To install Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) on Windows 10 or 11, open Steam, search the store for “Counter-Strike 2”, and click Play Game — it is free. CS2 has fully replaced CS:GO on Steam as of September 2023, so if you already owned CS:GO it is already on your account under the app ID 730. The download is roughly 30 GB and runs on the Source 2 engine.
Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) via Steam | Last updated: April 19, 2026
Key Takeaways
- CS2 is free-to-play on Steam and replaced CS:GO entirely in September 2023 — there is no separate CS:GO download anymore.
- The Steam app ID is
730. If you owned CS:GO, the same app is now CS2 in your library. - Download size is approximately 30 GB. Make sure the drive you install to has at least 40 GB free to allow for shader compilation and updates.
- CS2 needs a GPU with DirectX 11 support and at least 8 GB of RAM. It runs on the Source 2 engine and does not support 32-bit Windows.
- You cannot revert from CS2 to CS:GO — Valve retired the original game’s binaries. Community servers running the legacy version are a separate, unofficial thing.
Quick Steps
- Launch Steam and sign in. If Steam is not installed, grab it first using my guide on how to download and install Steam on Windows 10/11.
- Click Store, type Counter-Strike 2 in the search bar, and open the store page — or go directly to store.steampowered.com/app/730.
- Scroll down and click Play Game (or Install in your library if you previously owned CS:GO).
- Pick an install drive with at least 40 GB free and confirm the install.
- Once the download finishes, click Play from the Library. The first launch will take a few extra minutes for shader compilation — this is normal.
Install CS2 if You Previously Owned CS:GO
If CS:GO was ever in your Steam library, CS2 is already attached to your account — Valve migrated everyone over when CS2 launched. Your Prime status, inventory, and match history carried across.
- Open Steam and go to Library.
- Find Counter-Strike 2 in the list. If you still see “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive”, the entry updates the moment you click Install.
- Click Install, choose your drive (an NVMe SSD is strongly recommended for map load times), and confirm.
Tip: The first CS2 update after the CS:GO swap used to be around 6 GB. Today you are installing the full 30 GB Source 2 build — ignore older guides quoting 6 GB.
Install CS2 as a New Player
If you are new to the franchise, CS2 is free and takes a few clicks to install.
- Open Steam and click Store in the top navigation.
- Type Counter-Strike 2 in the search bar at the top right. The free-to-play entry by Valve is the top result. If search misbehaves, use the official link: store.steampowered.com/app/730.
- On the store page, scroll down to the purchase panel and click Play Game.
- Steam adds CS2 to your library and opens the install dialog. Pick the drive with the fastest free space (NVMe > SATA SSD > HDD) and confirm.
- Wait for the download to finish — on a 100 Mbps connection that is roughly 40 minutes.
Launch CS2 for the First Time
After install, CS2 shows up in your Library. Click the Play button. The first launch runs a one-time shader compilation pass — you will see the CS2 loading screen sit for 2 to 5 minutes before the main menu appears. This is not a bug and it will not happen again on subsequent launches.
Before jumping into a match, I recommend running the video settings pass once — set the resolution to your monitor’s native, enable Boost Player Contrast, and match the refresh rate under display settings. On older GPUs you may need to drop shadows and particle detail to hold 144 FPS.
System Requirements for CS2
Valve’s minimum requirements for CS2 are higher than CS:GO’s. These are the specs published on the Steam store page:
- OS: Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit).
- CPU: 4-hardware-thread CPU (any modern Intel Core i3 / AMD Ryzen 3 or better).
- RAM: 8 GB minimum. 16 GB is recommended if you stream or have Chrome open.
- GPU: Any DirectX 11-capable GPU with 1 GB+ of VRAM. Modern integrated graphics (Intel Iris Xe, Radeon 680M) play CS2 at low settings.
- Storage: 30 GB of free space. SSD strongly recommended.
If you are stuck on a budget rig and CS2 feels choppy, Winhance (my free Windows optimisation utility) frees up background resources and usually adds 15–30 FPS on low-end hardware.
Fix CS2 Download or Launch Issues
A few problems come up more than others when installing CS2 — here is what has worked for me in the repair shop:
- Download stuck at 0 B/s: In Steam, click Steam > Settings > Downloads and change Download Region to a different city. Valve’s CDN occasionally throttles specific regions.
- “Missing executable” or launch crash: Right-click Counter-Strike 2 in Library > Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files. This catches files corrupted during the download.
- Graphics driver error on launch: Update your GPU driver. See my NVIDIA driver guide or the general graphics driver guide for AMD and Intel.
- Windows Defender flags the shader cache: Add
%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensiveas a Defender exclusion.
Tweak CS2 Settings After Install
Once CS2 is running, a couple of quick settings changes make a bigger difference than any in-game tweak:
- Viewmodel: The default gun position does not match CS:GO’s legacy feel. See my guide on how to change your viewmodel in CS2.
- 4:3 stretched or black bars: If you came from CS:GO and miss the stretched resolution, follow how to play CS2 in 4:3 with black bars or stretched.
- Enable the Ultimate Performance power plan — see my Ultimate Performance guide. It smooths out 1% lows on laptops in particular.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Counter-Strike 2 free to play?
Yes. CS2 is free-to-play for matchmaking, casual modes, and community servers. Valve sells an optional Prime Status Upgrade that gives access to ranked matchmaking and extra item drops — it is a one-time purchase, not a subscription.
How big is the CS2 download?
Around 30 GB at the time of writing. Older guides mention a 6 GB download — that was the initial CS:GO → CS2 in-place update from September 2023. A fresh install of CS2 today pulls the full Source 2 build.
Can I still play CS:GO after installing CS2?
Officially no. Valve retired CS:GO when CS2 launched, and the Steam app ID 730 now points to CS2. There is a launch option (-csgo_legacy) that loads a minimal legacy build on community servers, but matchmaking, Prime, and skins all live on CS2 now.
Why is my CS2 download stuck or slow?
Nine times out of ten it is the Steam download region. Open Steam > Settings > Downloads and pick a different region, then restart Steam. If that does not help, temporarily pause and resume the download — Steam re-requests chunks and usually finds a faster mirror.
Will CS2 run on an old laptop with integrated graphics?
On modern integrated graphics (Intel Iris Xe, AMD Radeon 680M / 780M) it runs at 60 FPS on low settings at 1080p. Older Intel HD 620-class graphics will struggle below 30 FPS even at minimum settings. Before upgrading hardware, try Winhance to free up background resources — it often bridges the gap.
