Few things can be as frustrating as technical issues disrupting your CS2 matches, and the age-old fix for most of them is to simply reinstall the game. However, the transition of CS:GO to CS2 has left some lingering residue, making a smooth reinstallation process challenging for many players. So, if you’re looking for a clear guide on how to properly reinstall CS2 from Steam, you’re in the right place!
How To Reinstall CS2?
Reinstalling CS2 from Steam can be a bit tricky, but don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. Here are the steps you need to follow to properly reinstall CS2:
- Launch Steam.
- From the top bar of the menu, select the Library tab to view your games.
- In the left sidebar, find Counter-Strike 2.
- Right-click on the game and choose Manage → Browse Local Files. This should open up File Explorer, where the local game files are stored. Keep this folder open in the background and move on to the next step.
- Return to Steam and go to the Library tab.
- Right-click on the game and choose Manage → Uninstall.
- A prompt will appear asking you to confirm your choice. Click Uninstall.
- Now, return to the CS2 local files folder that you opened in File Explorer in Step 4.
- Press Ctrl + A to select all the files and press Delete. Please note that this will delete all your game files, including custom maps, skins, and autoexec config files. So, make sure to back up any important files before proceeding.
- Now, return to Steam and click on the Store tab.
- Search for Counter-Strike 2 in the search bar.
- Once on the Counter-Strike 2 page, scroll down a bit and click on the Play Now button.
- Select the drive in which you want to download the game and press Install.
And voila! You’ve now successfully installed a fresh copy of CS2. However, while you can start playing after completing the process, we’d recommend doing the optional steps below to verify the integrity of the game cache for the smoothest CS2 experience possible:
- Launch Steam and visit the Library tab
- Find Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and right-click on it to select Properties.
- In the Installed Files tab, click on the Verify integrity of game files button and wait for the process to finish.
- Once completed, click on the Steam logo on the top-left corner of the screen and select Exit.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch Task Manager.
- In the Details tab, click anywhere and press S to jump to file names starting from this letter.
- If you find any Steam operation running, click on it and press the End Task button.
Double-checking the CS2 game file integrity is a good way to avoid file corruption and fix a variety of errors, including packet loss and micro stuttering.
Final Thoughts
The CS2 reinstallation process through Steam remains the same as it is for most games. However, going through the extra steps of removing old CS:GO files and verifying the integrity of the new ones ensures a smooth reinstallation process while minimizing potential bugs and issues.