Where is cs2.exe on Windows?

On a default Steam install: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\bin\win64\cs2.exe. If Steam is installed elsewhere or the game sits in a second Steam library, only the part from steamapps\common onwards stays the same.

Why is the CS2 folder called Counter-Strike Global Offensive?

Because CS2 replaced CS:GO in the same Steam app rather than shipping as a separate product. The install folder, and the csgo subfolder inside it, kept their old names. There is no folder called "Counter-Strike 2" to look for — this trips people up constantly.

How do I open the CS2 folder from Steam?

In your Steam Library, right-click Counter-Strike 2 and choose Manage, then Browse local files. Alternatively use Properties, then the Installed Files tab (older Steam clients call it Local Files), and click Browse. Either opens the install folder wherever it actually is.

Where are my CS2 demos saved?

Demos you record yourself with the record console command land in the game\csgo folder inside the install directory, as .dem files. Match replays you download in-game go to game\csgo\replays.

Where is the CS2 config folder?

Config files live in game\csgo\cfg inside the install folder — this is where autoexec.cfg goes. Steam also keeps a per-account, cloud-synced cfg folder under Steam\userdata\ \730\local\cfg, where 730 is Counter-Strike's Steam app ID.

Should I launch cs2.exe directly instead of through Steam?

There is rarely a reason to. Steam is what passes your launch options to the game, so starting the binary yourself skips them. The realistic uses for the path are adding firewall, antivirus or GPU-driver exceptions that ask you to point at the executable.

Where Is the CS2 EXE File Located?

The exact path — plus the two-click way to find it wherever Steam actually put it

TL;DR

On a default Windows install, the CS2 executable is at C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\bin\win64\cs2.exe. The install folder is still named Counter-Strike Global Offensive, not Counter-Strike 2. If Steam lives somewhere else, open Steam, right-click CS2 and pick Manage → Browse local files.

Two things make this harder than it should be. First, the folder never got renamed — CS2 took over CS:GO's Steam app, so the install directory is still Counter-Strike Global Offensive and the game data still sits in a subfolder called csgo. Searching your drive for "Counter-Strike 2" finds nothing.

Second, the executable is not at the top of that folder. It is nested two levels down, under game\bin\win64, which is where people give up.

The default Windows path

Assuming Steam is in its default location and the game is in the default library:

What	Path
Install folder	C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\
Executable	...\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\bin\win64\cs2.exe
Game data	...\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\csgo\

Only the front of that path is variable. Whatever drive or folder your Steam library sits in, everything from steamapps\common\ onwards is identical — so if you know your library location, you can paste the rest.

Find it from Steam instead (works every time)

This is the reliable method, and it is the one to use if you have ever moved the game to a second drive or added a Steam library folder:

Open Steam and go to your Library.
Right-click Counter-Strike 2 and choose Manage → Browse local files. Steam opens the install folder in File Explorer.
If that menu item does nothing, use Properties → Installed Files → Browse instead — older Steam clients label that tab Local Files.
From the folder that opens, go into game, then bin, then win64. cs2.exe is in there.

The address bar of that Explorer window is now your real install path — copy it out of there rather than trusting any path you read online, including ours.

Demos, configs and screenshots

The files people are usually hunting for alongside the executable:

File type	Where it lives
Demos you recorded (`record` command)	...\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\csgo\ (as .dem files)
Match replays downloaded in-game	...\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\csgo\replays\
Config files, incl. autoexec.cfg	...\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\csgo\cfg\
Per-account cloud-synced configs	C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\<account ID>\730\local\cfg\
Steam overlay screenshots (F12)	C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\<account ID>\760\remote\730\screenshots\

730 is Counter-Strike's Steam app ID, which is why it shows up in both userdata paths. If you are setting up configs, our CS2 config guide covers what goes in the file, and the autoexec generator will build one for you. For demo playback, see the CS2 demo guide.

Multiple Steam libraries

If the default path does not exist on your machine, the game is almost certainly in a second library folder — an SSD you added later, for instance. Steam lists them under Steam → Settings → Storage, and each one contains its own steamapps\common\ tree. The path inside the game folder never changes; only the library root does.

What the path is actually useful for

Not launching the game. Steam is what passes your launch options to CS2, so double-clicking the binary skips them. The genuine uses are:

Firewall and antivirus exceptions. Both usually want you to point at the executable directly.
GPU control panel profiles. NVIDIA and AMD per-game settings are keyed to the .exe.
Capture and overlay software. Anything that hooks a specific process needs the exact file.
Troubleshooting a broken install. If cs2.exe is missing entirely, verify the game files from Steam — see CS2 not launching.

Linux

CS2 supports 64-bit Windows and Linux only. On Linux the Steam library root differs by distro and install method, but the structure inside the game folder mirrors Windows: the binary is at game/bin/linuxsteamrt64/cs2, with a cs2.sh launcher script in the game folder that sets up the environment the binary expects. Use Browse local files from Steam to get the library root rather than guessing it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is cs2.exe on Windows?: On a default Steam install: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\bin\win64\cs2.exe. If Steam is installed elsewhere or the game sits in a second Steam library, only the part from steamapps\common onwards stays the same.
Why is the CS2 folder called Counter-Strike Global Offensive?: Because CS2 replaced CS:GO in the same Steam app rather than shipping as a separate product. The install folder, and the csgo subfolder inside it, kept their old names. There is no folder called "Counter-Strike 2" to look for — this trips people up constantly.
How do I open the CS2 folder from Steam?: In your Steam Library, right-click Counter-Strike 2 and choose Manage, then Browse local files. Alternatively use Properties, then the Installed Files tab (older Steam clients call it Local Files), and click Browse. Either opens the install folder wherever it actually is.
Where are my CS2 demos saved?: Demos you record yourself with the record console command land in the game\csgo folder inside the install directory, as .dem files. Match replays you download in-game go to game\csgo\replays.
Where is the CS2 config folder?: Config files live in game\csgo\cfg inside the install folder — this is where autoexec.cfg goes. Steam also keeps a per-account, cloud-synced cfg folder under Steam\userdata\<your account ID>\730\local\cfg, where 730 is Counter-Strike's Steam app ID.
Should I launch cs2.exe directly instead of through Steam?: There is rarely a reason to. Steam is what passes your launch options to the game, so starting the binary yourself skips them. The realistic uses for the path are adding firewall, antivirus or GPU-driver exceptions that ask you to point at the executable.