- Raw input always on
- eDPI = DPI Γ sens
- 20-minute routine
- Reloads drop the mag
Aim is the skill everyone wants and few train on purpose. Most players play match after match hoping it improves, then blame their sensitivity. Better aim in CS2 comes from three things: settings you never change, crosshair placement that makes duels easy, and a short routine you repeat every day. This guide covers all three with the settings that matter, the free Workshop maps worth your time, a 20-minute routine, and how Valve's 2026 reload change affects your sprays. Checked 2026-10-25.
- Settings: pick one sensitivity, compare it with eDPI, and stop changing it.
- Crosshair placement wins more duels than flicks.
- Three free maps cover flicks, sprays and tracking.
- Short daily practice beats long weekend sessions.
- Since March 2026 a reload discards the magazine β tap and burst more, spray less.
The settings that matter
| Setting | What to do |
|---|---|
| Sensitivity | Low enough that a 180Β° turn is an arm movement. Most good players sit between roughly 600 and 1,200 eDPI (a community range, not a rule). |
| eDPI | EDPI = mouse DPI Γ in-game sensitivity β a community convention for comparing settings β e.g. 800 DPI Γ 1.0 = 800 eDPI. |
| Raw input | CS2 always reads raw mouse input β the old m_rawinput command is gone. |
m_yaw / m_pitch | Leave at 0.022 (the default) unless you know why you're changing them. |
| Zoom sensitivity | zoom_sensitivity_ratio 1 by default β adjust only if scoped shots feel too fast or slow. |
| Windows | Turn off Enhance pointer precision (it still affects the desktop and other games). |
eDPI is how players compare settings across different mice; Valve doesn't define it. The 600β1,200 band is our rough summary of common pro settings, not a target.
Crosshair placement: the skill behind "good aim"
Watch a high-rated player's demo and their crosshair barely moves when an enemy appears β it was already there. Crosshair placement means keeping your crosshair at head height and on the edge an enemy will come from as you move around the map. Get it right and most duels need a small adjustment instead of a flick:
Head height, always
Not on the floor, not in the sky. Lower your crosshair on ramps and stairs, raise it on high ground.
Pre-aim the angle
Before you peek a corner, place your crosshair where a head would be the moment it's visible.
Clear one angle at a time
Slice a corner slowly so only one spot can surprise you, instead of swinging wide into three.
Stop before you shoot
Moving ruins accuracy. Counter-strafe (tap the opposite key) and shoot when you've stopped.
The free Workshop maps worth your time
| Map (as titled on Steam) | What it trains | Subscribers (25 October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Aim Botz - Aim Training (CS2) | Flicks and first-shot accuracy on standing bots | 13.7 million |
| Recoil Master - Spray Training (CS2) | Spray patterns for every rifle and SMG | 4.4 million |
| FAST AIM/REFLEX TRAINING [CS2] | Reaction and tracking on moving targets | 1 million |
Subscribe on the Steam Workshop, then start them from the Workshop Maps tab in Play (Valve improved the map_workshop
console command's auto-complete on 22 October 2026, too). With Open Party turned on, friends can join and train with you. These maps
are made by community authors, not Valve.
A 20-minute daily routine
- Aim Botz β 6 minutes.
Standing bots at head height. Stop, place, shoot one bullet, reset. Speed comes later; accuracy first.
- Recoil Master β 5 minutes.
The AK-47 and M4 patterns at a wall, then your favourite SMG. Learn the first 10 bullets β longer sprays are rarely right now.
- FAST AIM / REFLEX β 4 minutes.
Moving targets for tracking and reaction time.
- Deathmatch β 5 minutes.
Against real players: counter-strafe, head height, one tap or a short burst.
The routine is ours β what matters is doing the same thing every day so you can tell when it improves. Keep a note of your Aim Botz score or deathmatch headshot rate once a week.
Sprays after the 2026 reload change
Valve's 18 March 2026 update changed how reloading works: reloading drops the used magazine and discards the ammo left in it; a full magazine comes from the reserves. And most weapons got three spare magazines β some fewer, to reward precision, some more, for spamming through walls and smokes. In practice that means:
- Don't reload after a few bullets unless you must β the rest of the magazine is gone.
- Tap and burst more at range; a full spray empties a magazine you can't top up.
- Count your reserves in long rounds and eco rounds.
Common aim mistakes
- Changing sensitivity every week.
Muscle memory needs a fixed setting. Pick one and give it a month.
- Shooting while moving.
Counter-strafe first. Accuracy while running is poor for every rifle.
- Over-long sprays.
Reset after a burst β especially now that reloads cost the magazine.
- Only playing matches.
Matches give you a few duels a round; a training map gives you hundreds in ten minutes.
Help with your aim
- A plan for your weak spots: 1-on-1 coaching β from $18.00 an hour.
- Why you lose duels: demo analysis of a real match.
- Read next: the crosshair guide and practice commands.
- Steam Workshop β Aim Botz, Recoil Master, FAST AIM/REFLEX TRAINING (checked 25 October 2026) Β· Valve β Guns, Guides, and Games (18 Mar 2026) Β· Rush Hour (22 Sep 2026)
- Mouse defaults and raw input: the TotalCS command reference. eDPI ranges and the routine: ours. Checked 2026-10-25.
All free tools: calculators, percentiles & season countdowns β
