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To add an MCP server to Cursor, open Customize > MCP and install a server from the Cursor Marketplace, or create a configuration file named mcp.json. For a project-specific setup, put it at .cursor/mcp.json in your project; for a personal setup that applies across projects, use ~/.cursor/mcp.json. Save the configuration, enable the server in Cursor, and verify its tools in chat.
The examples below cover both local servers launched by Cursor and remote servers reached over HTTP. Choose the one that matches how your MCP provider distributes its server.
Choose how to add the MCP server
Cursor provides two ways to install or configure MCP servers. Use the Marketplace for a one-click installation when the server is available there. Use mcp.json when you need to enter a local command, remote URL, authentication details, or a project-specific configuration yourself.
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- Manual configuration: Create or edit an
mcp.jsonfile and add the server undermcpServers.
Cursor supports local servers using stdio as well as servers using SSE or Streamable HTTP. A provider’s setup instructions should identify the transport and connection details it expects; do not substitute a local command for a remote URL, or vice versa.
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Where Cursor stores mcp.json
Pick a configuration scope before editing the file. Cursor can merge the project and personal configurations. If both define a server with the same name, the project configuration takes priority.
| Scope | File location | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Project | .cursor/mcp.json inside the project folder |
You want the project to use a shared server configuration. You can commit the file so teammates can use the same tools. |
| Personal, all projects | ~/.cursor/mcp.json |
You want a server available across your projects without adding its configuration to each project. |
A project configuration can contain connection details that should not be committed, such as a personal token. Keep secrets in environment variables and reference them from the configuration rather than putting the secret value in the file.
How to configure a local MCP server
A local server is a process Cursor starts on your machine. Its configuration uses command and may include args, env, and, for stdio servers, envFile. Use the actual command and arguments supplied by the server publisher; the values below illustrate the configuration shape, not a guarantee that a particular package exists or is the right one for your project.
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{
"mcpServers": {
"server-name": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-server"],
"env": {
"API_KEY": "${env:API_KEY}"
}
}
}
}- Create
.cursor/mcp.jsonin the project folder, or edit~/.cursor/mcp.jsonfor a personal server. - Replace
server-name,command, andargswith the name and launch instructions for your MCP server. Common command examples includenpx,node,python, anddocker. - Set any required environment variables in the environment from which Cursor runs. In this example, Cursor resolves
${env:API_KEY}rather than storing the key directly in the JSON file. - Save the file and check Customize > MCP to enable the server and see whether Cursor connects.
For a stdio server, the configured command must be available to Cursor, and its arguments must launch the MCP process correctly. If the command works in a terminal but not in Cursor, check whether Cursor inherits the environment and executable path you expect.
How to connect a remote MCP server
A remote server configuration uses url rather than a local launch command. Add headers if the service requires them. Use the endpoint and authentication method supplied by that service.
{
"mcpServers": {
"remote-server": {
"url": "https://api.example.com/mcp",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer ${env:MY_SERVICE_TOKEN}"
}
}
}
}The example uses a placeholder URL, not a live endpoint. Replace it with the remote MCP URL provided by your server operator. Cursor supports remote connections over SSE and Streamable HTTP, as well as OAuth. Some providers may require static client credentials in an auth object; follow that provider’s documented configuration instead of assuming that a bearer-token header is sufficient.
Keep remote access credentials in environment variables where possible. A project file may be shared or committed, so placing a live token directly in its headers risks exposing the credential to collaborators or in version history.
Use Cursor variable interpolation safely
Cursor can resolve variables in supported fields such as command, args, env, url, and headers. The documented variable forms include:
${env:NAME}for an environment variable.${userHome}for the user’s home directory.${workspaceFolder}for the workspace folder.${workspaceFolderBasename}for the workspace folder’s name.- Path-separator variables for constructing paths that work across supported operating systems.
Use interpolation only in fields Cursor supports, and make sure referenced variables are actually defined in the environment available to Cursor. An unresolved or unavailable token can prevent authentication even when the JSON is syntactically valid.
Enable the server and verify its tools
- Save
mcp.json. Restart Cursor if the server does not appear or the configuration change has not taken effect. - Open Customize > MCP and toggle the server on.
- Open a chat and inspect the Available Tools list to confirm Cursor has discovered the server’s tools.
- When Cursor requests approval for a tool call, review it and approve according to your run mode and intended permissions.
If the server fails to connect, open the Output panel and select MCP Logs. The Output panel shortcut is Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+U on macOS, or Ctrl+Shift+U on Windows and Linux. The logs are the most useful place to distinguish a launch problem from a remote connection or authentication failure.
Share MCP servers with a team
For a server teammates should use in a particular project, put its configuration in .cursor/mcp.json and commit that file. Before sharing, review every field for secrets and machine-specific paths. Use environment variables for credentials, and make sure teammates know which variables they must set and which local dependencies they need to install.
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curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webp- Cookie and consent banners are accepted before capture, and more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets can be removed; each of those steps can be turned off.
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Why is my MCP server not showing up in Cursor?
Check these common causes in order. Cursor’s MCP Logs can help identify which part of the setup is failing.
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- Wrong file location: Confirm that the file is named
mcp.jsonand is in.cursorwithin the project folder, or at~/.cursor/mcp.jsonfor a personal configuration. - Invalid JSON: Check braces, quotes, and commas. JSON does not accept comments or trailing commas.
- Server disabled: Open Customize > MCP and check the server’s toggle.
- Configuration has not reloaded: Save the file and restart Cursor if needed.
- Duplicate server name: If the project and personal files use the same name, the project configuration takes priority. Inspect the project entry if your global settings seem to be ignored.
Why does a local MCP server fail to start?
- Command or package is unavailable: Confirm the configured command and arguments match the server’s installation instructions and that the executable is accessible to Cursor.
- Missing environment variable: Check that the variable referenced by
${env:NAME}is set in the environment Cursor can access. Avoid placing the secret itself in a shared configuration. - Incorrect transport configuration: A local stdio server needs a launch command; a hosted server needs its remote URL and supported transport details.
- Bad path or working-directory assumption: Review any paths in the command or arguments. Use supported workspace or home variables where appropriate, and avoid machine-specific paths in a shared project file.
Why can Cursor not connect to a remote MCP server?
- Wrong endpoint: Use the MCP URL provided by the service, not a general website or API URL that is not an MCP endpoint.
- Authentication mismatch: Check whether the provider requires OAuth, a bearer token, or static client credentials. Configure the method it specifies rather than guessing from another service’s example.
- Missing or malformed headers: Verify required header names and values, and confirm any interpolated token is present in Cursor’s environment.
- Transport mismatch: Confirm the remote server supports the connection method Cursor is configured to use, such as SSE or Streamable HTTP.
Use the MCP Logs in the Output panel to inspect connection failures rather than placing credentials into chat or sharing a configuration file containing secrets.
Performance, reliability, and cost considerations
The Cursor setup documentation for this task publishes no authoritative numeric figures for MCP connection speed, server reliability, or operating cost. Those depend on the server and its hosting or local runtime; do not treat the presence of a server in Cursor as a guarantee of response time or availability.
For local servers, Cursor depends on the configured process and its prerequisites being available on the machine. For remote servers, connection and tool availability depend on the remote endpoint and its authentication. In either case, verify the tools you need in chat before relying on them in a workflow, and review tool-call approvals according to the permissions involved.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does Cursor support both local and remote MCP servers?
Yes. Cursor documents local stdio servers and local or remote SSE and Streamable HTTP deployments.
Can I use an MCP server in every Cursor project?
Put it in ~/.cursor/mcp.json for a personal configuration across projects, or in a project’s .cursor/mcp.json for that project.
Does Cursor publish setup performance or usage statistics for MCP?
The Cursor documentation covered here does not publish authoritative numeric statistics for this setup task.
Quick Recap
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