You can change the main menu background in CS:GO without any extra software: download any video in WEBM format, rename it after the current map's video (for example, ancient.webm) and drop it into the csgo\panorama\videos folder, replacing the original. After a restart the new background shows up in the menu, and verifying the game files in Steam brings the default one back. This method is for CS:GO: the CS2 main menu works differently and does not use videos from that folder. Below is the full process step by step, from preparation to rollback.
A common question is whether this can get you a VAC ban. Swapping game files sounds risky, but the menu background video has no effect on gameplay, and in CS:GO this cosmetic tweak did not lead to bans. The real drawback is different: a major update (such as Operation Broken Fang) restored the default files, so the swap had to be repeated.
Preparatory stage
Replacing the files is only half the job. The game reads video files only in WEBM format. Google developed it as a lightweight alternative to AVI, MP4 and similar formats, partly to ease the load on YouTube servers, and it is supported by most modern browsers and players, CS:GO included.
In other words, to change the CS:GO menu background you need a video in WEBM format.
All background videos are stored in one folder:
…SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\csgo\panorama\videos
The drive may differ depending on which Steam library the game is installed in. Other game files are found the same way, for example the CS2 config file.
Now launch the game and check which map is shown behind your character in the menu. That is the file you will replace. In our example it is Ancient.
In the video folder you can see that 3 files fall into this category:
ancient.webm;
ancient540.webm;
ancient720.webm.
To change the CS:GO lobby background, replace all three, because the game picks one automatically depending on your screen resolution.
Replacement process
The next step is finding a suitable video online or in your own archive. It could be a clip about a favorite team such as NaVi, Virtus.Pro or Astralis, or any other video from YouTube or elsewhere. The only requirement is the WEBM format.
For this example we used a video featuring the M4A4 | Howl, one of the best-known skins in the game.
Now move it next to the original files. Make 3 copies of the video and rename them to match the ancient files, as shown below.
We kept copies of the originals at the bottom just in case, although there is another way to restore them, covered later.
Drag the files into the folder and confirm the replacement. If everything is done correctly (it is hard to get wrong), restart the game and the new background appears in the menu.
A new background noticeably refreshes a menu that players look at every day for months or years.
Search for a suitable video
There are plenty of ready-made CS:GO backgrounds online, but any YouTube video works too, including one you upload yourself. Ideally it should match the game and not be distracting, though that is a matter of taste.
To download a video, add SS before "youtube" in the address bar, as shown in the screenshot.
Press Enter to open the download page. The service offers several options, but you need WEBM. Here the video comes out in 1080p and without sound, which suits a menu background well.
Save it to your PC, make two copies and rename them as described above. All that is left is to replace the files in the panorama folder.
Returning changes to their original state
To restore the default background, use the file integrity check in Steam. It returns the game to its out-of-the-box state and replaces every modified file with the original. The same check is a standard fix when CS2 will not launch.
Open the Steam desktop client and go to the game's properties (the gear next to the Play button).
Open the "Local Files" tab and choose to verify the integrity of game files. Steam finds the changes and downloads original copies of the modified files and folders.
The check takes a while depending on your connection speed and PC.
Important: the integrity check removes absolutely all modifications, including overwritten configuration files, binds and other changes. Don't forget to make a backup copy.
When the check finishes, you will see a window like this. In our case only 4 files were restored, but there can be many more.
To sum up:
A new background refreshes the familiar CS:GO menu.
The change has no consequences for your account, since it does not touch important files or gameplay.
The integrity check undoes every change to the client.
There are hundreds of ready-made backgrounds online for every taste.
In CS2 this method does not work the same way, since the menu is built differently.
Any YouTube video can serve as a background if you download it in WEBM, for example in 1080p (or 4K if available).
Feel free to experiment, but keep it cosmetic. Valve is strict about fair play, so any change that gives an advantage is off limits. For safe tuning, use the built-in tools such as CS2 launch options.
