Cursor Install & Auth

Install Cursor IDE and authenticate your account. Covers all platforms, plan activation, and VS Code migration.

Installation

macOS

# Option 1: Direct download
open https://cursor.com/download

# Option 2: Homebrew
brew install --cask cursor

After install, drag Cursor.app to Applications. First launch may require: System Settings > Privacy & Security > Allow.

Linux

# Download AppImage
curl -fSL https://download.cursor.com/linux/appImage/x64 -o cursor.AppImage
chmod +x cursor.AppImage
./cursor.AppImage

# Or via .deb (Debian/Ubuntu)
curl -fSL https://download.cursor.com/linux/deb/x64 -o cursor.deb
sudo dpkg -i cursor.deb

Add to PATH for terminal launching:

# Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
alias cursor='/path/to/cursor.AppImage'

Windows

Download installer from cursor.com/download. Run the .exe installer. Cursor installs per-user (no admin required by default).

Authentication

First Launch Sign-In

Launch Cursor
Click Sign In in the welcome screen
Choose auth method:
- GitHub (recommended for developers)
- Google
- Email + password
Browser opens for OAuth flow
Approve the authorization
Return to Cursor -- it detects the auth automatically

Plan Activation

After sign-in, your plan is automatically active:

Plan	Price	Includes
Free	$0/mo	50 slow premium requests/month, Tab completions (limited)
Pro	$20/mo	500 fast premium requests/month, unlimited Tab, all models
Business	$40/user/mo	Pro features + Privacy Mode enforced, SSO, admin dashboard
Enterprise	Custom	Business + SCIM, SLA, dedicated support

Upgrade at: cursor.com/settings

VS Code Migration

On first launch, Cursor detects existing VS Code installations and offers one-click import:

What Migrates Automatically

Settings: settings.json preferences
Keybindings: Custom keyboard shortcuts
Extensions: Re-installs compatible extensions from Open VSX Registry
Themes: Color themes and icon packs
Snippets: User-defined code snippets

What Does NOT Migrate

Microsoft-exclusive extensions: GitHub Copilot, Live Share, Remote-SSH (MS marketplace only)
Extension state: Login states, extension-specific databases
Workspace trust: Need to re-trust workspaces

Manual Extension Installation

For extensions not in Open VSX, install via .vsix:

Download .vsix from VS Code Marketplace website
In Cursor: Cmd+Shift+P > Extensions: Install from VSIX...
Select the downloaded file

Post-Install Configuration Checklist

[ ] Sign in and verify plan (cursor.com/settings)
[ ] Import VS Code settings (if applicable)
[ ] Set default shell: Cursor Settings > Terminal > Default Profile
[ ] Configure privacy mode: Cursor Settings > General > Privacy Mode
[ ] Set default AI model: Cursor Settings > Models
[ ] Verify Tab completions work: type code, see ghost text
[ ] Verify Chat works: Cmd+L, ask a question
[ ] Install missing extensions from Open VSX

Settings File Locations

Platform	Settings Path
macOS	`~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/User/settings.json`
Linux	`~/.config/Cursor/User/settings.json`
Windows	`%APPDATA%\Cursor\User\settings.json`

Troubleshooting

Issue	Fix
Sign-in loop (browser redirects back)	Clear browser cookies for cursor.com, try incognito
"License not found" after payment	Sign out and sign back in; check email matches
Extensions missing after migration	Search Open VSX Registry; install via VSIX if needed
Cursor opens as blank window (Linux)	Try `--disable-gpu` flag: `cursor --disable-gpu`
Auto-update fails	Download latest installer from cursor.com/download

Enterprise Considerations

Domain verification: Enterprise admins verify company domain before enabling team features
Managed deployment: Distribute Cursor via MDM (macOS) or SCCM (Windows) with pre-configured settings
Offline install: Download the installer package for distribution behind firewalls (auth still requires network)
SSO bypass: First login can use email/password; SSO enforcement applied after team admin configures SAML

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