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How to open the CSGO console

Here's how to get started with the command console in CS:GO

A CS:GO player holds a table showing a map divided into hexagonal sections in the Danger Zone game mode.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Valve

Want to know how to enable and open the console in CS:GO? If you want to get serious about Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, then you should spend at least a bit of time using the developer console. While many settings in CS:GO are easily accessible from - you guessed it - the Settings menu, there's a wealth of other useful options that can be enabled or disabled just by typing a few commands in the CS:GO console.

Follow this quick guide below to learn how to get started with the command console in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. We'll walk you through how to enable the console for the first time, how to input commands, and how to rebind your console hotkey to help you use it more easily.

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How to open the CSGO console

Here's how to easily open the CS:GO console from in-game:

  1. Launch CS:GO and click the cog icon to open Settings.
  2. Click on the "Game" tab at the top.
  3. Set the "Enable Developer Console" dropdown to "YES".
  4. Close the Settings menu.
  5. Hit the ~ key on your keyboard to bring up the CS:GO console.
A screenshot of the Settings menu in CS:GO, with the steps to enable the console marked with yellow squares and numbers.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Valve

Once you've set "Enable Developer Console" to "YES" in the Settings menu, you can use the ~ hotkey to open and close the command console whenever you like once you're in a match.


How to rebind your console key in CSGO

You can also rebind the hotkey to open the CS:GO console to something that's easier for you to use. To do this, head back into the Settings menu but this time click on the "Keyboard / Mouse" tab.

A screenshot of the Settings menu in CS:GO, with the steps to rebind the console hotkey marked with yellow squares and numbers.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Valve

Scroll down to the "UI Keys" section, and click on the button next to "Toggle Console". Then hit whichever key you'd like to become your new console hotkey. And that's it! Now you can use your chosen key instead of the default ~ key to open and close the console in CS:GO.


How to use CSGO console commands

Once you have the CS:GO console enabled, you can open it up to input any number of console commands you like. In the text box at the bottom of the console, you can type any console command you like before either hitting Enter or clicking the "Submit" button.

A screenshot of the developer console in CS:GO.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Valve

There are a great many different commands that you can enter into CS:GO's console, including useful options for customising your crosshair, changing the CS:GO radar settings, controlling custom maps, and even improving your performance and FPS. To learn more, check out our up-to-date CS:GO best settings guide.


And that's all you need to know in order to start using the powerful CS:GO console to change everything about your game! If you want more useful tips and tricks on Valve's venerable squad FPS, check out our Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tips and tricks. Alternatively you could consult our guide on how to control recoil in CS:GO, or on the best CS:GO launch options to use to give yourself an edge in fights.

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Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Mac

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About the Author
Ollie Toms avatar

Ollie Toms

Guides Editor

Ollie is sheriff of Guidestown at RPS, and since joining the team in 2018, he's written over 1,000 guides for the site. He loves playing dangerously competitive games and factory sims, injuring himself playing badminton, and burying his face in the warm fur of his two cats.

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