Valve added half outlines on September 23. This mode only draws the top and left portion of each outline. It can improve contrast without adding as much visual weight around the crosshair as a full border; your own preference matters.
CS2 Half-Outline Crosshair
Compare new top-left half outlines against full black outlines and no outlines on bright and dark backgrounds with a zoomable crosshair preview.
How to use it, step by step
Follow the actions below in the game and compare them with the visual tool. Where the game does not publish exact numbers, treat the previews as examples.
Choose a bright or dark scene in the tool
Switch between Full, Half and None
Increase zoom to inspect pixel edges
Test at the actual resolution you play
Save the preferred outline mode in Crosshair/Scopes
What the update actually changes
Half-outline mode draws only part of the edge around the crosshair. This can reduce visual crowding on a dark surface while keeping some edge contrast against a bright background. Pixel size, monitor sharpness, the chosen outline color and digital scaling all affect the result. A zoomed browser graphic shows edge treatment clearly, but final judgment belongs in the actual game at the monitor resolution you use.
Important: The interactive graphic is an original Walker Bex explanation—not an actual game-engine calculation, live server measurement, or official map screenshot.
Frequently asked questions
Is the half-outline option official?
Yes, the September 23 patch introduced it.
Will half outlines improve actual accuracy?
Not automatically; it affects readability only.
Can the outline color be changed?
Yes, the September 30 update added outline color preferences.
Sources and verification
Sources checked October 15, 2026. Article text is newly written for Walker Bex, not copied from source articles.
This website is independent of Valve. Version-dependent details should be tested in the live CS2 client before publication.