- Steam β Properties β General
- -tickrate 128 does nothing
- +fps_max before you join
- No proven FPS gains
Launch options are the little flags you type into Steam so CS2 starts the way you want β windowed or fullscreen, with the console open,
with your own config. They're also where the most outdated advice lives: lists copied from CS:GO still promise free frames from options
that CS2 ignores. This guide shows how to set launch options in Steam, the handful that still do something, the popular ones that do
nothing in CS2 (including -tickrate 128 and -novid), the Trusted Mode warning, and a clean launch line you can
copy. Checked against Valve's own documentation and the game's files on 2026-10-25.
-console, -fullscreen or -sw,
-vulkan, -language, +fps_max and +exec autoexec.cfg. -tickrate 128,
-novid, -threads and the CS:GO network commands do nothing, and nobody has shown a repeatable FPS gain from any
launch option.- One line, spaces between options, no quotes β in Steam's Properties β General.
- 8 options do something useful; most "FPS boost" lists are CS:GO leftovers.
-tickrate 128does nothing β CS2 runs 64 tick with sub-tick.+fps_maxat launch matters since the cap can't change while you're connected (14 August 2025).-allow_third_party_softwareturns off Trusted Mode β only use it if a program needs it.
How to set launch options in Steam
- Open your Steam Library.
Find Counter-Strike 2 in the list on the left.
- Right-click β Properties.
The General tab opens first.
- Type in Launch Options.
All options on one line, separated by spaces β for example
-console -fullscreen. - Close the window and start the game.
Steam saves the line automatically; it applies every time CS2 starts.
Options starting with a minus (-console) are engine flags; options starting with a plus (+fps_max 400) run a
console command at start-up. To remove an option, delete it from the line.
Launch options that work
| Option | What it does | Status |
|---|---|---|
-fullscreen | Starts in exclusive fullscreen | Works |
-sw | Starts windowed (also -windowed) | Works |
-w 1280 -h 960 | Sets the resolution at launch | Documented, unconfirmed |
-freq 240 | Asks for a refresh rate (use your monitor's) | Documented, unconfirmed |
-console | Opens the developer console at launch | Works |
-vulkan | Forces the Vulkan renderer instead of DirectX 11 | Works |
-language english | Sets the game's language | Works |
+fps_max 400 | Sets the in-game FPS cap before you join a server | Works |
+exec autoexec.cfg | Runs your own config file on start | Works |
-allow_third_party_software | Starts CS2 outside Trusted Mode β only for software that needs it | Works |
-high | Asks Windows for high CPU priority β no proven FPS gain | Documented, unconfirmed |
"Documented, unconfirmed": listed on Valve's Source 2 command-line page but marked there as needing confirmation β harmless to try.
Launch options that do nothing in CS2
| Option | Why it's useless |
|---|---|
-tickrate 128 | CS2 runs 64 tick with subtick; the option does nothing |
-novid | CS2 has no intro video to skip (csdb.gg) β harmless but useless |
-nojoy | Controller support is already off by default |
-threads N | Not a Source 2 option |
+cl_forcepreload 1, +cl_cmdrate, +cl_updaterate | CS:GO variables that don't exist in CS2 |
+cl_interp 0 | Read-only in CS2 |
+rate 786432 | Already the default |
-d3d9ex, -dxlevel, +mat_queue_mode, +r_dynamic | CS:GO-era tweaks with no effect |
The biggest myth is -tickrate 128. Valve's matchmaking servers run at 64 tick with sub-tick timestamps on top, and the option
changes nothing β the sub-tick guide explains why that's less of a
problem than it sounds. -high sits in the "unconfirmed" pile too: a 2026 test of popular options found no proven, repeatable FPS gain from any
of them.
Trusted Mode and -allow_third_party_software
CS2 starts in Trusted Mode by default, which stops outside programs from loading into or interacting with the game.
-allow_third_party_software starts CS2 without that protection. Some capture and overlay tools ask for it, but Valve keeps
Trusted Mode on by default to protect the game. Only add the flag if a program you rely on won't work otherwise, and take it off again
when you don't need it β Valve's "CS2 - Trusted Mode" support page explains what it allows. For a clean account record, see the
Trust Factor guide.
Use an autoexec for everything else
Most of what people once put in launch options belongs in a config file. Create autoexec.cfg in
steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\csgo\cfg, put one command per line in it β your crosshair, binds, fps_max β and add
+exec autoexec.cfg to your launch line. Guides disagree on whether CS2 runs autoexec.cfg by itself; adding
+exec makes sure it does, and running it twice is harmless.
- 8launch options that work
- 3documented but unconfirmed
- 8groups of options that do nothing
- 400default FPS cap if you set none
A clean launch line to copy
-console -fullscreen +fps_max 400 +exec autoexec.cfg
Add -vulkan only if DirectX 11 gives you problems, and -sw instead of -fullscreen if you play windowed.
Swap 400 for the cap your PC holds in a busy fight.
Then tune the rest in game: the video settings for frames, the Telemetry HUD to check them, and your binds in the autoexec.
Help with your setup
- Settings, config and aim: 1-on-1 coaching β from $18.00 an hour.
- Play with a high-rated teammate: duo games β orders from $4.10.
- Read next: practice commands for your own server.
- Valve β Setting Game Launch Options and CS2 - Trusted Mode (Steam Support) Β· Command line options (Source 2) (Valve Developer wiki, community-edited)
- Defaults: the game's gameinfo.gi and Valve's variable list (SteamDB GameTracking-CS2, read 2026-10-25) Β· FPS test: TurboSmurfs (12 Oct 2026) Β· Valve's notes 14 August 2025 (via pley.gg)
All free tools: calculators, percentiles & season countdowns β
