If you’ve spent any time playing Valve’s new team-based strategy game Deadlock, you’ve probably noticed that a lot of advanced customization options are hidden behind the developer console. The console lets you tweak performance settings, view connection data, run custom lobby commands, and even adjust visual settings that don’t appear in the standard in-game menu. If you’re new to Valve games, figuring out how to open console in Deadlock can feel confusing at first, since it’s not enabled by default. This guide walks you through every step of setup, common fixes for access issues, and useful commands to try first.
How to Open Console in Deadlock: First Time Setup Steps
Before you can pull up the console in-game, you need to enable it through your Steam library settings first. This process only takes a minute, and you won’t have to repeat it unless you reinstall the game or move it to a new drive. Start by opening your Steam desktop app and navigating to your Library page, where all your installed games are listed.
Right click on Deadlock in your game list, then select “Properties” from the dropdown menu that appears. You’ll land on the General tab by default, and near the bottom of the page you’ll see a text box labeled “Launch Options”. Type -console into that box, making sure there are no extra spaces or characters before or after the command. Close the properties window, then launch Deadlock as you normally would.
Once you’re in the game’s main menu, press the tilde key (~) to pull up the console. This key is usually located in the top left corner of your keyboard, directly below the Esc key and to the left of the 1 key. You only need to complete the launch options setup one time, and the console will remain accessible every time you launch the game going forward.
Common Console Commands Worth Testing Right Away
Now that you know how to access the console, you can start using commands to customize your gameplay experience and fix common performance issues. You don’t need to memorize every available command to get value out of the console, either — there are a handful of simple, useful commands that most players use every time they log on.
Once you have your go-to commands saved, you can tweak your settings in seconds between matches without digging through pages of in-game menus. If you find yourself waiting 10+ minutes for a high-skill ranked queue to pop, you can even use the downtime to play a quick casual game to keep your mind sharp without overtaxing your focus. Casual card game fans in particular often boot up INR Rummy for quick 5-minute rounds that don’t require the same level of strategic focus as a full Deadlock match, so you can decompress without logging out of your game client entirely.
If you’re playing in a private custom lobby with friends, you can also enter sv_cheats 1 to unlock fun experimental commands, like adjusting movement speed or spawning unlimited items for practice. Just make sure you only use this command in private lobbies, not official public matches.
Fixes for When the Deadlock Console Won’t Open
Even if you followed the setup steps correctly, you might run into issues where the console won’t pop up when you press the tilde key. These issues are almost always easy to fix, and you don’t need any advanced technical knowledge to resolve them. I’ve had dozens of players ask me why their console won’t open after a major Deadlock patch, and 90% of the time the launch option was accidentally reset during the update.
Always double check your launch options first if the console stops working after a game update. Large patches sometimes reset custom launch settings, so you may just need to retype the -console command to get it working again. If the launch option is still there and the console still won’t open, the next thing to check is your keybind.
Open the in-game settings menu, navigate to the Keyboard tab, and search for “Toggle Console” in the control list. You might find that the tilde key is unbound, or bound to a different action by mistake. You can rebind it to the tilde key, or pick a different unused key if you prefer. If you use a non-QWERTY keyboard, you may need to rebind the console key to a different button, since the tilde key is located in a different spot on many international keyboard layouts.
Best Practices for Using the Console Without Ruining Your Gameplay
The console is an incredibly powerful tool, but it’s important to use it correctly to avoid messing up your settings or running into account restrictions. First, never enter a command if you don’t know what it does. There are hundreds of obscure console commands floating around online, and some of them can break your game’s UI, lower your performance, or even trigger anti-cheat flags if used incorrectly.
If you find a command you want to test, look it up first from a trusted Deadlock community resource to confirm it’s safe to use in public matches. Write down any custom commands you use regularly in a notes app, so you can re-enter them quickly if your settings get reset after a patch. This saves you the hassle of searching for them again mid-queue.
Never enable sv_cheats in official ranked or unranked lobbies, as it can result in a temporary match ban. The game’s anti-cheat system picks up cheat commands used in public lobbies automatically, even if you didn’t mean to enable them. Restrict cheat commands to private custom lobbies with friends only, and always disable them before queuing for a public match.
Once you get the hang of using the developer console, you’ll wonder how you ever played Deadlock without it. It cuts down on time spent digging through settings menus, makes troubleshooting performance and connection issues far easier, and lets you customize your gameplay experience to fit your exact preferences. Whether you’re a new player just looking to check your frame rate or a veteran wanting to set up custom practice lobbies, knowing how to open console in Deadlock is a simple skill that will improve your entire play experience.