Leave Dota 2's Launch Options box empty when the game already starts normally. Launch commands are troubleshooting tools, not a guaranteed FPS boost. If Dota 2 will not open, try -autoconfig first, remove it after one successful launch, and try -safe only if the first option does not help.
Before you continue
Start cleanRemove old commands and test the game once.
Use oneTry only one recovery command at a time.
Remove itClear the command after Dota 2 starts successfully.
If the box already contains text, copy it into a private note before clearing it. This gives you a simple way to undo the change without guessing what was there.
3
Test with an empty box
Delete everything in Launch Options, close Properties, and start Dota 2. If it opens and performs normally, leave the box empty. Old commands such as -dx9 should not be carried forward without current documentation.
4
Try -autoconfig if the game will not start
Return to Launch Options, enter only -autoconfig, close the window, and start Dota 2. This asks the game to choose fresh video settings for the computer.
5
Remove -autoconfig after the test
As soon as Dota 2 starts successfully, close the game and delete -autoconfig from the box. Leaving it there can reset video settings again the next time you start the game.
6
Try -safe only if needed
If -autoconfig did not help, remove it and enter only -safe. Start the game once. Safe mode uses conservative display settings, so the picture may look small or low quality.
7
Remove -safe and set graphics inside the game
After a successful start, remove -safe. Open Dota 2's video settings and choose a normal resolution and graphics level there rather than building a long launch-command list.
Restart the computer, then open Dota 2 Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files. Let Steam finish before starting another large disk task.
If the game starts but FPS is low, lower one in-game graphics setting at a time and compare the same scene. Launch commands cannot overcome a CPU or graphics card limit.
If every test makes the game worse, clear the Launch Options box and restart Steam before trying again.
If the computer restarts or shows a blue screen, stop changing game commands and use the motherboard or PC maker's official driver and support pages.
ⓘ Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: Dota 2 on Windows, macOS, or Linux.
The written steps follow the current official pages linked below. The saved video is an older walkthrough and may show different labels.
