Reset Video Settings and Force a Video Mode

Article ID: 1216-JMTZ-0860

How do I set the autoconfig launch option?

The -autoconfig launch option will allow Steam to configure the game with the best settings for use on your machine.

1. Open Steam
2. Go to the My Games tab
3. Right-click the game which needs to be reconfigured
4. Select Properties from the menu
5. Click the Set launch options... button
6. Add -autoconfig at the end of the line, be sure to include a space before the "-" and anything before it

How do I reset the video settings?

If the -autoconfig launch option does not resolve the issue, use the links below to reset the video settings to their defaults (low resolution, highest refresh rate) and launch a game:

Source-engine Games

• Half-Life 2
• Counter-Strike: Source
• Half-Life: Source
• Day of Defeat: Source
• Half-Life 2: Deathmatch
• Half-Life Deathmatch: Source
• Half-Life 2: Episode One
• SiN Episodes: Emergence

GoldSrc-engine Games

• Counter-Strike
• Team Fortress Classic
• Day of Defeat
• Deathmatch Classic
• Opposing Force
• Ricochet
• Half-Life
• Condition Zero
• Half-Life: Blue Shift

How do I force a working DirectX level?

If the game fails to load with the default settings, you will need to test for a working DirectX level and video mode.

Force a DirectX level

This process may help with some older video cards - some users report the game will run faster, as well:

1. Open Steam
2. Go to the My Games tab
3. Right-click the game which needs to be reconfigured
4. Select Properties from the menu
5. Click the Set launch options... button
6. Add one of the DirectX level launch options specified below - be sure to include a space before the "-" and anything before it.

DirectX Level Launch Options

• -dxlevel 90 (DirectX v9.0)
• -dxlevel 81 (DirectX v8.1)
• -dxlevel 80 (DirectX v8.0)
• -dxlevel 70 (DirectX v7.0)

How do I force a video mode?

Follow these instructions to configure your video mode and resolution before launching a game:

1. Open Steam
2. Go to the My Games tab
3. Right-click the game which needs to be reconfigured
4. Select Properties from the menu
5. Click the Set launch options... button
6. Add -gl at the end of the line, be sure to include a space before the "-" and anything before it.
7. Specify the appropriate Video Mode and Video Option switches from the lists below

Video Mode Launch Options

Use the -w # switch (where "#" is a number from the list below) to specify the display resolution:

• 640 (640x480) - GoldSource
• 720 (720x576)
• 800 (800x600)
• 1024 (1024x768) - This mode offers the best performance for most cards
• 1152 (1152x864)
• 1280 (1280x1024) - This mode is optimal for high-end cards
• 1600 (1600x1200) - This mode requires a high-end monitor and a high-performance card

Notes on Display Resolution Settings

Higher resolutions will affect the Frames Per Second which your machine can display (800x600 & up)

640x480 resolution may run slower than 800x600 resolution on newer video cards.

Supported Video Options

• -d3d use the Direct3D engine - GoldSrc Only
• -gl use the OpenGL engine - GoldSrc Only
• -soft use the Software engine
• -width # (where "#" is the width in pixels of desired video mode) sets the video mode width
• -w # (see the Supported Video Modes list above)
• -fullscreen or -full use Full Screen mode (default)
• -startwindowed / -sw / -windowed / -window / -win use the Window display mode (game appears as a window on the desktop)