| 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:
- A notification appears: "A new version is available"
- Click "Restart to Update" or go to
Help > Check for Updates
- Cursor downloads, installs, and restarts
Manual Update
If auto-update fails or is disabled:
brew upgrade --cask cursor
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:
cp ~/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/settings.json \
~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User/settings.json
cp ~/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/keybindings.json \
~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User/keybindings.json
cp -r ~/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/snippets/ \
~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User/snippets/
while read ext; do cursor --install-extension "$ext"; done < extensions-backup.txt
Extension Marketplace Differences
Cursor uses Open VSX Registry instead of Microsoft's VS Code Marketplace:
| Extension | Status in Cursor |
|---|
| ESLint | Available (Open VSX) |
| Prettier | Available (Open VSX) |
| GitLens | Available (Open VSX) |
| Docker | Available (Open VSX) |
| Python | Available (Open VSX) |
| GitHub Copilot | Not available (Microsoft exclusive, also conflicts with Cursor AI) |
| Live Share | Not available (Microsoft exclusive) |
| Remote - SSH | Not available (Microsoft exclusive) |
| C# Dev Kit | Not available (Microsoft exclusive) |
For unavailable extensions, download .vsix from the VS Code Marketplace website and install manually:
Cmd+Shift+P > Extensions: Install from VSIX...
Running VS Code and Cursor Side-by-Side
Both can be installed simultaneously. They use separate:
- Settings directories
- Extension directories
- Configuration files
You can open the same project in both editors at once (though be careful with file save conflicts).
Migration Between Machines
Export Configuration
cursor --list-extensions > cursor-extensions.txt
cp ~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User/settings.json .
cp ~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User/keybindings.json .
Import on New Machine
cp settings.json ~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User/
cp keybindings.json ~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User/
while read ext; do cursor --install-extension "$ext"; done < cursor-extensions.txt
Settings to Review After Machine Transfer
{
"terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.osx": "zsh",
"terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.linux": "bash",
"editor.fontFamily": "Fira Code",
"files.watcherExclude": { ... }
}
Handling Breaking Changes
.cursorrules to .cursor/rules/ Migration
If upgrading from a Cursor version that used .cursorrules:
- Create
.cursor/rules/ directory
- Split
.cursorrules content into scoped .mdc files:
- Global rules →
project.mdc with alwaysApply: true
- Language rules →
typescript.mdc with globs: "**/*.ts"
- Test: open Chat, type
@Cursor Rules to verify rules load
- 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 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