How to Reset All Settings in CS2: Config, Binds and Video
Reset buttons in every settings tab, binddefaults for keys, deleting the user config files, Steam Cloud, file verification and fixes when nothing else helps
Counter-Strike 2 settings get messy faster than you'd think. A few console experiments, a config copied from a pro, broken binds or an old sync from Steam Cloud, and the game feels completely wrong. A reset fixes it, but the right method depends on what exactly broke.
Here I go from the softest reset to the hardest: the reset buttons in the menu, console commands for binds, deleting the user config files, Steam Cloud, file verification and system fixes. Start at the top and stop when the problem is gone.
Reset CS2 Binds With Console Commands
If the problem is broken or forgotten binds, the console does it in one line. Turn on the console in Settings → Game → Enable Developer Console → Yes, press ~ and enter:
unbindall binddefaults host_writeconfig
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
unbindall |
Removes every bind, including your old scripts |
binddefaults |
Binds all keys to their default values |
host_writeconfig |
Saves the user config right away |
key_listboundkeys |
Lists all bound keys, useful to check the result |
The default binds come from the game's own file game\csgo\cfg\user_keys_default.vcfg, so you get exactly the stock layout.
Unlike CS 1.6 or CS:GO, CS2 has no single command that resets all settings. There's reset_gameconvars, but it needs sv_cheats 1 and only resets game values, not your saved settings. For everything else use the menu buttons or the files method below.
If you often switch between setups, keep your own config instead of resetting. How to create and run one: CS2 config guide, or build it in the CS2 Config Generator.
Delete CS2 Config Files for a Full Reset
For a real full reset of binds, crosshair, video and everything else, delete the user config files. CS2 keeps them in the Steam userdata folder, not in the game folder.
- Close CS2.
-
Open the folder:
...\Steam\userdata\YourSteamID3\730\local\cfg\
YourSteamID3is a number. If there are several, it's the one of the account you play on (usually the folder with the newest730inside). -
Delete or, better, rename these files (for example add
old_in front):cs2_user_convars_0_slot0.vcfg: game settings, crosshair, sensitivity;cs2_user_keys_0_slot0.vcfg: key binds;cs2_machine_convars.vcfg: settings tied to this PC;cs2_video.txt: video settings.
- Launch CS2. The game creates new files with default values.
Renaming is better than deleting: if something goes wrong, rename the files back and everything returns.
If that still doesn't reset everything, rename the whole account folder, for example:
...\Steam\userdata\9640002301\ ...\Steam\userdata\1_9640002301\
That's a full wipe of local user data for every Steam game on this account, not only CS2. Steam creates a fresh 9640002301 folder on the next launch. More about where every file lives: CS2 config location guide.
Stop Steam Cloud From Restoring Old CS2 Settings
Sometimes you delete the files, launch CS2, and your old settings come back. Steam Cloud can sync the old version back. To make the reset stick:
- Close CS2.
- Turn off cloud sync for CS2: right-click Counter-Strike 2 in the library → Properties → General → turn off Keep games saves in the Steam Cloud . Or for all games: Steam → Settings → Cloud → Enable Steam Cloud off.
- Delete or rename the config files from the previous section.
- Launch CS2 once so it creates fresh files, then close it.
- Turn Steam Cloud back on. If Steam shows a file conflict, choose the local files to keep the reset.
Verify Counter-Strike 2 Game Files
For bigger problems like the game not starting, crashes to desktop, broken textures or strange FPS drops, verify the game files. Steam compares them with the current version and downloads anything missing or damaged.
Important:
back up your own files in the game folder first: configs in
game\csgo\cfg\
, custom maps and so on. Verification can remove files that are not part of the official installation.
- Open Steam → Library.
- Right-click Counter-Strike 2 → Properties.
- Open Installed Files.
- Click Verify integrity of game files.
Verification doesn't touch your settings in userdata, so it's not a settings reset. It fixes the game, not your config.
If Nothing Helps: Steam and Windows Fixes
If the problem stays after all resets, the cause is probably outside CS2. Restart the PC first, Steam depends on Windows services. Then:
-
Reinstall Steam
if the problem is with Steam itself: broken sync, client errors. Your games in
steamappscan stay, move that folder aside before you uninstall. - Update Windows and the GPU driver from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel directly.
- Repair Windows system files with DISM and SFC.
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth sfc /scannow
Run DISM first: SFC repairs files from the Windows component store, and DISM fixes that store. Then SFC can finish the job.
Conclusion
For small problems the reset buttons in the menu are enough. Broken binds: unbindall, binddefaults, host_writeconfig. For a full reset rename the user config files and make sure Steam Cloud doesn't bring the old ones back. If the game itself is broken, verify the files, and only after that look at Steam and Windows. Once CS2 is clean again, set it up step by step and keep your settings in your own config, so the next time you don't have to start from zero.
CS2 Reset FAQ
How do I reset all settings in CS2?
Use the reset button in every settings tab. For a full reset close the game and rename the files in Steam\userdata\YourSteamID3\730\local\cfg\, CS2 creates new ones on the next launch.
How do I reset my binds in CS2?
In the console: unbindall, then binddefaults, then host_writeconfig. Or Settings → Keyboard / Mouse → Reset Keyboard / Mouse.
Is there a command to reset everything in CS2?
No. binddefaults resets keys, reset_gameconvars needs cheats and doesn't touch saved settings. For everything use the menu or the config files.
Where are CS2 config files stored?
User settings are in ...\Steam\userdata\YourSteamID3\730\local\cfg\. Your own cfg files and the default files are in ...\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\csgo\cfg\.
Will resetting CS2 delete my crosshair?
The crosshair reset and deleting the config files do. Copy your crosshair code before, then import it again after the reset.
Why do my CS2 settings come back after I delete them?
Steam Cloud may sync the old files back. Turn off cloud sync for CS2, reset, launch the game once, then turn it on and choose the local files.
Does verifying game files reset my settings?
No. It repairs the game installation, your settings in userdata stay. But it can remove your own files from the game folder, so back them up.
Do I need to reinstall CS2 to reset settings?
No. A reinstall doesn't even touch userdata. Use the menu, the console or the config files.
