#Installation

Install the desktop app from cursor.com/downloads, sign in, and open a folder. OS requirements and package formats follow the official Quickstart.

#Requirements

The apt and yum packages ship desktop icons, automatic updates, and CLI tools. AppImage does not.

#Windows

1. Open cursor.com/downloads and download the Windows installer.
2. Run the .exe and finish the wizard.
3. Launch Cursor from the Start menu.

Two common first-run steps:

1. Import VS Code: if VS Code is installed, import settings, keybindings, and extensions when prompted (you can skip).
2. Sign in with a supported account (browser callback). Agent and paid model quota need a signed-in session.

Check whether cursor is on PATH (the installer sometimes registers it):

Get-Command cursor -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

If it is missing, open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P), search for Shell Command: Install 'cursor' command in PATH (wording follows your build), then open a new terminal.

Open a folder:

cursor .

#macOS

1. Download the .dmg and drag Cursor into Applications.
2. If Gatekeeper blocks the first launch, allow it under System Settings → Privacy & Security.
3. Sign in, and import VS Code if you want.

Install cursor on PATH: Command Palette → Shell Command: Install 'cursor' command in PATH.

cursor .

#Linux (repo packages, not AppImage)

Debian / Ubuntu (official Quickstart):

# Add Cursor's GPG key
curl -fsSL https://downloads.cursor.com/keys/anysphere.asc | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /etc/apt/keyrings/cursor.gpg > /dev/null

# Add the repository
echo "deb [arch=amd64,arm64 signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/cursor.gpg] https://downloads.cursor.com/aptrepo stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/cursor.list > /dev/null

sudo apt update
sudo apt install cursor

RHEL / Fedora:

sudo tee /etc/yum.repos.d/cursor.repo << 'EOF'
[cursor]
name=Cursor
baseurl=https://downloads.cursor.com/yumrepo
enabled=1
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=https://downloads.cursor.com/keys/anysphere.asc
EOF

sudo dnf install cursor

AppImage (portable, not preferred):

chmod +x Cursor-*.AppImage
./Cursor-*.AppImage

If commands or key URLs differ from the live page, follow Quickstart.

#Open a project

After sign-in: File → Open Folder (or cursor <path>). Open a Git repo root, not a single file. Search, rules, and .cursor/ are resolved from the workspace root.

Prefer a small local repo that already has tests—not an empty folder—for the first session.

#Two CLIs (do not mix them)

Install the Agent CLI (separate from the desktop package):

# macOS / Linux / WSL
curl https://cursor.com/install -fsS | bash

# Windows PowerShell
irm 'https://cursor.com/install?win32=true' | iex

Then:

agent
# or with an initial task
agent "Explain this repository in 10 bullets"

The rest of this course assumes the desktop Agent (Ctrl+I / Cmd+I). CLI modes (Agent / Plan / Ask) match the editor; see Using Agent in CLI.

#Terminal profile (Agent runs commands)

Agent uses the first available terminal profile by default. If it lands in Windows PowerShell 5.1 while you use PowerShell 7:

1. Ctrl+Shift+P
2. Terminal: Select Default Profile
3. Choose PowerShell (pwsh) or your daily shell

Check:

$PSVersionTable.PSVersion

#Troubleshooting

Signed in but Agent unavailable?
Check network, proxy, and plan. Enterprise accounts may have models disabled by an admin.

Keybindings feel wrong after a VS Code import?
Cursor-specific bindings (Ctrl+I for Agent, Ctrl+K for inline edit) can collide. Remap by feature name in Keyboard Shortcuts.

No cursor on Linux after install?
Confirm you used apt/yum, not a bare AppImage. Log out and back in so PATH refreshes.

Want to read first?
Copy the prompts in Quick Start, then paste them into Agent after you install.

#Next

• Quick Start
• Agent