Where Are CS2 Demo Files Located?
CS2 demo folder on Windows and Linux, where downloaded .dem matches and manual console recordings land.
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CS2 keeps demos inside the old CSGO install tree. The default Windows path is Steam/steamapps/common/Counter-Strike Global Offensive/game/csgo, with a replays subfolder for matchmaking files. Linux mirrors it under the Steam compat path.
Downloaded matches arrive compressed and expand to .dem. FACEIT and third party files work if you drop them into the same folder. Watch them with the console command playdemo plus the file name. Keep matchmaking files in replays for order. Bz2 archives open directly in modern viewers.
Where Counter-Strike 2 stores this, by platform
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\csgo
Install tree demos. Matchmaking files favor replays, manual records sit in csgo root. Adjust the drive prefix if Steam lives elsewhere.
~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/Counter-Strike Global Offensive/game/csgo
Same csgo tail under the Linux Steam path. FACEIT and LAN .dem files play from here with playdemo.
Frequently asked questions
How do I download a matchmaking demo?
Open Watch then Your Matches in game and click the download icon. The .dem file drops into the csgo folder tree. Copy it out for archiving. Enable the console to play it back with playdemo.
How do I control demo playback?
Type demoui in the console during playback. It opens transport controls for ticks, rounds and speed. Use clear file names with date and map so archives stay searchable.
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