How to Watch Demos in CS2 – Record & Download

Demos and Counter-Strike have never mixed well. The feature has rarely worked as intended, and the viewing experience was horrible. However, CS2 has come out strong, and now every creator seems to be rocking their in-game stats and clips without having to succumb to third parties.

That said, this feature, to no one’s surprise, is quite hard to find. I’ve found myself in front of Reddit, just spamming “how to watch demos in CS2” to no avail. But, hey, you smack your head against a wall enough times, and the answer presents itself.

So today, I’m gonna spare you the pain, sharing what I learned about demo viewer and the watch demo feature in Counter-Strike 2!

Key Takeaways

• Record CS2 Demos Easily: Use simple console commands to record and review gameplay from multiple angles for better analysis.
• Watch & Analyze Demos: Use in-game developer commands to control playback speed, switch perspectives, and review key moments.
• Advanced Insights: Tools like SCOPE.GG, CSGO Demos Manager, and Leetify offer deeper analytics and personalized improvement tips.

What Are CS2 Demos?

CS2 demos are in-game recordings that allow you to replay matches from any player’s perspective. These files are saved as .dem files and can be shared, analyzed, or rewatched later. Demos are useful for:

• Learning from pros: Study professional player demos to enhance your skills.
• Analyzing your gameplay: Spot mistakes and improve your strategy.
• Sharing with others: Upload your best plays or funny moments.

How to Record CS2 Demos

Everyone loves analyzing their plays, right? It’s fun, it helps you learn, but best of all, it’s a free pass to some bragging rights! There’s no denying the value recording demos in CS2 can offer.

Step 1: Enable Developer Console

Console commands are the keys (and the easiest way by far) to recording your demos in CS2. Here’s how to do it:

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

Step 2: Start Recording a Demo

1. Open the console by pressing the ~ key.
2. Type the following command and hit Enter:record demo_name
3. Play your match as usual. CS2 will record everything until you stop it.

Step 3: Stop Recording

When you’re ready to stop 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

How to Download and Share Demos in CS2

To download a demo from a match:

1. Open CS2 and click Watch Matches from the main menu.
2. Select Your Matches to view recent game replays.
3. Click Download to save the demo.

To share a demo:

• Share the download link with friends or on forums.
• Upload your .dem file to a cloud service like Google Drive or Dropbox.

How to Download GOTV Replays

Another fantastic way to gain insights into your gameplay is by downloading GOTV replays, also known as GOTV demo. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Steam account through a web browser.
2. Select ‘Games’.
3. Find 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 file should be placed in the ‘csgo’ directory. Makes your life easy!

How to Watch Demos in CS2

Now that you’ve recorded your demos, it’s time to watch demos and analyze them. Though, contrary to popular belief, watching demos in CS2 is a straightforward process.

Essentially, here is what you need to do:

1. Locating Downloaded Demo Files

Locating your demo files is the first step to watching your recorded matches. 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, ensure that you move it to the ‘Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\csgo’ directory for ease of access.

2. Opening Demos with Developer Console

Once you’ve located your demo files in the program files folder, it’s time to watch them. But before that, make sure you have already downloaded demos to your system. Once done, just follow these steps:

Step 1: Access the Demo Viewer

1. Open CS2 and bring up the Developer Console (~).
2. Type:playdemo demo_name(Replace demo_name with the name of your recorded file.)
3. OR Use the command below for advanced controls:demoui

Step 2: Navigate the Demo

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.

All Demo Controls in Counter-Strike 2

In Counter-Strike 2, demo controls allow you to review and analyze gameplay by recording and replaying matches thoroughly. Here’s how to use the demo and replay controls within the game:

Recording Demos

• 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.

Playing Back Demos

• Loading Demos: To watch a recorded demo, use playdemo [demo_name] in the console. If the demo file is not in the default CS2 folder, you’ll need to provide the full path.

Navigating Demos

• Demo UI: Access the demo controls by typing demoui in the console or pressing Shift + F2. This brings up a UI for playback control.

Basic Playback Controls

• Play/Pause: Start or pause the demo playback.
• Speed Control: Adjust the playback speed to view actions in slow motion or speed them up.
• Skipping Rounds: Move forward or backward through the demo by rounds or specific time intervals.
• Spectator Controls: Choose to follow a specific player or use the free camera mode for a more comprehensive view.
• Visibility Controls: Commands like cl_draw_only_deathnotices 1 can tailor what information is displayed on the screen, focusing on death notices, for example.

Advanced Replay Controls in CS2

• Timestamp Tracking: Shows elapsed and total time.
• Instant Replay: Jump back or forward 15 seconds to review specific moments.
• Round Navigation: Easily navigate to the beginning of the current round or move to the previous or next round.
• Player Cycling: Use mouse clicks or number keys to cycle through players’ 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 for tactical analysis.
• Scoreboard Access: View the match scoreboard with the Tab key.

Going Through Different Angles and Perspectives in CS2 Demos

One of the most advantageous aspects of watching demos is the ability to view the game from different angles and perspectives before you play demos yourself.

You can cycle through different players’ perspectives using the mouse buttons or by pressing the ‘C’ key. To select a player directly, press their corresponding number key. To get a better understanding, I’d recommend you watch demo videos available online, like this one:

You can control the playback speed of the demo using the ‘speed’ command or through the extended demo viewer interface after pressing Shift+F2, enabling fast forwarding and rewinding.

How to Watch Professional Match Demos

Visit websites like HLTV.org to access a vast collection of professional CS2 match demos.

Alternatively, check esports tournament organizers’ websites like ESL.com for available match demos. Once done, do the following:

1. Choose the match demos you’re interested in and download them to your computer.
2. Extract the Files:
3. Once downloaded, the demo files will likely be in compressed archives. Use a file extraction program to extract them.
4. Locate the specified installation folder for CS2 on your computer.
5. Move the extracted demo files to this folder for viewing.

Learn More: Match Demo Has Expired CS2 Error Explained

Analyzing Demos with Third-Party Tools

While CS2 demos offer a wealth of information, third-party tools can take your analysis to the next level. Tools such as SCOPE.GG, CSGO Demos Manager, and Leetify offer enhanced capabilities, offering in-depth insights that the native demo viewer may not provide.

If you want more advanced analysis features, several third-party tools provide enhanced demo playback, statistical analysis, and more. Here are the best tools available in 2025:

Tool	Features	Website
Noesis	Upload and analyze CS2 demos, heatmaps, utility tracking.	noesis.gg
JumpThrow.gg	Crosshair customization, key bindings, pro team demo analysis.	jumpthrow.gg
CS2Lens	Professional demo replayer with performance insights.	cs2lens.com

Summary

Mastering demo recording and playback in CS2 can dramatically improve your skills and give you an edge over your opponents. Whether you’re using the built-in Demo Viewer or advanced third-party tools, consistently reviewing your gameplay is a crucial step in becoming a better player.

Frequently Asked Questions