CS2 launch options
Tick what you want and copy one line into Steam. Each option says what it does and where we know it from, and the ones that do nothing in CS2 are listed below so you can leave them out.
Start from
Startup
Values
Renderer (pick one)
Display mode (pick one)
Only if you need them
Paste this into Steam
3 on-novid -console +exec autoexec
Steam: Library, right-click Counter-Strike 2, Properties, General, Launch Options. Paste, close the window, start the game.
What launch options do in CS2
Launch options are text you give Steam before the game starts. Steam hands it to CS2 as command-line arguments, so every entry is read once, at launch, before the main menu loads. An entry that starts with a minus sign, such as -novid, switches a start-up behaviour on. An entry that starts with a plus sign, such as +fps_max 0, runs a console command as the game starts.
The difference matters when you copy a list from a video or a forum. A minus flag has to be recognised by the engine itself, and nothing tells you if it is ignored. A plus entry works with any command in CS2's own command list, so we can check each one against the game's data, dated 28 October 2026. You can look up the commands themselves in our CS2 console commands list.
The builder above has 15 options. 6 are in the game's files or command tables, and 9 are community reported: widely used and described by players, but not in those tables, so the effect is unconfirmed. Each chip carries a badge that says which. Most of the community-reported ones are display and start-up switches that do the same job as a setting inside the game.
Every option explained
| Option | What it does | Source |
|---|---|---|
| -novid | Skips the Valve intro when the game starts. Cosmetic: it saves a second or two on launch and changes nothing in-game. | Community reported |
| -console | Opens the developer console as the game starts. You can also switch the console key on in Settings, Game, Enable Developer Console. | Community reported |
| +exec autoexec | Runs a .cfg file from your game/csgo/cfg folder at startup. exec is a real console command, and the + makes the game run it as it starts. Use it to be sure your autoexec.cfg is loaded. | In game files |
| +fps_max 0 | Sets the frame rate limiter. 0 means no limit. The game's own cvar dump lists a default of 120, so you only need this if you want a different cap and do not want to set it in the video settings. | In game files |
| -high | Asks Windows to give CS2 a higher CPU priority than other programs. Reports are mixed: it can help when background programs compete for CPU, and some testers see no change or slightly worse audio and frame pacing. Test it on your own PC. | Community reported |
| -vulkan | Starts CS2 on Vulkan instead of DirectX 11. The flag is present in the game's executable. Results depend on your GPU and driver: average FPS can go up while 1% lows go down, so compare both. | In game files |
| -dx11 | Forces DirectX 11 on Windows. This is the renderer most Windows installs already use, so it is only useful to undo -vulkan. | In game files |
| -windowed | Starts in a window. The same choice is in Settings, Video, Display Mode. A launch option helps when the game opens on the wrong monitor or stuck in the wrong mode. | Community reported |
| -fullscreen | Starts in fullscreen. Same as the in-game Display Mode setting; use it only to recover from a stuck display mode. | Community reported |
| -noborder | Starts in a borderless window. Same as the in-game setting; use it to recover from a stuck display mode. | Community reported |
| -w 1920 | Sets the launch resolution width in pixels. Pair it with -h. The in-game Resolution setting does the same and is saved for you. | Community reported |
| -h 1080 | Sets the launch resolution height in pixels. Pair it with -w. | Community reported |
| -language english | Starts the game in a given language (for example english). The normal way is the language setting for CS2 in Steam. | Community reported |
| -allow_third_party_software | Turns off the default block on third-party software loading into CS2 (Valve calls the default Trusted Mode). Only use it if a specific overlay or capture tool needs it. Programs that change the game are still against Valve's rules. | In game files |
| -insecure | Starts the game with VAC off. You cannot join VAC-secured servers while it is on. It exists for offline testing and development, not for normal play. | In game files |
In game files: the option, or the command it runs, is in CS2's own command and variable tables or its program strings (checked against files dated 28 October 2026). Community reported: widely used and described by players, but we could not find it in those tables, so treat the effect as unconfirmed.
Launch options that do nothing in CS2
Most long "best launch options" lists are copied from CS:GO. These are the ones you will see most often. We left them out of the builder.
| Option | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| -tickrate 128 | Does not change matchmaking | The server decides the tick rate, and CS2 uses sub-tick updates instead of a client-chosen rate. The option is read by a dedicated server you run yourself, so putting it in your own Steam launch options does not make official servers faster. |
| -threads N | No documented effect | Valve does not list it for CS2 and the engine picks its own worker threads. Sources disagree: some say it is ignored, one forum tester saw stutter from a manual value. Skip it unless your own frame-time test shows a gain. |
| -d3d9ex | Does nothing | A CS:GO option for the old DirectX 9 renderer. CS2 runs on DirectX 11 or Vulkan. |
| -dxlevel 81 / 90 / 95 | Does nothing | Another DirectX 9 era CS:GO option. CS2 has no DirectX 8 or 9 path to select. |
| -heapsize, -zone | Ignored | CS:GO memory-pool switches. CS2 manages its own memory. |
| -softparticlesdefaultoff, -limitvsconst | Old renderer options | Both targeted the CS:GO renderer. There is no reason to expect them to do anything in CS2. |
A starter line, piece by piece
The builder opens with three options ticked. They give you this line:
-novid -console +exec autoexec
- -novid skips the intro video. It saves a second or two on launch and changes nothing in a match.
- -console opens the developer console as the game starts. You get the same result by switching on Enable Developer Console in the game settings and pressing the console key.
- +exec autoexec runs autoexec.cfg from your cfg folder every time you launch. It is the entry that matters most, because it re-applies your settings on any PC. Our CS2 autoexec generator writes that file for you.
Add +fps_max 0 for no frame cap. The game's variable list shows a default of 120for fps_max, so without it the game uses its own cap. Players disagree on whether to uncap or to cap just under their monitor's refresh rate, and the right answer depends on your PC. Turn on the FPS counter with cl_showfps, try both and keep the one that feels steadier.
Which options are worth using
The list splits into three kinds, and only the first is safe to add without testing.
Quality of life
-novid, -console and +exec. They change how the game starts and nothing about how it plays. Most players keep all three.
Fixes for a stuck display
-windowed, -fullscreen, -noborder, -w and -h. The same choices are in Settings, Video, and the game remembers them. Use the flags when the game opens on the wrong monitor, at the wrong size or in a mode you cannot get out of.
Things to test on your own PC
-high, -vulkan and an uncapped +fps_max. Reports are mixed. On the same machine Vulkan can lift average FPS while lowering the 1% lows, which are the slowest frames and the ones you feel as stutter. So one FPS figure is not enough: run the same practice map twice, once with the option and once without, and compare both the average and the 1% lows. If you cannot see a clear gain, leave the option off.
Launch options, autoexec or in-game settings?
Use the in-game settings for anything the menus offer, such as resolution and display mode. Use an autoexec.cfg for console variables you want back on every launch: sensitivity, HUD, audio and the viewmodel. Our CS2 viewmodel generator builds those four viewmodel lines, and the autoexec generator can include them. Keep launch options for what has to be decided before the window opens: the renderer, start-up flags and which config file to run.
Once the game launches, the settings that change your aim are next. Work out your eDPI and see how it compares, convert a sensitivity from another shooter with the sensitivity converter, and build a crosshair you can read on every map with the CS2 crosshair generator. If you want buy keys and grenade keys on easy-to-reach buttons, the CS2 bind generator has them.
How to set launch options in Steam
- Open Steam and go to your Library.
- Right-click Counter-Strike 2 and choose Properties.
- On the General tab, click the Launch Options box and paste your line.
- Close the window. Start the game; the options apply on that launch.
To set the frame cap in-game instead, use Settings, Video. The game's own variable list shows fps_max with a default of 120 and 0 meaning no limit.
FAQ
How do I set CS2 launch options?
Open Steam, find Counter-Strike 2 in your Library, right-click it and choose Properties. On the General tab, paste your string into the Launch Options box and close the window. The options apply the next time you start the game.
What are the best CS2 launch options?
Few launch options change performance. A sensible starting set is -novid -console +exec autoexec: it skips the intro, opens the console and makes sure your autoexec.cfg runs. Everything else is either cosmetic, a way to fix a stuck display mode, or something to test on your own PC.
Does -tickrate 128 work in CS2?
Not for matchmaking. The server sets the tick rate and CS2 uses sub-tick updates, so your own Steam launch options do not change how an official server runs. The option is read by a dedicated server you host yourself.
Does -threads do anything in CS2?
It has no documented effect. The engine chooses its own worker threads and published tests disagree on whether a manual value changes anything, with some seeing stutter. If you try it, compare your 1% lows before and after.
Do launch options increase FPS?
Rarely. The gains reported for -high, -vulkan and a raised +fps_max are small and depend on your PC. Video settings, drivers and background programs matter more. Measure with the FPS counter and keep only what helps.
Is +exec autoexec a launch option?
Strictly it is a console command that the game runs at startup, which is what the + means. It is in the list because it is the standard way to be sure your autoexec.cfg is loaded. The exec command itself is confirmed in the game's command list.
Can launch options get me banned?
The ones here do not touch the game's files or memory. Programs that modify the game are against Valve's rules whatever flags you use, and -insecure keeps you off VAC-secured servers while it is on.
