TL;DR
- CSGO config files belong in Steam’s userdata folder under your unique SteamID
- Find your SteamID through Steam inventory trade offers or userdata folder inspection
- Always prioritize userdata storage over shared folders to prevent data loss
- Verify file extensions are visible and correctly formatted as .cfg
- Use specific troubleshooting steps for practice configs and autoexec files

Every Counter-Strike: Global Offensive enthusiast, regardless of skill level, encounters the same fundamental challenge. The gaming community maintains an intense focus on configuration files, autoexec scripts, and professional player settings, yet consistently struggles with file placement memory. The question “Where should I save my configuration file?” echoes through countless gaming sessions across the competitive spectrum.
Valve complicated matters by altering the default storage location in recent updates. While WIN.gg provides comprehensive resources on autoexec creation, custom configurations, and optimal CSGO settings, the practical file storage location remains unclear for many players.
The definitive answer is:
- C:Program Files (x86)SteamuserdataSTEAMID730localcfg
This straightforward path resolves the core issue. However, if you’re uncertain about initial steps, unfamiliar with your SteamID, or lack experience with CSGO’s file system, continue reading for detailed guidance.
Storing your files in the specified directory guarantees consistent functionality. When a practice configuration or autoexec script fails to operate correctly, users can at least confirm proper file placement.
Unless maintaining identical settings across multiple accounts, this pathway represents the exclusive recommended location. Alternative approaches receive discussion later, but files stored through those methods face permanent deletion risks and aren’t advised.
How do you actually reach this directory? Steam provides no official guidance for custom CSGO configuration placement, so here’s the complete procedural breakdown.
- Launch Steam, perform right-click action on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, then choose “Properties” option
- Select the “Local Files” tab and click the initial choice labeled “BROWSE LOCAL FILES…”
- A fresh window will appear displaying file listings.
Steam has accessed the Counter-Strike installation directory, but this isn’t the “userdata” folder location. Having reached this point, however, progression becomes simple. Directly above the file display appears a pathway resembling this structure:
- This PC > Local Disk > Program Files (86x) > Steam > Steamapps > common > Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Click the “Steam” directory. This contains the “userdata” folder, typically the final substantial directory before Counter-Strike’s text files commence. Locate and open the “userdata” directory.
The “userdata” directory contains one or multiple folders as illustrated previously. Each bears numerical identification, representing a Steam Account’s unique SteamID.
Your subsequent actions depend entirely on the quantity of visible folders:
- Single folder presence: Consider yourself fortunate. The folder’s name corresponds to your SteamID numerical value. Record this number and retain it securely.
- Multiple folder existence resembling the earlier image, remain calm; “How do I locate my SteamID?” ranks as Counter-Strike’s second most frequently asked question.
Here’s the most efficient method for users to identify their SteamID:
- Open Steam and access your profile’s Inventory section
- Click the blue “Trade Offers” button positioned upper right corner
- Scroll downward to “Third-Party Sites” adjacent to “Who can send me Trade Offers”
- Within that segment appears a URL. The numerical sequence between “?partner=” and “#&token” represents your SteamID. Format appears as: “https://steamcommunity.com/tradeoffer/new/?partner=NUMBER&token=xxxxxx.
- Document the number and return to the “userdata” directory.
Users must locate the folder matching their SteamID and proceed opening three additional directories in this sequence:
- SteamID > 730 > local > cfg
Ensure file extensions .cfg and .txt remain visible. Consult the troubleshooting segment below if extension visibility is absent. Insert your configuration file or autoexec script here and configuration completes successfully.
Primarily, this alternative approach receives no endorsement. Implemented this way, a clean CSGO installation erases all contents within this directory. When stored in “userdata,” a player’s Counter-Strike configurations, settings, and autoexec scripts survive clean installation processes intact.
Should users accept this hazard, we exclusively recommend positioning practice configurations within the shared location:
- C:Program Files (x86)SteamsteamappscommonCounter-Strike Global Offensivecsgocfg
To verify procedural success, execute the practice configuration command across both accounts. If operational, functionality should persist until Counter-Strike undergoes uninstallation or reinstallation.
Beyond file loss potential, the paramount reason configurations should remain in the user’s designated folder involves CSGO’s execution sequence during game initialization.
The system processes the generic config.cfg file initially, followed by any autoexec.cfg file, then examines the primary CSGO directory. By situating files within the main CSGO folder, users jeopardize overwriting their keybinds and personalized settings.
Practice configurations present straightforward diagnostic opportunities. When entering “exec configname.cfg” through the console fails to process the file, attempt these procedures:
- Confirm the config resides in the proper directory. If positioned in the CSGO installation folder, users should transfer it to the recommended location and retry console execution. WIN.gg offers comprehensive weapon configuration guidance that encompasses commands for operating practice files.
- Potential exists for outdated commands within the file that CSGO no longer supports or conflicts with existing settings. WIN.gg published fundamental practice configuration templates for user experimentation here. Simply perform copy and paste operations into a text editor and preserve.
- Filename selection proves unimportant, but the “.cfg” suffix remains critical. If the stored file appears as configname.cfg.txt, then navigate back to this directory:
- C:Program Files (x86)SteamuserdataSTEAMID730localcfg
- Select view option in the upper-left corner
- Activate the checkbox labeled “File Name Extensions.”
- Re-save the file and conduct testing.
Resolving autoexec issues constitutes a completely distinct procedure, but WIN.gg maintains exhaustive autoexec creation and administration resources that assist novice and returning gamers ensure proper functionality.
Action Checklist
- Locate your SteamID through inventory trade offers or userdata folder inspection
- Navigate to userdata/STEAMID/730/local/cfg directory
- Verify file extensions are visible and properly formatted
- Place configuration files in correct directory and test functionality
- Execute practice configs through console commands and verify proper operation
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