Image via Valve Software Press Kit

How to Switch Hands in CS:GO Guide

We totally didn't make a scientific disertation out of this console command guide.

Switching the hand you hold your weapons in CS:GO is not complicated, but the option for it does not seem to exist in the game settings menu of CS:GO. Here’s what you need to know, including whether you can switch hands in CS2 or not.

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How to Move Weapon in CS:GO to Left or Right Hand

CS2 Update!

It is not possible to switch hands in CS2 right now. There is much speculations on the reason behind this, but Valve hasn’t made any official statements. We can only hope that this will be implemented down the line because there are players who have been playing with cl_righthand 0 for about a quarter of a century.

To switch the ViewModel hand in CS:GO, follow these steps:

  • Open the Console in CS:GO by pressing the ~ key on your keyboard (check the linked guide if this doesn’t work).
  • Use the console command cl_righthand 0 to switch the ViewModel to the left-hand side.
  • Use the console command cl_righthand 1 to switch it back to the right-hand side.

You can also bind a key to make it possible to switch hands at will with a press of a button:

bind L “toggle cl_righthand 0 1”

Now, the question is, in which hand should you hold your weapon in CS:GO? The answer can be either “personal preference” or “science.”

In Which Hand Should I Hold My Weapon in CS:GO?

It’s common for left-handed people to hold the weapon in their left hand, and right-handed people will hold the weapon in their right hand. However, what about ambidextrous people? And is there any scientific reason for you to hold the weapon in either of the hands specifically? There have been some talks about “Dominant Eye,” and we’re here to explain that as well.

How to See Which of Your Eyes is Dominant

To determine which eye is dominant in your case, you can perform a simple and quick test:

  1. Make a small hole with your hands by touching your thumbs and index fingers together, or you can create a small circle with your thumb and index finger.
  2. With both of your eyes open, focus on an object through this hole so that you can barely see the object.
  3. Look at the object with one eye, keeping the other closed.
  4. If the object stays in view when you look at it with one eye but disappears when you look at it with the other, the eye that keeps the object in view is your dominant eye.

Knowing which eye is dominant can be helpful in many activities, including shooting. Now, as an ambidextrous person, I opted to hold the weapon in my left hand in CS:GO because my right eye is the dominant one. It’s perhaps a placebo effect, but I find it easier to have the right side of my screen clear of useless stuff.

How to Change the Position and Size of Your Weapon on Your Screen in CS:GO

There are a few commands that you can use in the Console of CS:GO to change the position and size of your weapon on the screen.

  1. viewmodel_fov: This command sets the field of view for the ViewModel (the gun and hands in first-person view).
    The minimum value is 54, and the maximum value is 68. If you keep this value low, the gun will be closer to you and will take up less space.
  2. viewmodel_offset_x: This command sets the horizontal position of the ViewModel. Negative values move the ViewModel to the center of the screen, and positive values move it to the right/left edge of the screen, depending on which hand you’re holding the gun in. Values are between -2 and 2.5. If you hold it at -2, your gun will be at the center of the screen, occupying just the bottom part of your screen.
  3. viewmodel_offset_y: This command sets the vertical position of the ViewModel. Negative values move the ViewModel down to you (similar to the viewmodel_fov command), and positive values move it away from you. The value range is between -2 and 2, and keeping it at -2 keeps the gun very close to you.
  4. viewmodel_offset_z: This command sets the distance between the “projected” position of the eyes of your player model and the gun ViewModel, or, to put it in different words, the height of your gun. Negative values move the ViewModel down, and positive values move it up. The value range is between -2 and 2, and moving it close to 2 makes you look like you’re aiming down the sights, and keeping it low puts the gun down.

If you are new to CS2, you may want to learn what the circle is around you on the CS2 map radar.


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About the Author

Nikola L

Nikola has been a Staff Writer at Prima Games since May 2022. He has been gaming since being able to hold an Amiga 500 joystick on his own, back in the early 90s (when gaming was really good!). Nikola has helped organize dozens of gaming events and tournaments and has been professionally attached to gaming since 2009.