How to download CS2 demos from Steam and FACEIT
The original .dem contains positions, events, utility and timing that a video cannot preserve. Download that file before starting a serious match review.
The short workflow
- 01
Locate the completed match
Use Steam personal game data for Premier or matchmaking, or open the completed FACEIT match room.
- 02
Download and extract
Download the compressed demo and extract it until the filename ends in .dem.
- 03
Keep a stable copy
Rename the file with map, opponent and date before uploading it to your review workspace.
Downloading a Steam Premier demo
Open your Counter-Strike 2 personal game data in Steam and find the Premier or competitive match history. Recent matches expose a replay download while Valve still retains the file. Download it promptly; old replay links can expire.
The result is usually compressed. Extract the archive before uploading. If the file does not end in .dem, it is not ready for a demo parser.
Downloading a FACEIT demo
Open the finished FACEIT match room from your match history. Use the demo link provided on the match page, then extract the downloaded archive. Team members from the same match can use the same source file for review.
A connected RoundIQ account can also import supported FACEIT matches directly, avoiding manual file handling for routine reviews.
Common demo file problems
A zero-byte file, an HTML error page renamed as .dem, or an incomplete archive cannot be parsed. Download again from the original match page. When a game update changes the demo format, use a viewer that actively supports the current CS2 parser version.
- Extract .zip, .gz or .bz2 archives before upload.
- Do not convert the replay to video if you need tactical data.
- Keep the untouched original when sharing a parsing issue.
Common questions
What file extension does a CS2 demo use?
Counter-Strike 2 match demos use the .dem extension. Downloads may first arrive inside a compressed archive.
Why is my Steam demo unavailable?
Valve retains match replay files for a limited period. Download recent matches before the replay link expires.
Can I upload a compressed demo?
Extract the archive first unless the viewer explicitly supports that compression format. The safest input is the original .dem file.