CS2 Launch Options: Optimize Your Game

Applying launch options to your game can be a great way to optimize it for performance, use the below launch options to enhance your gameplay.

Best FPS For Most Players

These launch options offer performance improvements that can boost the FPS (framerate) of your game by disabling unnecessary things.

  • +fps_max 0

    Disables FPS limit.

  • -softparticlesdefaultoff

    Disables soft particles, reduces GPU load.

  • -fullscreen

    Starts CS2 in fullscreen mode.

  • -forcenovsync

    Disables VSync.

  • -limitvsconst

    Limits vertex shader count.

Final launch string

+fps_max 0 -softparticlesdefaultoff -fullscreen -forcenovsync -limitvsconst

All Launch Options

Below is a complete list of the most impactful launch options for CS2, each option includes an explanation of what it does and how it may affect your gameplay and system.

-fullscreen
Launches the game in full-screen mode.
-windowed
Launches the game in windowed mode.
-noborder
Launches the game in borderless windowed mode.
-x <posX> -y <posY>
Sets the window position on the screen.
-w <width> -h <height>
Sets the window resolution.
-refresh <rate>
Sets the monitor refresh rate.
-high
Sets the game's process priority to high.
-threads <number>
Sets the number of CPU threads to use.
-console
Enables the developer console.
-novid
Skips the intro video on startup.
-nojoy
Disables joystick/controller support.
-softparticlesdefaultoff
Disables soft particles for better performance.
+fps_max 0
Removes the FPS cap (unlimited FPS).
+violence_hblood 0
Disables blood effects.
+r_drawparticles 0
Disables particle effects.
-tickrate 128
Sets the server tick rate to 128.
+exec autoexec.cfg
Executes the autoexec.cfg file on startup.
-noaafonts
Disables anti-aliased fonts.
-no-browser
Disables the in-game browser.
-noreflex
Disables NVIDIA Reflex (may improve performance).
+cl_forcepreload 1
Forces texture preloading.
+mat_disable_fancy_blending 1
Disables fancy blending effects.
+r_dynamic 0
Disables dynamic lighting.
+cl_hideserverip 1
Hides the server IP address.
+mat_queue_mode 2
Enables multi-threaded rendering.
+mat_vsync 0
Disables vertical sync.
+mat_hdr_level 0
Disables high dynamic range lighting.
+mat_antialias 0
Disables anti-aliasing.
-vulkan
Launches CS2 using the Vulkan API instead of DirectX.
-forcenovsync
Disables VSync for lower input lag.
-limitvsconst
Limits vertex shader constants to improve GPU stability.
-language english
Forces the game to use a specific language.

We recommend using launch options with care, as some options may affect different systems in a positive or negative way.

How to Apply a Launch Option in Steam

Below is a guide on how to apply launch options to your game, this is primarily done through Steam by using the below step-by-step guide.

How to Apply Launch Options

  1. Open your Steam library and locate Counter-Strike 2 (CS2).
  2. Right-click the game and select Properties from the menu.
  3. Under the General tab, find the Launch Options field.
  4. Copy the desired launch options string from our table or guide.
  5. Paste the copied launch options into the Launch Options field.
  6. Close the Properties window. The next time you start CS2, it will launch with your chosen options.
  7. You can tweak these options anytime to optimize performance, visuals, or input based on your preferences.