How to Remove Screen Shake in CS2: Every Command That Works

What each "shake" actually is, the commands that fix it, and the one effect no command can touch

Beginner FriendlyNo prior CS2 knowledge required
TL;DR

Type cl_usenewbob 0 in the console to revert the heavy weapon-bob animation — the biggest single fix. Add viewmodel_recoil 0 to stop the gun model kicking, and zero the cl_bob commands to minimise movement sway. The camera punch when you get shot cannot be disabled in matchmaking.

The quick version: open the console and enter cl_usenewbob 0, viewmodel_recoil 0, and the three cl_bob commands below. That removes or minimises every piece of screen shake you are allowed to remove. The one that remains — the camera punch when an enemy shoots you — is server-side by design, and any guide promising a command for it in matchmaking is wrong.

"Screen shake" in CS2 is actually four different effects, and each has a different fix (or, in one case, none). Most guides mash them together, which is why half the commands people paste in seem to do nothing. Split them apart and the problem gets simple.

The four kinds of "screen shake" in CS2

EffectWhen you notice itFixable?
Weapon bobRunning and walking — the gun (and your view) swaysYes — cl_usenewbob 0 + cl_bob commands
Visual recoil kickSpraying — the weapon model jumps aroundYes — viewmodel_recoil 0
Aim punch (getting shot)Taking damage — your camera jerksNot in matchmaking; armor reduces it
Landing thudFalling or jumping down — brief view dipPartially — softened by the bob settings

Fix 1: Revert the new weapon bob (the big one)

When Valve shipped its reworked weapon-bob animation, the extra sway while moving is what most players started calling screen shake — it is the reason this search exploded after CS2 replaced CS:GO. Valve then added a command to opt back out:

cl_usenewbob 0

That single line restores the older, much flatter bob. It is client-side, legal everywhere including Premier, and does not touch accuracy — it only changes the animation you see. If you try one command from this page, make it this one. Full values and defaults are on our cl_usenewbob command page.

Fix 2: Minimise movement sway with the cl_bob commands

Even the old bob animation moves the gun as you run. The cl_bob family controls how much. These are the values virtually every pro uses — as low as the game allows:

cl_bobamt_lat 0.4
cl_bobamt_vert 0.25
cl_bob_lower_amt 5
cl_bobcycle 0.98

cl_bobamt_lat and cl_bobamt_vert set the side-to-side and up-and-down sway (0.4 and 0.25 are their minimums), cl_bob_lower_amt controls how far the weapon drops while sprinting (5 is the floor, 21 the default), and cl_bobcycle sets the sway rhythm. Individual pages: cl_bobamt_lat, cl_bobamt_vert, cl_bob_lower_amt, cl_bobcycle.

A note on honesty here, because other guides skip it: Valve has added, removed, and re-added bob variables across CS2 updates. If one of these returns Unknown command after a patch, the rest still apply — and cl_usenewbob has remained the reliable lever.

Fix 3: Stop the weapon model kicking when you spray

The gun model leaping around during a spray is pure animation — your bullets follow the same spray pattern regardless. Turn the animation off:

viewmodel_recoil 0

With it at 0, the weapon model stays planted while you spray, which makes it far easier to keep your eyes on the crosshair instead of the flailing gun. Your actual recoil, spread, and camera behaviour are completely unchanged — this is visual only, and legal in matchmaking.

Pushing the viewmodel further from centre screen compounds the effect. A wider FOV and offset make whatever movement remains less intrusive:

viewmodel_fov 68
viewmodel_offset_x 2.5
viewmodel_offset_y 2
viewmodel_offset_z -2

Those are the classic "pushed away" settings, but viewmodels are personal — build your own visually with the viewmodel generator, or copy a specific player's from the pro settings database.

Fix 4: Aim punch — the one you cannot remove (and what helps)

When an enemy shoots you, your camera jerks. That is aim punch, it is applied by the server, and there is no legal command that disables it in official or third-party matchmaking. It exists on purpose: winning the first shot of a duel is supposed to matter.

Two things genuinely reduce it:

  1. Wear armor. A kevlar vest slashes aim punch. If you have ever been one-tapped through a wild flinch on an eco round, that was the no-armor penalty at work — it is one of the strongest arguments against a full-save.
  2. Don't peek into damage. Unhelpful-sounding but real: jiggle peeks and shoulder peeks that bait the first shot exist precisely because the player who takes the first hit fights the punch for the rest of the duel.

In your own server or a workshop map you can switch punch off entirely to study sprays cleanly:

sv_cheats 1
view_punch_decay 999

sv_cheatsonly works where you are the host — it is blocked in matchmaking, which is exactly why no "remove all shake" command exists for ranked. Building a practice server? Our practice config generator sets this up alongside grenade trajectories and infinite ammo.

Settings that make shake feel worse

Two video settings amplify the perception of every effect above. In Settings → Video → Advanced Video:

  • Motion Blur → Disabled. Blur smears every camera movement, turning small punches into full-screen wobble. No competitive player runs it.
  • Uncapped, unstable FPS. Shake reads far worse when frame times spike, because the jerk lands across uneven frames. If your FPS dips in fights, the FPS optimization guide matters as much as any bob command.

Make it permanent: the autoexec block

Console-entered settings usually persist, but game updates have a habit of resetting them. Drop the whole block into an autoexec.cfg and forget about it:

// screen shake — minimal
cl_usenewbob 0
viewmodel_recoil 0
cl_bobamt_lat 0.4
cl_bobamt_vert 0.25
cl_bob_lower_amt 5
cl_bobcycle 0.98

The autoexec generator builds the full file — including these lines — and shows you exactly where to save it. If you would rather toggle bob on the fly to feel the difference, bind it: bind f8 "toggle cl_usenewbob 0 1" (more patterns in the bind generator).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the command to remove screen shake in CS2?
There is no single command. cl_usenewbob 0 reverts the newer weapon-bob animation, the cl_bob family (cl_bobamt_lat, cl_bobamt_vert, cl_bob_lower_amt) minimises movement sway, and viewmodel_recoil 0 removes the weapon model’s visual kick. The camera punch from being shot cannot be disabled in matchmaking.
Does cl_usenewbob 0 work in ranked matchmaking?
Yes. It is a client-side visual setting, not a cheat-protected variable, so it works in Premier, competitive, and third-party matchmaking alike. It only changes the bob animation style — it does not affect accuracy.
Can I turn off the screen shake when I get shot?
Not in official matchmaking — aim punch is server-controlled and part of the game’s balance. Wearing armor reduces it heavily, which is one more reason never to skip the vest. In your own practice server you can neutralise it with sv_cheats 1 and view_punch_decay 999.
Does viewmodel_recoil 0 affect my actual recoil or accuracy?
No. It only stops the weapon model from visually kicking upward — your spray pattern, bullet spread, and camera behaviour are identical. Many pros run it because the static weapon model makes it easier to focus on the crosshair.
Why does CS2 feel shakier than CS:GO?
Valve rebuilt the animation system in Source 2 and later shipped a heavier weapon-bob animation, which is what most complaints call “screen shake.” cl_usenewbob 0 restores the older, flatter bob and is the single biggest fix.
Will these commands reset when I restart CS2?
Console-entered settings normally persist, but updates can reset them. Put the commands in an autoexec.cfg so they apply every launch — our autoexec generator builds the file for you.
JL

Director at Bettor Media. CS player since 2013 with experience in skin trading, marketplace analysis, and competitive play.