How to switch to left hand in CS2

Lefties rejoice!

CS2 player holding a deagle on Dust 2's A bomb site
Screenshot by Dot Esports

The ability to switch between each weapon hand has been a long-requested feature in Counter-Strike 2 after its sudden disappearance following the launch of the sequel.

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There are numerous benefits to switching from the default right-hand to the left-handed model, and as such, many players want to know just how to switch between the two.

Here’s everything you need to know to switch your viewmodel to left hand in CS2.

How to switch to left hand view model in CS2

CS2 player holding AK in left hand on Dust 2
No angles will go unchecked. Screenshot by Dot Esports

You can switch between right and left-hand viewmodels in CS2 by pressing H. This is bound to H by default and you can change the key by following the steps below:

  1. Open the Settings menu.
  2. Click on the Keyboard / Mouse tab and scroll down to the third option, Weapon Keys.
  3. Select Switch Viewmodel Left/Right Hand and input your desired key.

The left-hand viewmodel is back in Counter-Strike on April 25 after months of anticipation. You can either use the default key to switch to the left hand in Counter-Strike 2 or bind the toggle to a different key.

CS2 received a major update on April 25 that not only reintroduced Dust 2 into the Active Duty pool but also added one of the most requested features from CS:GO—left-hand viewmodel. Unlike CS:GO, Valve has made it easier for players to access this feature and lets them use a new console command as well.

CS2 left hand command

Like CS:GO, you can also use a console command to switch hands in CS2:

  1. Press the tilde (~) to open the console.
  2. Type “switchhands” and press Enter to switch your viewmodel.
  3. If you wish to bind this then type “bind <key> switchhands.” For example, if you want to bind the viewmodel toggle to P, input “bind p switchhands” and hit Enter.

We’ve also tested the old command cl_righthand 0 in CS2 and it doesn’t work. It’s worth noting that if you bind a new key, you can use both the default and new key to swap hands.

Console open in CS2 with bind command to toggle between left and right viewmodels
New command is here to switch to the left viewmodel. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Why is left-hand view model good in CS2?

Your aim can improve depending on which side your gun sits on. If you are right-eye dominant, your weapon should be sitting on the left-hand side, thus opening up a larger portion of that side of your screen. Left eye dominance requires the gun to sit on the right-hand side. Or you can be the lucky few without a dominant eye, meaning you can place it on either side.

Additionally, many players including pros like Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev switched to the left-hand viewmodel in CS:GO to clear angles efficiently. If there’s a tight corner being blocked by your weapon’s viewmodel, quickly swapping to the other hand helps you see more of that area on your screen.

How to find out if you have a dominant eye

To tell if you have a dominant eye, find a spot on the wall further than an arm’s length away. Place one hand on top of the other, making a triangle shape. Make a small gap in between your thumbs and line up the spot on the wall.

Then, close one eye and see if the position changes at all. Do this test with both eyes, and the one that remains the closest is your dominant eye.

Author
Image of Harrison Thomas
Harrison Thomas
CS:GO, Overwatch, and Valorant Staff Writer - Played CS:GO since 2012 and keep a close eye on other titles. Give me a game and I'll write about it. Ranks are private information. Contact harry@dotesports.com
Author
Image of Nikhil Bahuguna
Nikhil Bahuguna
Nikhil is a freelance writer who’s been writing about games since 2020. In his free time, you can find Nikhil setting a red carpet in Valorant.