How to Watch Demos in CS2 - Record & Download

By default, CS2 saves your demo files within the game’s installation directory, typically under the ‘replays’ folder. If you downloaded your demo from an external source, move it to the Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\csgo directory.

This location is crucial because CS2’s console commands can only access files placed in this specific folder.

1. Open CS2 and bring up the Developer Console by pressing the tilde key (~).
2. Type: playdemo demo_name (Replace demo_name with the actual filename of your demo, without the .dem extension)
3. Or for advanced controls, type: demoui

The DemoUI interface allows you to:

• Play/Pause the demo
• Fast-forward or Rewind using the timeline slider
• Change Player Perspective by clicking Next/Previous Player
• View Through GOTV Mode for a free camera experience

Console commands are the easiest way to record demos in CS2. Here’s how to get started:

1. Launch CS2 and open Settings
2. Navigate to the Game tab and enable Developer Console (~)

1. Open the console by pressing the ~ key
2. Type: record demo_name (replace with your chosen name)
3. Play your match as usual – CS2 will record everything until you stop it

When you’re finished recording, open the console again and type: stop

Your demo will be saved to: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike 2\csgo\replays

1. Open CS2 and click Watch Matches from the main menu
2. Select Your Matches to view your recent game replays
3. Click the Download button next to any match you want to save

To share your demos with friends or the community:

• Locate the .dem file in your CS2 directory
• Upload it to a cloud service like Google Drive or Dropbox
• Share the download link with others

If you encounter problems with downloading your matches, try these solutions:

• Check your internet connection – Make sure you have a stable connection
• Restart CS2 – Sometimes a simple game restart can fix download issues
• Verify storage space – Ensure you have enough disk space available
• Verify game files – Use Steam’s option to check for corrupted files
• Update your game – Make sure CS2 is fully updated to the latest version

1. Log in to your Steam account through a web browser
2. Select Games
3. Find and click on Counter-Strike 2
4. Click on Personal Game Data under Premier Matches
5. Choose the specific game you want to analyze
6. Click the Download GOTV Replay button

The downloaded replay should be placed in your csgo directory for viewing.

1. Go to FACEIT’s website and log in to your account
2. Click on your match history (under the “Matches” tab)
3. Select the match you want to review
4. Scroll down and look for the “Download GOTV Demo” button
5. Download the .dem file to your PC

CS2 doesn’t let you open demos from anywhere—you need to place the file in the correct directory:

1. Find your CS2 game folder. It’s usually located at: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\csgo
2. Move the .dem file into the csgo folder

1. Launch CS2 and open the console (~ key)
   • If the console isn’t enabled, go to Settings > Game > Enable Developer Console and turn it on
2. In the console, type: playdemo your_demo_name (Replace your_demo_name with the actual name of the .dem file, without including the .dem extension)

If you just want to review key moments without watching the whole match, FACEIT offers Matchroom Highlights:

1. Go to your match page on FACEIT
2. Click on Highlights to view key moments automatically clipped from your game

While not as detailed as watching the full demo, it’s a quick way to analyze your performance highlights.

• Start Recording: Open the developer console in-game and type record [demo_name] to begin recording
• Stop Recording: To stop and save the demo, type stop in the console

• Timestamp Tracking: Shows elapsed and total time
• Round Navigation: Easily jump to the beginning of the current round or move to previous/next rounds
• Player Cycling: Use mouse clicks or number keys to cycle through player perspectives
• Camera Modes: Switch between first-person, third-person, and free-camera views with the Space bar
• Tactical Overview: Press the Q key to open a map view showing all players’ positions
• Scoreboard Access: View the match scoreboard with the Tab key

• Watch from multiple perspectives – View important rounds from both your POV and opponents’ to understand what you missed
• Use slow motion for fast-paced encounters to analyze aiming and movement mechanics in detail
• Study the tactical overview (press Q) to understand positioning and rotations
• Take notes on specific situations where you could improve decision-making
• Focus on deaths – Always rewatch your deaths to understand what went wrong

Upload the .dem file to a file-sharing platform and share the download link. Ensure the recipient knows how to place it in the correct folder for viewing.

Sometimes, major updates break demo compatibility. Check if third-party tools like Noesis offer backward compatibility.

Noesis offers a free tier for basic demo analysis. CS2Lens provides free demo playback with advanced features available via subscription.

Match demos in Your Matches are typically stored for 21 days. Download important demos to keep them permanently.

Reputable tools like Noesis and JumpThrow.gg prioritize user privacy. Always download from official websites.

Ensure your game is updated, restart CS2, and check for any errors preventing the download.

To play a FACEIT demo in CS2, download the .dem file from your match page on the FACEIT website. Move it to your CS2 game folder (steamapps/common/Counter-Strike Global Offensive/game/csgo), then launch CS2 and open the console. Type playdemo demo_name (without .dem) to start playback.

CS2 doesn’t have a round-skip feature, so you have to manually jump using ticks. First, play the demo with playdemo demo_name, then use demo_gototick X to skip to a specific moment. If you don’t know the exact tick, you may need to fast-forward using demo_timescale X and pause when you reach the right round.