings that users previously had to adjust manually. As a result, forcing certain launch parameters can be redundant at best and harmful at worst. Some widely recommended startup options either have no effect on CS2 or can actually degrade performance.
In short, most of the so-called “magic” startup options found in old forum posts are outdated and unnecessary.
Relevant Discussions That May Be Interesting
https://www.reddit.com/r/GlobalOffensive/comments/16uaqmd/cs2_launch_options/
https://www.reddit.com/r/GlobalOffensive/comments/ritpri/please_stop_telling_people_to_add_meaningless/
Useful Launch Options in CS2
While most launch options in Counter-Strike 2 are unnecessary, some specialized commands can still be useful. Below are a few launch options and their functions:
- -allow_third_party_software – Enables third-party overlays like OBS, Discord, Fraps, and MSI Afterburner to interact with the game. Useful for players using external recording, monitoring, or testing software.
- -language <language> – Forces the game to run in a specific language. Helpful for multilingual users; has no impact on performance.
- -insecure – Disables Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC), allowing play on non-secure servers. Note: This prevents access to VAC-protected matchmaking.
- -console – Automatically opens the in-game developer console upon startup.
- -condebug – Logs all console output into a console.log text file for debugging purposes.
- -dev – Enables developer mode, providing full console logs. May impact performance.
- -high – Runs the cs2.exe process with high priority. This may cause stability issues and is generally not recommended. If necessary, a better approach is to set process priority via Windows Task Manager or adjust it through the OS registry for a more stable configuration [here].
- +<some_console_command> – Allows execution of specific console commands at launch (e.g., load own configuration +exec config.cfg or +map <mapname> – Loads a specific map directly without going through the main menu).
These launch options can help with troubleshooting, customization, or development but are not required for normal gameplay. Unless you have a specific need, it’s best to avoid unnecessary launch tweaks.
Summary
Counter-Strike 2’s Launch Options are not intended to alter engine behavior or boost FPS. While they allow for minor tweaks, CS2 is designed to “just work” optimally without requiring special settings. The game’s engine automatically manages most performance-related configurations, making manual adjustments unnecessary in most cases. Many widely shared launch options from older versions of Counter-Strike either do nothing or can even degrade performance.
Unless you have a specific need—such as enabling third-party software, disabling the VAC system, or changing language settings—the best approach is to run CS2 with the default Steam settings. This ensures maximum stability, compatibility, and performance without introducing potential issues caused by outdated or redundant commands.
Simply put, the safest and most effective way to play CS2 is as intended—without additional launch tweaks.
F.A.Q.
Launch options are command-line parameters that players can set in Steam to modify how Counter-Strike 2 starts. These options allow certain customizations before launching the game but do not dynamically affect gameplay after startup.
No, CS2 is optimized to run with default settings. Most performance-related launch options from older versions (CS:GO, CS 1.6) are either obsolete or have no effect in CS2.
For most players, the best launch option is no launch option at all. Valve has explicitly stated that CS2 is designed to work best with its default settings.
No, CS2 automatically manages mouse input and system settings. Instead of launch options, adjust in-game settings or Windows mouse settings.
