Input lag in CS2 on Windows 11 is one of the most frustrating issues competitive players face. Your mouse moves, but the crosshair seems to follow a fraction of a second later. This disconnect destroys aim consistency. Here's how to systematically eliminate it.
Disable Fullscreen Optimizations
Windows 11 applies Fullscreen Optimizations to all games by default, converting exclusive fullscreen to borderless internally and adding a frame of latency. To disable it: right-click cs2.exe → Properties → Compatibility → check Disable fullscreen optimizations.
Mouse and USB Settings
- Set your mouse to 1000Hz polling rate
- Disable Enhance Pointer Precision in Windows mouse settings
- Plug your mouse into a USB 3.0 rear port directly on the motherboard
- In Device Manager, set your USB Root Hub to never turn off to save power
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See Services →NVIDIA / AMD Driver Settings
In the NVIDIA Control Panel: set Power Management Mode to Prefer Maximum Performance, disable V-Sync globally, and set Low Latency Mode to Ultra. For AMD: enable Anti-Lag in Radeon Software and set power profile to performance mode.
Windows 11 Gaming Mode and Background Apps
Go to Settings → Gaming → Game Mode and test with it both on and off. More importantly, close all background applications before playing — browsers, Discord overlays, streaming software, and antivirus scans all steal CPU time that should go to CS2.