Cursor Auto Routes a Hard Task to a Weak Model
Cursor's Auto router sends a complex refactor to a small model and you get shallow edits. Diagnose the routing signals and force the right model for hard tasks.
⌨️ Cursor & IDE Issues
Cursor stuck indexing, apply failures, wrong file reads, missing context, Composer mis-edits.
IDE-integrated AI tools fail predictably: stuck indexing, broken apply, wrong file reads. Articles here split by IDE behavior: indexing never completes, apply fails, Composer mis-edits, wrong file reads, missing context, Tab suggestions stop, config conflicts. One article, one symptom.
Common problems
- Cursor stuck indexing `.cursorignore` excludes + rebuild index.
- Cursor cannot apply edits File locks / extension conflicts / Composer vs Inline.
- Cursor reads the wrong files Pin references explicitly via @Files.
- Cursor Composer mis-edits Preview diff before apply — don`t batch auto-apply.
- Cursor Tab suggestions stop Account state / model selection / extension conflict.
- Cursor config conflict Workspace settings override user settings.
- Cursor Composer gets confused in large projects Hand-pick @Files + tighten working directory.
- Cursor diff too large to review Reject apply, demand split PRs.
- Cursor terminal command behaves unexpectedly Verify pwd / package manager / env vars.
- Cursor suggestions don`t match repo conventions `.cursorrules` + canonical reference files.
- Cursor edit applied but build breaks Run full typecheck + build after every apply.
- Cursor context panel missing relevant files Manually @Files, rebuild index, meaningful naming.
- Cursor IDE state out of sync after AI edits Revert File to reload, disable auto-save during AI runs.
- Cursor generates duplicate logic Utils README + search before adding helpers.
- Cursor fast / slow request billing confusion Small models for routine; reserve fast for critical work.
- Cursor model list out of date Update Cursor + reload Settings + check rollout status.
- Cursor .cursorrules file not being loaded Workspace root; UTF-8 no BOM; upgrade Cursor.
In-depth articles in this hub
Cursor Chat or Composer History Missing After Restart
Cursor reopens with an empty chat list, only the latest thread, or stuck on 'Loading Chat'. Usually a workspace-hash change, a botched update migration, or a corrupted state.vscdb. How to recover and prevent it.
Cursor Cmd-K Inline Edit Spinner Never Returns: Fix It
Cmd-K (Ctrl+K) spins forever or shows "Taking longer than expected…" with no diff. The fast fix: Reload Window or update Cursor. Walk the six verified causes.
Fix Cursor Extensions: Network Error or Empty Marketplace
Cursor's Extensions panel shows a network error, empty list, or a stuck spinner. Cursor uses Open VSX, not Microsoft's marketplace. Pick the right cause and fix it fast.
Cursor MCP Server Shows Disconnected or No Tools
Added an MCP server in Cursor but it stays disconnected, or no tools appear in chat. 90% of the time it's a bad PATH, a JSON typo, or a stdout leak. Diagnose and fix in five minutes.
Cursor Python Venv Not Detected (Wrong Interpreter)
Cursor uses system Python instead of your project venv, breaking imports, linting, and agent edits. Fix the interpreter picker, venv discovery, shell PATH, and the new Python Environments panel.
Cursor Settings Sync Overwrites Local Config on Another Machine
Cursor has no native Settings Sync. When a Gist-sync extension, dotfiles symlink, or cloud folder pushes stale config to a second machine, your rules, keybindings, or MCP servers get clobbered. Diagnose which sync layer did it and recover the good version.
Cursor SSH Remote Connection Drops Mid-Edit: 6 Fixes
Cursor's SSH Remote session disconnects while you edit, losing agent context and unsaved buffers. Fix it with the right keepalive values, and check for the v1.0.51 reconnect bug.
Cursor Codebase Index Stale After Rebase or Branch Switch
After a rebase or branch switch Cursor cites files and line numbers that no longer exist. The indexer fell behind your git state. Force a re-index and harden the workflow.
Cursor Runs Shell Commands Without Asking (YOLO / Auto-Run)
Cursor Agent runs terminal commands with no confirmation even after you turned auto-run off. As of June 2026 it's almost always Run Mode, a wide allowlist, or a workspace permissions.json. Fix it in a minute.
Cursor Agent Mode: Tool Call Stuck Pending (Fix)
Cursor agent shows a spinner forever on a tool call. Nine times out of ten it is a shell command waiting on input — most often your own .zshrc. Here is the fast fix and the full diagnosis.
Cursor Composer Loses Context Mid-Refactor
Composer started strong then forgot which file it was editing — context window blew up; chunk the refactor and recheckpoint.
Cursor Rules Not Loading (Fix for 2026)
Composer ignores your .cursorrules or .cursor/rules. Usually a frontmatter syntax error, wrong path, deprecated format, or a glob that never matches the open file.
Cursor Indexing Never Completes: 7 Causes and Fixes
Cursor's index spinner runs for hours with no progress. Usually it's a bloated repo, a missing .cursorignore, a corporate HTTP/2 proxy, symlink loops, or permissions. Here's how to find which one.