
Why Won’t CS2 Save My Sensitivity?
If you've found yourself asking, “Why won’t CS2 save my sensitivity?”—you’re most certainly on your own. Counter-Strike 2 players across all different forums - Reddit threads, and YouTube comments are all having issues with that same irritating bug: you’ve carefully tuned your mouse sensitivity - but it resets every time you relaunch the game… and sometimes even mid-session!
For a game that’s as precision-based as CS2, inconsistent sensitivity can completely throw off your whole game - and in the middle of a match, that’s not good. Whether you're rifling down mid or trying to hold a tight angle with an AWP, if your settings reset mid-action, it’s not only annoying— but it can end up losing you rounds. So why does it happen? And, even more importantly, how do you make it stop?
Well, here’s everything you need to know.
Why CS2 Doesn't Save Your Sensitivity
For such a popular game, CS2's sensitivity settings not saving is a surprisingly common problem, and it's usually to do with how and where you adjust your settings. Here are the most common causes of the problem:
Changing Your Settings During a Match or Workshop Map
One of the most overlooked issues is where you are adjusting your sensitivity. If you’re changing your settings in the middle of a match or in a workshop map, then there’s a chance that they might not be saved when you leave it - and this is because CS2 won't automatically write changes to your configuration files unless you explicitly instruct it to do so.
The Game Isn’t Executing host_writeconfig
CS2 might not be running the ‘host_writeconfig’ command automatically, and it’s this that tells the game to save the current configuration to your ‘config.cfg’ file. Without this command, any changes that you make will be temporary.
Special Characters in Your Steam Name
Ok… here’s something you may not have realised - it could actually be your Steam name that’s the culprit. Some players have found that if they have a special or escape character in their Steam name, it can interfere with their saving settings. It’s a rare issue, but it’s one that’s worth checking out if none of the other fixes work for you.
Steam Cloud Overwriting Local Files
Steam Cloud sync can sometimes overwrite your local settings if there's a mismatch. That means even if you have saved your sensitivity locally, the next time you launch CS2, Steam could potentially revert back to an older version of your config file.
How to Permanently Save Your CS2 Sensitivity
The good news is that there are a few methods that have worked for players. So, try these steps in order…
1. Always Make Changes from the Main Menu
Before you do anything else, launch CS2 and wait at the main menu before you change your sensitivity or crosshair settings. Do not make changes when you’re inside a match, bot game, or a workshop map.
This can fix the issue for most players.
2. Use the Console Command: host_writeconfig
After you’ve adjusted your sensitivity in the main menu, open up the developer console (using the tilde ~ key) and then type:
host_writeconfig
This command will save all your current settings to your ‘config.cfg’ file, and make them persist across your gaming sessions.
3. Create or Update Your autoexec.cfg
For ultimate control, you can create a custom configuration file that will automatically load your preferred settings every time you launch the CS2 game.
Here’s how you can do it:
- Open up: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\csgo\cfg
- Create a new file called ‘autoexec.cfg’ (if you don’t already have it).
- Open it in Notepad and add your preferred settings, like: ‘sensitivity 2.0’ (but obviously replace 2.0 with your preferred value).
- Save the file.
- In your Steam Library, right-click CS2 > Properties > Launch Options, and add:+exec autoexec.cfg
This will tell CS2 to execute the file every time it starts up - so your settings are always loaded up correctly.
Other Fixes That May Help
We wouldn’t necessarily recommend you start with these options, but if all else fails…
1: Disable Steam Cloud Sync (last resort)
If absolutely none of the above methods work, you can try disabling Steam Cloud sync - as follows:
- In your Steam Library, right-click on CS2 → Properties → General
- Scroll down and uncheck the "Keep game saves in the Steam Cloud for Counter-Strike 2" option
Some users have reported that this stopped their settings from being overwritten - but bear in mind that if you disable Cloud Sync, it could affect other saved data.
2: Check for Game and Driver Updates
If you have an outdated driver or game build, it can sometimes lead to unpredictable behaviour. So, make sure your graphics drivers are up to date, and verify your game files via Steam - as follows:
- Right-click on CS2 → Properties → Installed Files → Verify Integrity of Game Files
3: Reset to Default Settings
If all else fails, then you might want to think about resetting all your settings to default from the main menu. This can then clear out corrupted config files and give you a clean slate to start over. However… it’s a last resort as it will reset everything, not just your sensitivity.
Ultimately, with so many people experiencing this issues, it’s not just a minor bug—it’s something lots of people seem to be struggling with - and until Valve issues a fix, knowing how to work around it is a must.
Don’t Let a Settings Bug Ruin Your Game
So, the answer to “Why won’t CS2 save my sensitivity?” lies in how the game handles config files and what actions you're actually taking to keep your settings. The good news is that there are a few simple steps—especially using the ‘host_writeconfig’ and setting up an autoexec.cfg—that will help you make sure your sensitivity stays exactly how you want it.
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