CS:GO Launch Options Guide

A launch option in CS:GO are options you insert into the game that will run every time you launch the game. After inputting all necessary launch options, the options will automatically run, reducing manual input.  

Players make use of these launch options to optimize their games, increasing performance, enabling autoexec files, and tweaking visual effects. 

Later on in this guide, we’ll teach you how launch options can be used for:

• Increasing performance and FPS.
• Disabling trailer videos and joystick support.
• Tweaking visual effects.

Where Are CS:GO Launch Options Found?

Unlike console commands, launch options are not inputted through the in-game client. Instead, users can set their launch options through the Steam client. 

To find your launch option settings, follow the steps below:

1. Open your Steam client.
2. Head over to your Steam Library, where the list of all your games are found.
3. Look for Counter-Strike: 2.
4. Right-click CS2 and go to the Properties section.
5. Under the General tab, look for the Launch Options section.

Under Launch Options, there is space for you to type out launch options. You can separate the options using a space. 

Here are several tips when messing with launch options:

1. All launch options begin with “+” or “-”
2. Separate each launch option using the space bar.
3. Do not use quotation marks, full stops, or commas.

After inputting your desired CS:GO launch options, Steam will automatically save what you have typed, so there’s no Save button needed. Every time you launch your game, all the launch options will automatically take effect. 

List Of Good CS:GO Launch Options

-console: This launch option enables the developer console in the game. With this launch option, players can press the “~” key to open the console and input console commands. 

-fullscreen: The fullscreen launch option will force Counter-Strike to run in fullscreen mode at all times. Playing on full screen results in better performance compared to fullscreen windowed and ensures your mouse does not slip to your second monitor in case you are running a dual-monitor setup.

-tickrate 128: This launch option will make all your private matches run in 128 tick over the default 64 tick. Playing on 128 tick gives players a much smoother gaming experience, and is used in third-party servers such as FACEIT and ESEA. 

-high: When this launch option is enabled, your Counter-Strike client will run as a high priority process, meaning your computer will pool all its resources into making the game run well. This option will boost performance and is highly recommended for low-end PCs. 

-novid: Every time you launch CS2, the game trailer will play, which slows down the launching of your game. By entering this command, the trailer video will no longer play on your screen, which will save some time when opening the game.

-nojoy: By default, CS2 enables joystick support in case any players are looking to play with a joystick. If you have no plans on using a controller, as most players do, inputting the nojoy launch option will disable joystick support, which improves your game’s performance and boosts FPS.

-freq 144: This launch option is used to customize the frequency and refresh rate of your CS2 game. Change the value depending on your monitor’s refresh rate! The possible values include, 60, 75, 120, 144, 165, 240, 265, 285, 360. If your monitor has a refresh rate of 240, then you would put the launch option “-freq 240”.

-d3d9ex: This command will enable Direct3D 9Ex technology, which will unload the computer’s processor at 40%. Enabling this in fullscreen mode will help the game run at higher performance and make ALT +TAB-ing faster and smoother. However, enabling Direct3D 9Ex does not improve everyone’s setup, so turn it off if you do not feel an impact.

-softparticlesdefaultoff: This launch command will remove feathering and blending effects from explosions and other visual effects. These visuals are purely for aesthetics and are not required. Highly recommended for improving performance. 

+fps_max 0: The fps_max launch option is used to set a limit to how many frames per second you will get while playing the game. Setting the value to 0 will eliminate any FPS limits, allowing you to get unlimited FPS. If you want to set a cap, for example, 300, then you would put: “+fps_max 300”. 

+cl_forcepreload 1: This launch option will force CS2 to load all game and map details before loading into the game. It will cause longer loading times, but less lag once you are in the game since everything is loaded already. 

+r_drawparticles 0: This launch option is used to disable small particle effects. In game, CS2 produces a lot of little details to make the game look more realistic. These details are not relevant to the game, and are only for visual purposes. Turning particles off is highly recommended for low-performing setups.

+r_dynamic 0: This launch command is used to disable dynamic lighting, which is another visual detail that does not affect actual gameplay. Dynamic lighting is purely for aesthetics, and should be turned off if you need additional frames per second. 

+exec [file name]: The exec launch option is used by advanced CS2 users. It is used to enable an autoexec file, which is essentially a set of console commands. The text next to the exec command should be the file name of the autoexec config. If it is named jumpthrow, then the input should be “+exec jumpthrow”. 

+violence_hblood 0: This option is used to determine if violence in the game, such as blood, is visible or not. Turning off violence can be good for younger audiences, but most players disable it because the blood decals can throw people off in different situations. 

Best CS:GO Launch Options To Use

Here is a compilation of the most useful CS:GO launch options that every player should use. You can copy and paste the following text into your launch options: