How to Change Your CS:GO FOV

Your CS:GO FOV can make a big difference to how good you are in-game, as it changes how much of your surroundings you’re able to see at once. Your FOV should also depend on how close you sit to your monitor, as it can affect eyesight. It’s about finding the balance that works for you, which can only be done through experimentation. Through two methods, we’re going to show you how to change FOV in CS:GO.

Image source: Playerassist

CS:GO FOV Console Commands

Both of the methods involved use CS:GO console commands to change your FOV. Unfortunately, CS:GO doesn’t have an extended FOV slider in its Settings Menu like many other shooters. The game has many customization options, like allowing you to find your best CS:GO crosshair, but giving too much leeway with FOV could put many players at a competitive disadvantage.

The in-game console must first be enabled before console commands can be used. You can do this by opening the in-game Settings Menu, under the Game category. You should then ensure that the ‘Enable Developer Console’ option is selected ‘Yes’. You’re ready to use the first CS:GO FOV command once this is complete.

The main way you’d change your CS:GO FOV is by using the command ‘viewmodel_fov [54 to 68]‘. This is the main CS:GO FOV command that you’ll find being edited in most CS:GO pro settings, as it is allowed for use in competitive play. It only changes the field of view of your viewmodel, so your weapon will be closer or further away from you. The default for this command is 60, although we’d recommend setting this at the highest of 68. Because of competitive restrictions, it won’t give you too much of an advantage but every little helps.

The next command changes your overall field of view. Competitive play doesn’t allow this, although it’s perfect for private matches. First enter ‘sv_cheats 1‘ into the console. Then enter the command ‘fov_cs_debug [x]‘. The value of x can be whatever you want, although values above 150 begin to have unintended side effects. For context, going much higher than 150 can turn the game world upside down.

CS:GO with 200 field of view turns the world upside down.

While it’s disappointing that this setting isn’t avaiable in competitive play, it’s understandable. CS:GO should be about a level playing field, and ultimately field of view can really affect that. It would be massive CS:GO news if Valve figured out a solution that allows a field of view slider that didn’t disadvantage some players, although we’re not holding out hope for it. For now, these solutions work.