CS 1.6 Small Crosshair: How to Set It Up and Save It

Last updated: May 6, 2026

The crosshair size in Counter-Strike 1.6 is controlled by a single console command. A small static crosshair is preferred by most experienced players because it makes precise aiming easier at medium and long range. Crosshair size does not affect bullet spread – it only changes what you see on screen.

This guide covers the correct commands, all crosshair options, and how to save the settings permanently. If your installation is missing console commands, download Counter-Strike 1.6 first.

Set Crosshair Size in CS 1.6

Open the developer console (~) and type:

cl_crosshair_size "small"

CS 1.6 has three crosshair size values:

Command	Size	Best For
cl_crosshair_size "small"	Small	Medium and long range, rifles, AWP, most competitive players
cl_crosshair_size "medium"	Medium	General purpose, balanced visibility
cl_crosshair_size "large"	Large	Close range, SMGs, beginners learning target acquisition

You can also set crosshair size via Options → Crosshair in the game menu – but the console command is faster and saves more reliably.

Make Crosshair Static

By default CS 1.6 uses a dynamic crosshair that expands when you move or shoot. Most experienced players disable this because a static crosshair is easier to aim with consistently – you always know exactly where the center is regardless of movement.

cl_dynamiccrosshair 0

Set back to dynamic:

cl_dynamiccrosshair 1

A static crosshair does not affect bullet spread – your bullets still spread when moving or spraying. It only stops the visual crosshair from expanding. This means a static small crosshair shows you the center of your screen accurately, but does not mean bullets will land there when running or jumping.

Crosshair Color Settings

Change crosshair color via console:

cl_crosshair_color "R G B"

Replace R G B with RGB values. Examples:

Color	Command
Green (default)	cl_crosshair_color "50 250 50"
Cyan	cl_crosshair_color "0 255 255"
Yellow	cl_crosshair_color "255 255 0"
White	cl_crosshair_color "255 255 255"
Red	cl_crosshair_color "255 0 0"
Orange	cl_crosshair_color "255 160 0"

Green and cyan are the most common choices because they stand out clearly against both dark and bright map areas. White can be hard to see on bright surfaces like de_dust2 sand.

Crosshair Style Options

Command	Effect
cl_crosshair_size "small"	Small crosshair lines
cl_dynamiccrosshair 0	Static – does not expand on movement
cl_crosshair_translucent 0	Solid crosshair, no transparency
cl_crosshair_translucent 1	Transparent crosshair – harder to see but less obstructive
cl_crosshairscale 2000	Scales crosshair size – higher value = smaller. Range 100-9999.

cl_crosshairscale is an advanced command that gives finer control than the three size presets. A value of 2000-3000 with cl_crosshair_size "small" produces a very tight crosshair preferred by AWP players.

Save CS 1.6 Crosshair Settings Permanently

Crosshair settings reset after joining servers because servers can overwrite your config. To save permanently:

1. Navigate to your cstrike folder:
   • Steam: Steam\steamapps\common\Half-Life\cstrike\
   • Non-Steam: Counter-Strike 1.6\cstrike\
2. Open or create userconfig.cfg with Notepad.
3. Add your crosshair settings:

   cl_crosshair_size "small"
   cl_dynamiccrosshair "0"
   cl_crosshair_color "50 250 50"
   cl_crosshair_translucent "0"
   cl_crosshairscale "2000"

4. Save the file.
5. Open config.cfg and add at the very bottom:

   exec userconfig.cfg

6. Set both files to Read-only – right-click → Properties → check Read-only.

Now your crosshair settings load every time CS 1.6 starts and survive server joins.

What Pro Players Use

Virtually all top CS 1.6 players used a small static crosshair. The reasoning is consistent – a small crosshair that does not move gives a reliable reference point for where the first bullet will land when standing still. Dynamic crosshairs that expand during movement give inaccurate visual feedback.

Standard competitive crosshair setup:

cl_crosshair_size "small"
cl_dynamiccrosshair "0"
cl_crosshair_color "50 250 50"
cl_crosshair_translucent "0"

Players who AWP specifically often use cl_crosshairscale at high values (4000-6000) to make the crosshair nearly a dot – useful for precise AWP placement where the gap between crosshair lines can cause aiming confusion.

Quick Reference

Command	Value	Effect
cl_crosshair_size	“small” / “medium” / “large”	Sets crosshair size
cl_dynamiccrosshair	0 or 1	0 = static, 1 = dynamic expanding
cl_crosshair_color	“R G B”	Sets crosshair color by RGB values
cl_crosshair_translucent	0 or 1	0 = solid, 1 = transparent
cl_crosshairscale	100-9999	Fine size control – higher = smaller