How to Reduce Input Lag in Counter Strike 2 (5 EASY Steps)

Input lag has been a common issue with Counter-Strike 2 in the present days and it is mostly caused by your game settings. The video settings of the game cause the most amount of input lag presently in Counter-Strike 2, which can include the use of vertical sync and NVIDIA Reflex technology.

As such, to reduce the input lag in Counter-Strike 2, you will have to change your video settings. There are other instances which can contribute to the input lag in the game as well and we will be mentioning them below along with a number of remedies that you can apply to resolve the issue.

Here are 5 changes that you have to make exactly to eliminate input lag in Counter Strike 2:

1. Disable V-Sync
2. Disable Nvidia Reflex
3. Enable Low-latency Mode
4. Disable Full-screen Optimizations
5. Reset CS2’s Configurations

1. Disable Vertical Sync

Vertical Sync is a video game technology that aims to sync the frame rate of your game with the refresh rate of your monitor. This can be especially helpful when you have a higher refresh rate monitor, and face screen tearing in your gameplay. 

However, since this technology tries to sync the frame rate and refresh rate, it can cause an input lag in order to establish the sync. As such, you will need to disable vertical sync in Counter-Strike 2 to reduce the input lag. Follow the instructions below to do this:

1. First, open Counter-Strike 2 on your computer.
2. In the game menu, click on the Settings icon in the top-left corner.

   

3. After that, switch to the Video tab. 
4. Then, switch to the Advanced Video tab on the Video settings.

   

5. Finally, use the Wait for Vertical Sync menu and select Disabled.

   

2. Disable NVIDIA Reflex

Another feature that can potentially cause input lag is the NVIDIA Reflex implementation of the game. NVIDIA Reflex is a technology that is supposed to reduce the latency in your game with the help of various optimizations and measurements. However, the implementation of NVIDIA Reflex in Counter-Strike 2 seems to be inconsistent.

As such, you will need to disable the feature in your video settings to prevent the forced optimization to remove the input lag in your game. To do this, follow the instructions below:

1. First, open Counter-Strike 2 on your PC.
2. After that, go to the Settings menu via the gear icon in the top-left corner.

   

3. Go to the Video tab and then switch to the Advanced Video tab.

   

4. Then, scroll to the bottom and set NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency to Disabled.

   

3. Enable Low Latency via NVIDIA Control Panel

You can use the low latency option in the NVIDIA Control Panel to reduce the input lag in Counter-Strike 2. Low Latency Mode reduces the input lag by restricting the number of frames prepared by your processor before they are processed by the graphics card on your computer.

This is an alternative to the NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency option in the game settings and it offers better results as opposed to the mentioned feature. To enable low latency mode, follow the instructions below:

1. Start by opening the NVIDIA Control Panel on your computer. Use the Start Menu to do this.

   

2. After that, switch to the Manage 3D Settings option on the left-hand side.
3. Then, go to the Program Settings tab and click the Add option.

   

4. Then, select cs2.exe from the list to add Counter-Strike 2 to the list.

   

5. After adding Counter-Strike 2, scroll the list of options and locate Low Latency Mode.
6. Use the menu to select Ultra or On. Both these options can reduce the input lag in the game.

   

4. Disable Fullscreen Optimizations

Windows enables fullscreen optimization in the games on your computer that allows you to enjoy a fullscreen view of the game while enjoying the benefits of the windowed mode. This makes tabbing in and out of the game consistent and easier. 

This implementation can cause input lag in an FPS game like Counter-Strike 2, which is why you will need to disable it via the game’s executable properties. To do this, follow the instructions below:

1. First, open the Steam client and navigate to your Library. 
2. Then, right-click on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and choose Manage > Browse local files.

   

3. This will open the installation directory of Counter-Strike. 
4. Inside the installation folder, navigate to game > bin > win64.

   

5. Then, right-click on cs2.exe and choose Properties.

   

6. Switch to the Compatibility tab.
7. After that, tick the Disable full-screen optimizations option and hit Apply.

   

8. Click OK and test the game. 

5. Reset User Config

Finally, if none of the above methods reduces the input lag for you, it is likely your user configuration is causing the issue. In such an instance, you will need to reset the user configuration and configure your settings via the game menu. 

To reset your user config, you will need to delete the cfg folder in userdata directory in your Steam installation on your computer. Follow the instructions below to do this:

1. First, open the File Explorer window.

   

2. After that, navigate to the Steam installation directory.
3. Then, open the userdata folder.

   

4. Now, if you have used multiple Steam accounts on your computer, you will see a number of folders. You will need to find your Steam32 ID to locate the folder that corresponds to your Steam account.
5. To find your Steam32 ID, go to the Steam ID Finder website by clicking here.

   

6. Enter your Steam profile in the search bar and click Submit.
7. This will show you your Steam32 ID. 
8. After that, open the folder that corresponds to your Steam32 ID. 
9. Then, navigate to 730 > local > cfg.

   

10. Select all of the files here and delete them.

    

11. This will reset your user config. 
12. Open Counter-Strike 2 and see if you still experience input lag. 

You should be able to reduce the input lag in your game, if not completely remove it, with the remedies provided above. In most cases, the video settings of your game can result in input lag, especially when using technologies such as VSync and NVIDIA Reflex. Be mindful of these options in the future to prevent input lag in the future.