TF2 launch options: how to set them and what each one does
A launch option is a word that Steam hands to Team Fortress 2 when it starts the game. Launch options set things such as the DirectX level and the window mode, and turn off parts of the startup. This page shows where to type them and what each one does.
How to set launch options in TF2
- Open the properties. In your Steam library, right-click Team Fortress 2 and choose Properties.
- Find the box. It is on the General page, under Launch Options.
- Type the options. Put a space between each:
-novid -nojoy. - Close the window and start the game.
To remove a launch option, delete it from the same box.
Launch options to start with
mastercomfig's docs recommend this line: -novid -nojoy -nosteamcontroller -nohltv -particles 1. They give a reason for each option.
| Launch option | What it does |
|---|---|
-novid | Skips the Valve video at startup, which saves time. |
-nojoy | Does not start the joystick system: a faster start and less memory used. |
-nosteamcontroller | Does not start the Steam controller system: a faster start, less memory used and fewer input conflicts. |
-nohltv | Turns off SourceTV hosting, which uses fewer resources. |
-particles 1 | Limits the number of beam particles to the lowest count, 512. |
-dxlevel and -vulkan
-dxlevel sets the DirectX level the game draws with. These options are for Windows: on macOS and Linux the game picks the level itself and it cannot be set.
| Launch option | What it does |
|---|---|
-dxlevel 90 | DirectX 9 with Pixel Shader 2.0b. Lower graphics quality. |
-dxlevel 100 | DirectX 9+ with Pixel Shader 3.0. The highest graphics quality. Start the game once with -dxlevel 95 before you use it. |
-vulkan | The highest graphics quality, drawn with Vulkan through DXVK. Start the game once with -dxlevel 95 before you use it. |
Use -dxlevel for one start, then remove it. Start the game with it once, close the game and delete the option. mastercomfig's docs say that keeping it causes graphics settings that do not apply, slow loading and freezes. They also say that -vulkan improves input latency and fixes some graphics bugs, with a trade-off that depends on your system and drivers.
The setting mat_dxlevel holds the current DirectX level, and its help text in the game says that competitive play requires at least mat_dxlevel 90.
DirectX 8 can still be set with a launch option; the wiki gives 80 to 100 as the values -dxlevel takes. mastercomfig's docs advise against it: more input lag, lower FPS, crashes, and no proper support for water and skins. They also note reports that it stopped working after the 64-bit update.
Window, resolution and refresh rate
| Launch option | What it does |
|---|---|
-windowed | Starts the game in a window. |
-noborder | Takes the border off the window. With -windowed it gives a borderless window that can fill the screen. |
-fullscreen | Starts the game in fullscreen. |
-w <number> -h <number> | Sets the width and height of the game in pixels, such as -w 1024 -h 576. |
-small | Allows resolutions smaller than 640x480. |
-freq <number> | Sets the refresh rate in Hz, for a monitor the game does not detect: -freq 144. |
-displayindex <number> | macOS and Linux: picks the monitor. 0 is the primary display and the default. |
mastercomfig's docs recommend the video options in the game for the resolution. -w and -h are for sizes those options do not list.
Other TF2 launch options
| Launch option | What it does |
|---|---|
-console | Opens the console when the game starts. |
-nostartupsound | Turns off the music of the main menu. |
-no_texture_stream | Turns off texture streaming, which shows lower quality textures while the full ones load. |
-autoconfig | Resets the graphics quality to what the game recommends for your hardware. Remove it after the first start. |
-audiolanguage english | Plays the voice lines in English when the game is set to another language. |
-precachefontchars | Prepares the common characters of the fonts ahead of time. |
-enablefakeip | Uses a reserved IP address in place of your own. |
-nouserclip | Uses software clipping in place of hardware clip planes. FPS goes up or down depending on the system. |
-nosound | Turns the sound off. |
+exec <file>.cfg | Runs that config file when the game starts. |
Launch options for a HUD or a config
Neither needs one. A custom HUD loads from its folder in tf/custom, and autoexec.cfg runs on its own when the game starts. +exec is for a config file with another name. The TF2 config maker writes an autoexec.cfg for you.
Where this comes from
The steps in Steam and what the options do are from the Team Fortress 2 wiki and from mastercomfig's docs, which are also the source of the recommended line, the advice on -dxlevel and the help text of mat_dxlevel.
Next
Change the settings that are not launch options in the TF2 console commands guide, set your FOV and viewmodel, or pick a TF2 HUD.