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To use console commands in Half-Life 2 on PC, enable the developer console in the game’s keyboard options or add -console to the game’s Steam launch options. Open it with the bound key—usually ~ on an English/US keyboard—then enter a command and press Enter. If you’re asking, “How do I enable console commands in Half-Life 2?”, the steps and examples below cover the essentials.
What the Half-Life 2 console does
Steam Support defines the developer console as “a text-based input/output interface to execute commands or change global settings in a game.” It is a place to enter commands while the game is running; it is distinct from Steam’s launch-options field.
Enable and open the console
Enable it in the game settings
- Open Options > Keyboard > Advanced.
- Check Enable developer console (~).
- Return to the game and press the console key. The usual key for an English/US layout is
~. If it does not open the console, check the key binding and try the key appropriate to your keyboard layout.
Steam Support documents this menu route for most Valve games: Developer Console in Valve games.
Enable it at startup with a launch option
In Steam, open Half-Life 2’s Properties and enter -console in the game’s launch options. This leading-hyphen option starts the game with the developer console enabled; it is not a command to type into the console. Valve’s command-line options reference describes -console, and Steam explains how to set game launch options.
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| Method | What to do | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| In-game setting | Options > Keyboard > Advanced > check “Enable developer console (~)” | Enabling the console through the game menu |
| Steam launch option | Add -console to Half-Life 2’s launch options |
Starting the game with the console enabled |
Useful Half-Life 2 console command examples
These examples are a small selection, not a complete command list. Commands may behave differently depending on the game context or version.
Search for commands with find
Enter find <keyword> to search console commands containing a keyword. Replace <keyword> with a term relevant to what you want to find; the angle-bracketed text is an instruction, not something to type literally.
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Enable cheats with sv_cheats 1
Enter sv_cheats 1 to enable cheats in contexts where that command is supported. This is not required for every console command. Whether a cheat-dependent command works depends on the game context and version.
Get supplies with impulse 101
In Half-Life 2, the Valve Developer Community’s Half-Life 2 reference says impulse 101 gives the player 25 health if health is below 100, as well as the suit, weapons, and full ammunition. The same reference notes that requirements vary by game, so do not assume this exact behavior applies to every Source game or mod. See the Half-Life 2 reference and the impulse command reference.
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Launch options and console commands use different prefixes
Keep these two forms separate:
-consoleis a launch option that enables the console when the game starts.- A leading
+can pass some console commands at startup—for example, Steam’s launch-options documentation notes this convention—but not every console command works this way.
For commands you want to enter after the game has started, open the in-game console and type them there. Steam’s launch-options support page explains the startup-command distinction.
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Before experimenting
- Save your game before trying commands that alter gameplay or settings.
- Do not add
sv_cheats 1automatically; use it only where a command requires cheats and the game context supports it. - If the console key does not work, check that the console is enabled and verify the binding for your keyboard layout.
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