Cursor Upgrade Migration

---
name: "cursor-upgrade-migration"
description: |
  Upgrade Cursor versions, migrate from VS Code, and transfer settings between machines. Triggers on
  "upgrade cursor", "update cursor", "cursor migration", "cursor new version", "vs code to cursor",
  "cursor changelog".
allowed-tools: "Read, Write, Edit, Bash(cmd:*)"
version: 1.0.0
license: MIT
author: "Jeremy Longshore <jeremy@intentsolutions.io>"
compatible-with: claude-code, codex, openclaw
tags: [saas, cursor, migration]

---
# Cursor Upgrade & Migration

Upgrade Cursor IDE versions, migrate from VS Code, and transfer configurations between machines.

## Version Upgrades

### Auto-Update (Recommended)

Cursor checks for updates automatically. When available:

1. A notification appears: "A new version is available"
2. Click "Restart to Update" or go to `Help` > `Check for Updates`
3. Cursor downloads, installs, and restarts

### Manual Update

If auto-update fails or is disabled:

```bash
# macOS (Homebrew)
brew upgrade --cask cursor

# macOS/Linux/Windows: Download latest from
# https://cursor.com/download

# Linux AppImage: replace the old file
curl -fSL https://download.cursor.com/linux/appImage/x64 -o cursor.AppImage
chmod +x cursor.AppImage
```

### Pre-Upgrade Checklist

```
[ ] Note current version: Help > About
[ ] Check release notes: changelog.cursor.sh
[ ] Backup settings:
    macOS: cp -r ~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User ~/cursor-settings-backup
    Linux: cp -r ~/.config/Cursor/User ~/cursor-settings-backup
[ ] Export extension list:
    cursor --list-extensions > extensions-backup.txt
[ ] Commit any unsaved work to git
[ ] Note any custom keybindings (keybindings.json)
```

### Post-Upgrade Verification

```
[ ] Cursor launches without errors
[ ] Sign-in still active (check top-right user icon)
[ ] AI features work: try Cmd+L, type a question
[ ] Tab completion works: type code, see ghost text
[ ] Extensions loaded: Cmd+Shift+X, verify list
[ ] Custom keybindings preserved: test your shortcuts
[ ] Project rules still load: @Cursor Rules in chat
[ ] Indexing status: check status bar
```

## VS Code to Cursor Migration

### Automatic Import (First Launch)

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

```
What migrates:
  ✅ settings.json (editor preferences)
  ✅ keybindings.json (custom shortcuts)
  ✅ User snippets
  ✅ Color themes
  ✅ Compatible extensions (from Open VSX Registry)

What does NOT migrate:
  ❌ Microsoft-exclusive extensions (Copilot, Live Share, Remote-SSH)
  ❌ Extension login states / databases
  ❌ Workspace trust settings
  ❌ Task configurations (.vscode/tasks.json -- copies but may need adjustment)
```

### Manual Migration

If you skipped the auto-import:

```bash
# Copy settings (macOS example)
cp ~/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/settings.json \
   ~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User/settings.json

# Copy keybindings
cp ~/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/keybindings.json \
   ~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User/keybindings.json

# Copy snippets
cp -r ~/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/snippets/ \
      ~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User/snippets/

# Reinstall extensions (from backup list)
while read ext; do cursor --install-extension "$ext"; done < extensions-backup.txt
```

### Extension Marketplace Differences

Cursor uses **Open VSX Registry** instead of Microsoft's VS Code Marketplace:

| Extension | Status in Cursor |
|-----------|-----------------|
| ESLint | Available (Open VSX) |
| Prettier | Available (Open VSX) |
| GitLens | Available (Open VSX) |
| Docker | Available (Open VSX) |
| Python | Available (Open VSX) |
| GitHub Copilot | Not available (Microsoft exclusive, also conflicts with Cursor AI) |
| Live Share | Not available (Microsoft exclusive) |
| Remote - SSH | Not available (Microsoft exclusive) |
| C# Dev Kit | Not available (Microsoft exclusive) |

**For unavailable extensions**, download `.vsix` from the VS Code Marketplace website and install manually:
`Cmd+Shift+P` > `Extensions: Install from VSIX...`

### Running VS Code and Cursor Side-by-Side

Both can be installed simultaneously. They use separate:
- Settings directories
- Extension directories
- Configuration files

You can open the same project in both editors at once (though be careful with file save conflicts).

## Migration Between Machines

### Export Configuration

```bash
# List all extensions
cursor --list-extensions > cursor-extensions.txt

# Copy settings files
cp ~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User/settings.json .
cp ~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User/keybindings.json .

# Copy project rules (these are already in git if committed)
# .cursor/rules/*.mdc are project-level, not machine-level
```

### Import on New Machine

```bash
# Install Cursor
# Sign in (settings sync if available)

# Restore settings
cp settings.json ~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User/
cp keybindings.json ~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User/

# Install extensions
while read ext; do cursor --install-extension "$ext"; done < cursor-extensions.txt
```

### Settings to Review After Machine Transfer

```json
// settings.json -- platform-specific settings to check
{
  "terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.osx": "zsh",    // macOS
  "terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.linux": "bash",  // Linux
  "editor.fontFamily": "Fira Code",                    // Font must be installed
  "files.watcherExclude": { ... }                      // Paths may differ
}
```

## Handling Breaking Changes

### .cursorrules to .cursor/rules/ Migration

If upgrading from a Cursor version that used `.cursorrules`:

1. Create `.cursor/rules/` directory
2. Split `.cursorrules` content into scoped `.mdc` files:
   - Global rules → `project.mdc` with `alwaysApply: true`
   - Language rules → `typescript.mdc` with `globs: "**/*.ts"`
3. Test: open Chat, type `@Cursor Rules` to verify rules load
4. Delete `.cursorrules` after confirming

### Cursor 2.0 Changes

Cursor 2.0 introduced:
- Agent-first architecture (Composer defaults to Agent mode)
- New Composer model (faster generation)
- Parallel agents (up to 8 simultaneous)
- Bug fixes in Chat may appear as: settings key renames, deprecated fields

Check [changelog.cursor.sh](https://changelog.cursor.sh) for specific breaking changes.

## Enterprise Considerations

- **Managed deployment**: Use MDM (macOS) or SCCM (Windows) to distribute Cursor with pre-configured settings
- **Version pinning**: Enterprise admins can control which Cursor versions are deployed
- **Settings templates**: Create a starter `settings.json` for new team members
- **Rollback**: Keep the previous installer if an update causes issues; downgrade by reinstalling

## Resources

- [Cursor Changelog](https://changelog.cursor.sh)
- [Cursor Downloads](https://cursor.com/download)
- [VS Code Migration Guide](https://docs.cursor.com/configuration/migrations/vscode)
- [Extensions Documentation](https://docs.cursor.com/configuration/extensions)