Most players need very few launch options in Counter-Strike 2, and many need none: the in-game settings now handle frame caps, V-Sync, CPU cores and the console. The ones still worth knowing are -console (opens the console at launch), +exec autoexec.cfg (runs your config file), the display overrides -fullscreen, -sw, -w and -h for when the game opens at a broken resolution, -vulkan for troubleshooting, and -joy if you need raw joystick input.
The long lists of “FPS boost” options that still circulate (-high, -threads, -tickrate 128, +mat_queue_mode 2 and friends) come from CS:GO, and most of them do nothing in CS2. Below we explain how to add launch options, what each useful one does according to Valve, and which old ones to delete.
How to Set Launch Options in Steam
These are the steps from Valve’s Steam Support article on setting game launch options:
- Open your Steam Library.
- Right-click Counter-Strike 2 and choose Properties.
- On the General tab, find Launch Options.
- Type your options with a space between each one, for example:
-console +exec autoexec.cfg - Close the window and launch the game.
Options that start with a dash (-) are instructions to the game engine. Options that start with a plus (+) run a console command as the game starts; Valve’s article notes that many console commands work this way, but not all of them.
Launch Options That Still Work in CS2
| Option | What it does | Source |
|---|---|---|
-console |
Starts the game with the developer console switched on | The game’s own tooltip for Enable Developer Console says -console and -dev override that setting |
-dev |
Developer mode, which also turns the console on | Same tooltip; Valve’s general article adds that it disables the quit dialog and menu background maps in its Source games |
+exec autoexec.cfg |
Runs your autoexec config file at launch | Valve’s general article on + options |
-fullscreen |
Forces fullscreen mode | Valve’s general launch options article for its Source games; players report it still applies in CS2 |
-sw or -windowed |
Forces windowed mode | Same article; players report it still applies in CS2 |
-w 1920 -h 1080 |
Forces a resolution (use your own numbers) | Same article; players report it still applies in CS2 |
-vulkan |
Uses CS2’s Vulkan renderer on Windows instead of the default DirectX 11 | Valve’s release notes confirm the Vulkan renderer and that the game falls back to DirectX 11 if Vulkan fails to start; -vulkan is the switch players use to select it |
-joy |
Turns raw joystick input back on | Valve’s May 2024 notes made joystick input ignored by default, restorable with -joy, and call it not officially supported |
-worldwide or -perfectworld |
For players in China, skips the launch prompt and picks the worldwide or Perfect World version | Valve’s September 2023 notes |
-disable_workshop_command_filtering |
Lets community maps run console commands outside Valve’s allowed list | Valve’s January 2026 notes |
A few notes on these:
- The display options are rescue tools. Valve’s list was written for its Source engine games in general, and the Video tab in CS2’s Settings covers display mode and resolution. Use -sw or -w and -h when the game opens off-screen or at a resolution your monitor cannot show, then fix the setting in the menu and remove the option.
- -vulkan is for troubleshooting. Valve’s own notes say the NVIDIA G-Sync row in the video settings may be hidden on the Vulkan renderer, so do not switch unless DirectX 11 is giving you problems.
- -disable_workshop_command_filtering only matters for community maps that need commands Valve now blocks. Leave it off otherwise.
Launch Options to Avoid
Two options exist in the current game but are worth avoiding unless you know you need them:
- -allow_third_party_software launches the game outside Trusted Mode, so other programs can interact with it. The game’s own warning for this says your trust score may be negatively affected.
- -insecure disables Valve Anti-Cheat, according to Valve’s official developer wiki’s list of launch options, which locks you out of VAC-secured servers. Valve removed one of the last everyday reasons to use it in November 2023, when Linux players stopped needing it for workshop maps.
Outdated CS:GO Options That Do Nothing in CS2
We checked these against the command list built into the current version of CS2 (after the October 14, 2026 update) and Valve’s release notes. Delete them if they are still in your launch options:
| Old option | Why it is outdated |
|---|---|
-tickrate 128 |
Valve’s own support documentation says CS2 uses 64 ticks per second, and its release notes describe sub-tick systems for movement and shooting on top of that. Official servers set the tick rate, and Valve has never documented this option for CS2. |
+cl_updaterate 128, +cl_cmdrate 128 |
Neither command is in CS2’s command list. |
+cl_interp 0, +cl_interp_ratio 1 |
Valve locked cl_interp in February 2024. Interpolation is now set by Buffering to smooth over packet loss / jitter in Settings, then Game. |
+mat_queue_mode 2, +cl_forcepreload 1, +r_dynamic 0 |
None of these commands exist in CS2. |
-d3d9ex, -nod3d9ex |
These target a DirectX 9 renderer. CS2 runs on DirectX 11 (per its Steam store requirements) or Vulkan. |
-nojoy |
Redundant: Valve made the game ignore joysticks by default in May 2024. |
-limitvsconst, -softparticlesdefaultoff, -forcenovsync |
Source 1 rendering switches. Valve has never listed them for CS2, which handles V-Sync in its own Frame Pacing settings. |
-high |
Raises the game’s Windows process priority. Valve has never listed it for CS2, and players report no consistent benefit. |
-threads |
Valve has never listed it for CS2. If your CPU has performance and efficiency cores, the game’s own CPU Cores Usage Preference setting under Game is the supported way to steer it. |
-novid |
Valve’s general article says it skips the intro Valve video in its Source games. CS2 still has a short intro logo (Esc, Enter or Space skips it), but Valve has never said whether -novid applies to CS2, and player reports disagree. Harmless to keep, not worth adding. |
Two common ones sit in between. +fps_max 0 (no frame limit) works, but it is the same setting as the Maximum FPS In Game slider, which is saved anyway. +rate 786432 also works, but it is the same as Max Acceptable Game Traffic Bandwidth in the Game tab. Valve also removed support for command line options “intended for development purposes only” in October 2024, so some options recommended years ago were switched off on purpose.
How to Set Up an Autoexec
An autoexec is a text file of console commands that runs every time you start the game:
- In Steam, right-click Counter-Strike 2, then Manage, then Browse local files.
- Open game, then csgo, then cfg.
- Create a text file named
autoexec.cfg. Turn on file extensions in Windows Explorer first, or you may end up withautoexec.cfg.txt. - Put one command per line, using only commands that still exist (our list of the best CS2 console commands covers the useful ones).
- Add
+exec autoexec.cfgto your launch options. Players report that CS2 does not reliably run the file on its own, which is why the launch option is the usual fix.
Crosshair settings do not need to go in your autoexec: since Valve’s September 2026 overhaul the old crosshair commands have changed, and a crosshair code is the easier way to save and restore one. See how to use crosshair codes.
Launch Options Not Working: What to Check
- Each option needs a space before it.
-console+exec autoexec.cfgwill not work. - Check the prefix. Engine options take a dash, console commands take a plus.
- The command may no longer exist. A + option for a deleted command does nothing; check it against the tables above.
- Your autoexec may be in the wrong folder or saved with a hidden .txt extension.
- The console setting may be the real issue. If you only wanted the console, you can also enable it in Settings and skip launch options entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best launch options for CS2? For most players, only -console and +exec autoexec.cfg, and possibly none. Use -sw or -w and -h only to recover from a broken display setting, -vulkan only for troubleshooting, and -joy only if you need raw joystick input.
Does -tickrate 128 work in CS2? No. Valve’s support documentation says CS2 runs at 64 ticks per second, and a launch option on your PC cannot change the tick rate of the servers you play on.
Do CS2 launch options boost FPS? Not in any way Valve documents. The options that once helped CS:GO either no longer exist or are now settings in the Video and Game tabs.
Does -novid still work in CS2? Valve has not said. CS2 has a short intro logo you can skip with Esc, Enter or Space, and player reports disagree on whether -novid removes it.
Can launch options get me banned? Ordinary options are a normal Steam feature. Avoid -allow_third_party_software and -insecure for matchmaking: the first can affect your trust score according to the game’s own warning, and the second disables Valve Anti-Cheat.
Where do I put the autoexec file? In the game’s game, csgo, cfg folder, which you can reach from Steam with Manage, then Browse local files.