How to Set Up a Crosshair in CS2: Commands and Codes
The crosshair is the first thing worth tailoring in CS2, because your shooting accuracy and comfort depend on it directly. This guide covers the built-in crosshair menu, every cl_crosshair command, the crosshair code sharing system, examples of pro player crosshairs, and a comparison of the menu versus the console. All commands are current for the latest Counter-Strike 2 build.
The in-game crosshair menu
The easiest way to set up a crosshair is the built-in menu. Open Settings, go to the Crosshair section, and you will see a live preview that updates in real time.
The menu exposes every key parameter: style, color, line length and thickness, gap, center dot, outline and alpha (transparency). For most players the menu fully covers their needs without ever opening the console.
- 1Open Settings from the main menu or with Esc in a match
- 2Go to the Crosshair tab
- 3Pick a style: Classic Static is the most common choice
- 4Adjust length, thickness and gap using the preview
- 5Choose a contrasting color and optionally enable the outline
- 6Copy the crosshair code with the button at the top to save or share it
Crosshair styles: cl_crosshairstyle
The style defines how the crosshair behaves during movement and shooting. It is the first thing to choose, because the style determines which commands will work at all.
Most players choose style 4, Classic Static, because it does not expand when firing and does not mislead you about the real spread.
| Value | Style | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Default | Dynamic, standard |
| 1 | Default static | Static standard |
| 2 | Classic | Classic dynamic, partly static |
| 3 | Classic dynamic | Fully dynamic, expands on movement and fire |
| 4 | Classic static | Fully static, never moves (the popular choice) |
cl_crosshairstyle 4All cl_crosshair commands
Below is a full table of the main commands for fine-tuning your crosshair via the console. You can enter them one by one or assemble a preset and paste it all at once.
To enter commands, first enable the developer console in Settings - Game - Enable Developer Console, then open it with the tilde key.
cl_crosshaircolor 5 enables manual RGB; only then do the _r, _g and _b parameters take effect.
| Command | Values | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| cl_crosshairsize | 0-10+ | Length of the crosshair lines |
| cl_crosshairthickness | 0.5-3 | Line thickness |
| cl_crosshairgap | -5 to 5 | Gap between lines in the center |
| cl_crosshairdot | 0 / 1 | Center dot |
| cl_crosshaircolor | 0-5 | Color preset (5 = custom RGB) |
| cl_crosshaircolor_r / _g / _b | 0-255 | Custom RGB color when color is 5 |
| cl_crosshairalpha | 0-255 | Crosshair transparency |
| cl_crosshair_drawoutline | 0 / 1 | Black outline around the lines |
| cl_crosshair_outlinethickness | 0-3 | Outline thickness |
| cl_crosshairgap_useweaponvalue | 0 / 1 | Gap depends on the weapon |
| cl_crosshair_t | 0 / 1 | T-shaped crosshair with no top line |
A ready preset for the console or autoexec
It is convenient to keep your favorite crosshair as a set of commands so you can quickly restore it on a new PC or after a reset. Paste the whole block into the console or add it to an autoexec.cfg file.
This example is a clean static crosshair with thin green lines, a small gap and an outline for readability on light surfaces.
cl_crosshairstyle 4
cl_crosshairsize 2
cl_crosshairthickness 1
cl_crosshairgap -2
cl_crosshairdot 0
cl_crosshaircolor 1
cl_crosshairalpha 255
cl_crosshair_drawoutline 1
cl_crosshair_outlinethickness 1Sharing crosshairs by code
CS2 has a built-in crosshair code system - a short string like CSGO-xxxxx-xxxxx-... that encodes every parameter. It is the fastest way to copy someone else's crosshair or transfer your own.
To share a crosshair, press the copy button (Export / Share) in the crosshair menu. To apply someone else's code, press Import and paste the string.
Crosshair codes are compatible between CS:GO and CS2, so old CS:GO codes usually still work.
- 1Open Settings - Crosshair
- 2To export, press the copy code button at the top of the panel
- 3Send the CSGO-... string to another player
- 4To import, press the paste button and insert the code from your clipboard
- 5The crosshair applies instantly and can still be edited manually
Pro player crosshair examples
Pro crosshairs are a good starting point, but not a rule. It is worth trying a few and keeping the one that feels best to you. Below are averaged working presets in the style of popular approaches.
A small crosshair with a dot takes getting used to but improves accuracy on distant targets.
| Style | size | thickness | gap | dot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimal dot | 1 | 1 | -3 | 1 |
| Thin classic | 2 | 0.5 | -2 | 0 |
| Standard readable | 3 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Large for beginners | 5 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
cl_crosshairstyle 4
cl_crosshairsize 1
cl_crosshairthickness 1
cl_crosshairgap -3
cl_crosshairdot 1
cl_crosshaircolor 4Console versus menu: which to choose
The menu is better for the initial setup: you see the preview right away and do not have to memorize commands. The console and autoexec win when you need to transfer a crosshair quickly, set rare parameters precisely, or keep several presets.
The ideal path is to set the base in the menu, copy the code as a backup, and make fine adjustments with commands. That way you get both clarity and control.
- Menu - visual preview and simplicity
- Crosshair code - instant sharing and backup
- Console - targeted tweaks to specific parameters
- autoexec.cfg - automatic application on every launch