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How to Change Crosshair on Key Press in CS2: Complete Guide

In Counter-Strike 2, the ability to quickly and accurately change your crosshair mid-game is a crucial skill for adapting to different situations. Switching between a static crosshair for precise shots and a dynamic one for mobility can significantly boost your performance. This guide explains how to bind crosshair profiles to hotkeys.

Method 1: Using Console Commands (The Most Flexible Method)

This is the most powerful and recommended method, allowing you to create multiple crosshair profiles and switch them with a single key press.

Enable the Console. Go to Settings -> Game -> Enable Developer Console (~). Set it to Yes.

Create and Configure Your Crosshairs. First, set up two different crosshairs either in the game menu (Settings -> Game -> Crosshair) or using console commands. Remember their profile numbers (e.g., 1 for Static, 2 for Dynamic).

Bind Commands to Keys. Open the console (~) and enter the following commands, replacing KEY with your desired key and N with the profile number:

text
bind "KEY" "crosshairprofilenumber 1" // E.g., for a static crosshair
bind "KEY" "crosshairprofilenumber 2" // E.g., for a dynamic crosshair
The more popular legacy method using alias:
Many players use an alias system to create a one-key toggle.

Enable crosshair saving: Type cl_crosshair_save_preferences 1 in the console.

Create aliases and binds: Copy and paste the following block of commands into the console. This setup will create a toggle on the H key that cycles through three crosshair presets.

text
alias ch1 "crosshairprofilenumber 1; alias chswitch ch2; playvol items\item_drop1 0.5"
alias ch2 "crosshairprofilenumber 2; alias chswitch ch3; playvol items\item_drop2 0.5"
alias ch3 "crosshairprofilenumber 3; alias chswitch ch1; playvol items\item_drop3 0.5"
alias chswitch "ch1"
bind "h" "chswitch"
crosshairprofilenumber X — loads crosshair profile number X.

alias chswitch ch2 — redefines the command for the next switch.

playvol... — plays a sound on switch for audio feedback.

Save Settings to autoexec.cfg. To make these settings persistent after restarting the game, add all these commands to your autoexec.cfg file located in ...\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\csgo\cfg.

Method 2: Using the In-Game Settings Menu

Valve has added a more user-friendly interface for managing crosshairs in CS2.

Go to Settings -> Game -> Crosshair.

Scroll down to the Crosshair Profiles section.

Here you can create up to 5 different profiles, name them (e.g., "AWP", "Rifle", "Pistol"), and customize each one individually.

To change your crosshair during a game, you can:

Open this menu and manually select the desired profile.

Assign hotkeys for profiles: Unfortunately, you cannot directly bind a key to a specific profile through the interface. This method only creates presets. To switch between them quickly, you still need to use the console commands from Method 1 (e.g., crosshairprofilenumber 2).

Practical Application

For AWP/Sniper: Create a small, static crosshair with no gap for maximum precision.

For Rifles (AK-47, M4): Make a second crosshair slightly larger, perhaps dynamic (shrinking when firing) to help with spray control.

For Pistols or SMGs: Create a third crosshair that is more visible and bright for rapid firing at close range.

Conclusion

Using console commands and an alias system remains the most effective way to quickly switch between crosshairs in CS2. Although the game has added a convenient interface for creating profiles, activating them instantly during combat still requires the console. Set up this system once, and you'll be able to adapt your crosshair to any weapon and situation on the fly.

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