Cursor Install & Auth

Overview

Install Cursor, authenticate through the approved identity flow, and establish privacy settings before opening sensitive repositories. Do not treat local profiles or settings files as a secrets store.

Instructions

1. Download the signed installer from the official site or approved software catalog.
2. Sign in through the organization-approved account or SSO flow and confirm the expected tenant.
3. Enable approved privacy/data controls before opening proprietary code, then import only reviewed settings and extensions.
4. Verify Tab and Chat with a non-sensitive sample project; escalate tenant mismatch to the administrator.

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

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

Plan Activation

After sign-in, your plan is automatically active:

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:

1. Download .vsix from VS Code Marketplace website
2. In Cursor: Cmd+Shift+P > Extensions: Install from VSIX...
3. 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

Troubleshooting

Output

• A verified Cursor installation tied to the intended individual or enterprise account.
• Privacy and workspace-trust settings appropriate to the project's data classification.

Examples

Install and verify in a non-sensitive workspace: install from the approved source, sign in using the company SSO tile, confirm the organization name, enable the approved privacy setting, and test Tab with a harmless comment. If the tenant is wrong or SSO is bypassed unexpectedly, sign out and contact the administrator; do not use a personal account as a workaround.

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

Resources

• Cursor Download
• VS Code Migration Guide
• Pricing
• Account Settings