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How to Make an Autoexec.cfg File for CS:GO & How to Use It

by eZstah

Contents
MAKE YOUR OWN AUTOEXEC.CFG FILE

There is an overwhelming number of people asking every day how to make an Autoexec for CS:GO. Entering commands for a comfortable game with the right settings is quite long and tiresome, and therefore, many people prefer to create a file that will automatically run with everything set up and ready. Working with a config is especially important after reinstalling your Windows, updating your Steam client, or buying a new PC. Many complex binds and commands wouldn't work until you type them directly in the console again. But you can avoid this routine process of entering commands one by one by saving them in a config file. In this article, we will tell you how to create a cfg file for CS:GO and how to use it to make your game as comfortable as possible.

What is Autoexec.cfg in CS:GO

The Autoexec.cfg file is used in CS:GO to launch regular settings and configs implemented by commands. The autoexec.cfg file is automatically accomplished on startup and can contain set of console commands in Counter Strike Global Offensive.

If you create a custom CS:GO config and install it, you can reduce ping and increase fps, as well as change the settings of the crosshair (size, shape, and color), mouse sensitivity, set the optimal brightness and screen resolution, make binds to keyboard shortcuts, hand position, map settings and other important features of the game. 

However, creating a cfg file from scratch is quite a troublesome process, and some users might not know how to do it correctly. Therefore, some novice players use a ready-made config of professional cybersportsmen. Most configurations are in the public domain, so if you want, you can simply download the best cfg for CS:GO for free. However, even after downloading this file, beginners puzzle over how to run it. So, let's see how to make a cfg file for CS:GO and launch it.

Where to Find The Config File

Before you learn how to create an Autoexec for CS:GO, let’s find the file with all your settings first. When you start CS:GO for the first time, the default config is automatically created. However, it is located not in the game folder but in one of the Steam client root folders — in the UserData.

If you used a particular Steam client installation to log in from different accounts, then finding the needed one may become a serious problem. However, there is one feature that makes it very easy to work with configs on different accounts. It works this way:

  • Log into your Steam account and go to Inventory in your profile, then go to the Trade Offers menu.

    Steam Inventory and Trade offers menu
  • Select the “Who can send me Trade Offers?” item in the menu to the right. You will see the link to the trade URL in the lowest block of the screen menu.
  • What we need is not the link itself but the number it includes. You don’t need to remember the whole number, just the three or four last digits.
  • Now we open the UserData folder in the Steam folder, and bingo — we see the subfolder named with the number in the link, which actually contains the config files linked to the account.
CS:GO subfolder which contains the config files linked to the account

Having opened the subfolder, we see various folders associated with your Steam games profiles. We need the CS:GO configs located in the 730 folder, so just memorize this number. The following sequence is simple: open the Local folder, then the CFG subfolder, which contains the default config files:

Folder contains cfg file for CS:GO

If you have just installed the game, for example, after reinstalling your Windows OS, then you need to launch CS:GO once to get config files generated automatically.

How to Find the Cfg File on Your PC

The most common reason why you can't find a cfg file is that it is hidden. Let's see how to display it.

Setting Windows parameters

The first thing you need to do is to disable the automatic hide for file extensions in Explorer. Just type the following in the search box.

Windows folders setting

Enter the Folder And Search Options in the View tab, find the Hide extensions for known file types item, and uncheck it.

Hide/Show Folders in Windows

How to Open a cfg File

To open a config file, use any text editor. As an option, we recommend downloading a convenient text editor, for example, the Notepad++ program. It is fast and free and is more useful because it is not buggy as opposed to the standard WordPad Editor.

How to Create a CS:GO Config

Now, let’s find out how to make a config file for CS:GO from scratch.

  • Create a txt document in the config folder of your computer. Right-click on the screen and select the appropriate application.
  • Open the text document and go to the Control Panel. There, open the "File" section and click "Save As".

    Save as - File
  • Now, it is essential to give the file a proper name. First, choose the file type "All Files" and then give it any name. It is important that the name ends with ".cfg."

    Create autoexec.cfg file
  • Find a folder with configs on the Steam installation path and copy the information from the main config into your text file. Be sure to create backup files before changing anything.
  • In order for the config to load into the game, you need to set it in the startup parameters of CS:GO. To do this, code the command "host_writeconfig X" in the developer's console, where X is the name of the config.

To add key bindings to the config, you just need to add them in a text document. For example, to throw a flashbang, enter:

bind "key name" "use weapon_knife; use weapon_flashbang"

Later in the article, we will show an example config that shows what this looks like.

How to Sync Updated Config with CS:GO

Now, let’s find out how to use an Autoexec in CS:GO. We need to make all our CS:GO Autoexec configs load automatically at the game launch. For that, we go back to our Steam client menu, go to the Library, right-click on the Counter-strike: Global Offensive in the library list, and click the Properties.

Counter-strike Global Offensive make configs load automatically at the game launch

After that, click the Set Launch Options display button in the General tab. Enter the following must-have commands in the Set Launch Options menu

Set lunch options CS:GO

-novid for skipping the intro,

-tickrate 128 for creating a lobby with 128 tick rate,

-freq followed by the value of the maximum refresh rate of your display, which can be 60, 75, 120, or 144Hz.

And eventually -autoexec.cfg for the autoload of our recently created config file.

Launch options Counter-strike Global Offensive

Example of My Configuration File

Now, as you know how to make a config in CS:GO with any acceptable name you like (except for .cfg in the end), you can open the file for editing and then copy or type in the binds or settings you need. In my case:

Cap fps

fps_max 999

Grenade binds

bind "f" "use weapon_knife; use weapon_flashbang";

bind "q" "use weapon_smokegrenade";

bind "mouse4" "use weapon_molotov; use weapon_incgrenade";

bind "mouse5" "use weapon_hegrenade"

Bomb drop bind

bind "n" "use weapon_c4; drop;"

Bomb search bind

alias +bombfind "+use;

gameinstructor_enable 1;

cl_clearhinthistory";

alias -bombfind "-use;

gameinstructor_enable 0;

cl_clearhinthistory";

bind "e" "+bombfind"

And the crosshair

cl_crosshairalpha "255";

cl_crosshaircolor "5";

cl_crosshaircolor_b "0";

cl_crosshaircolor_r "255";

cl_crosshaircolor_g "225";

cl_crosshairdot "0";

cl_crosshairgap "-2";

cl_crosshairsize "2";

cl_crosshairstyle "4";

cl_crosshairusealpha "1";

cl_crosshairthickness "0.5";

cl_fixedcrosshairgap "-2";

cl_crosshair_outlinethickness "0";

cl_crosshair_drawoutline "1";

host_writeconfig

Example autoexec.cfg

You can insert any settings you need in this config. A CS:GO bind maker tool can be very handy for customizing your game controls for quick and efficient actions.

FAQ

How do I find a cfg file on macOS?

If you wonder how to create a config file in CS:GO on macOS, you should just do all the same manipulations as described in this article, but the path to the config folder will be different. On macOS, configs are located at the common/Counterstrike:Global Offensive/csgo/cfg/.

What are the must-have Autoexec settings?

Those who are interested in how to set up Autoexec for CS:GO should clearly understand exactly what they require it for. In particular, be sure to have convenient key bindings, crosshair settings, fps settings, and a mouse tick rate for playing the game comfortably.

Why should I create a config file in CS:GO?

Creating your own config file with convenient settings will allow you not to enter them every time you enter the game. To learn how to make a CS:GO config file, read the full article.

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