Cursor MCP Setup — Add Servers to the Cursor IDE
Last updated 2026-09-14
Quick answer
Cursor ships with first-class MCP support, so your coding agent can use tools like GitHub, a browser or your database directly from the editor.
Two ways to add a server
Cursor lets you configure MCP either through the UI or a JSON file:
- ▸UI: Cursor Settings → Features → MCP → Add new MCP server
- ▸File: edit ~/.cursor/mcp.json (global) or .cursor/mcp.json (per project)
Example mcp.json
A project-level config with two servers:
{ "mcpServers": { "github": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"], "env": { "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "ghp_..." } }, "context7": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@upstash/context7-mcp"] } } }
Using the tools in chat
Once a server is enabled, Cursor's agent can call its tools automatically. You can also reference them explicitly in a prompt, for example 'use the GitHub tool to list open pull requests'.
Troubleshooting
If a server fails to load:
- ▸Toggle the server off and on in Settings → MCP to re-read the config
- ▸Confirm the JSON has no trailing commas
- ▸Check the MCP log output shown next to the server entry
Frequently asked questions
Where does Cursor store MCP config?＋
Globally at ~/.cursor/mcp.json and per-project at .cursor/mcp.json inside the project folder.
Does Cursor support remote MCP servers?＋
Yes, Cursor supports both local stdio servers and remote HTTP/SSE servers configured by url.
Is MCP free in Cursor?＋
MCP itself is free. You only pay for any third-party APIs a server calls, and for your Cursor subscription.