Counter-Strike
28 community-verified launch options for Counter-Strike on Steam ↗.
DeveloperValve
PublisherValve
Released2000-11-01
EngineGoldSrc
-
-highCopyRun the game at High process priority (Source engine games)- Effect
- Raises the OS scheduling priority of the game process. It does not add CPU capacity, so it helps only where something else is competing for the processor.
PerformanceSafe -
-novidCopySkip the intro video (Source engine games)- Effect
- The startup video does not play. Saves several seconds on every launch and is the most common Source launch option.
Skip-IntroSafe -
-threadsCopySet the size of the engine thread pool (Source engine games)- Effect
- Takes a thread count; the default is 3. Setting it above the number of cores available does not help.
- Example
-threads 4
PerformanceSafe -
-nojoyCopyDisable joystick support (Source engine games, except Left 4 Dead 2)- Effect
- Skips joystick initialisation, which can shorten startup. The wiki notes it does NOT apply to Left 4 Dead 2.
PerformanceSafe -
-freqCopyForce a specific refresh rate (Source engine games)- Effect
- An alias for -refresh; the wiki lists the two as the same option. Takes a rate in Hz.
- Example
-freq 144
DisplaySafe -
-wCopySet the window width in pixels- Effect
- Forces the game to start at the given horizontal resolution instead of the saved or auto-detected one. Pass -h as well to set height explicitly; on its own, height is derived from the aspect ratio.
- Example
-w 1920 -h 1080
DisplaySafe -
-hCopySet the window height in pixels- Effect
- Forces the game to start at the given vertical resolution instead of the saved or auto-detected one.
- Example
-w 1920 -h 1080
DisplaySafe -
+fps_maxCopyCap the frame rate (GoldSrc, Source and Source 2 games)- Effect
- Default 300 (400 in CS:GO and the TF2 branch). Match your refresh rate, or a little above it. Do NOT use 0 on GoldSrc — it uncaps Source and Source 2 but runs GoldSrc at 1 FPS. Above ~1000 (100 on GoldSrc) the engine develops timing bugs.
- Example
+fps_max 144
PerformanceSafe -
-nosierraCopyUse the -console or -nosierraExperimental -
-nofboCopyDisables framebuffer objects.Experimental -
-nomsaaCopyDisplaySafe -
mangohud %command%CopyShow the MangoHud performance overlay (Linux)- Effect
- Draws FPS, frame timing and CPU/GPU load over Vulkan and OpenGL games. MangoHud runs the game, so %command% is what it runs.
Proton-DeckSafe -
-noforcemaccelCopyDisables mouse acceleration.Experimental -
-noforcemspdCopyDisables mouse speed forcing.Experimental -
-nosyncCopyDisplaySafe -
-freq 144CopyForce a specific refresh rate (Source engine games)- Effect
- An alias for -refresh; the wiki lists the two as the same option. Takes a rate in Hz.
DisplayValve Developer Community Added Jul 18, 2026Safe -
-noforcemparmsCopyDisables mouse parameter forcing.Experimental -
-devCopyMethod №1. Launch parameters through SteamDebug-DevSafe -
-dxlevelCopyRun the game in DirectX 9 or higherDisplaySafe -
-fullscreenCopyRun in fullscreen mode (Unreal Engine and Source games)- Effect
- Overrides a saved windowed preference. -full is the same option in Source.
DisplaySafe -
-windowedCopyRun in windowed mode (Unreal Engine and Source games)- Effect
- Unreal documents pairing it with an explicit resolution. In Source -window, -sw and -startwindowed are the same option.
- Example
-windowed -ResX=1920 -ResY=1080
DisplaySafe -
-stretchaspectCopyStretches image to fill screen.DisplaySafe -
-normalCopyExperimental -
-realtimeCopyExperimental -
-consoleCopyEnable the developer console- Effect
- Makes the in-game developer console available, opened with the ~ key.
Debug-DevSafe -
gamemoderun %command%CopyRun the game under Feral GameMode (Linux)- Effect
- Applies temporary host optimisations (CPU governor, I/O and process priority) for the game's lifetime, then restores them on exit. GameMode runs the game, so %command% is what it runs.
Proton-DeckSafe -
-threads 4CopySet the size of the engine thread pool (Source engine games)- Effect
- Takes a thread count; the default is 3. Setting it above the number of cores available does not help.
PerformanceSafe -
+fps_max 101CopyCap the frame rate (GoldSrc, Source and Source 2 games)- Effect
- Default 300 (400 in CS:GO and the TF2 branch). Match your refresh rate, or a little above it. Do NOT use 0 on GoldSrc — it uncaps Source and Source 2 but runs GoldSrc at 1 FPS. Above ~1000 (100 on GoldSrc) the engine develops timing bugs.
- Example
+fps_max 144
PerformanceSafe
How to apply a launch option on Steam
- Open Steam and go to your Library.
- Right-click the game and choose Properties.
- On the General tab, find the Launch Options field.
- Type or paste the option (e.g.
-windowed) into the field. To use several at once, separate them with spaces (e.g.-windowed -novid). - Close Properties. Steam saves automatically, and the option applies next time you launch the game.
To remove one, reopen the same field and delete the text. Options are game-specific; an option that helps one game may do nothing (or misbehave) in another.
Worth knowing: a launch option can break a game's rendering, reset local settings, or trip anti-cheat in multiplayer. Read the description first, add one at a time, and treat anything rated above Safe as a deliberate experiment.
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