How do I add an MCP server to Cursor?

1. Create .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or open the global file 2. Add the server under mcpServers 3. Open Settings, then MCP and confirm the server shows as connected

Can Cursor run a local MCP server?

Yes. It can start a local process and talk to it over stdio, so packaged servers work without any hosting.

Which parts of the protocol does Cursor not support?

It does not implement resources, prompts, sampling or elicitation. A server whose value is mostly in those features will feel incomplete here.

Does Cursor need restarting after adding a server?

No, it picks up the change without a restart.

When was this setup information last checked?

These details were verified on 2026-07-15. Clients change their configuration format from time to time, so check the official documentation if something does not work.

Cursor

AI first code editor. Supports per project and global server config, plus one click install links.

IDE verified 2026-07-15

How to add a server to Cursor

Create .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or open the global file
Add the server under mcpServers
Open Settings, then MCP and confirm the server shows as connected

Where the configuration lives

Project	.cursor/mcp.json
Global	~/.cursor/mcp.json

Project

.cursor/mcp.json

Global

~/.cursor/mcp.json

Local server configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "{{name}}": {
      "command": "{{command}}",
      "args": {{args}}{{envBlock}}
    }
  }
}

Hosted server configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "{{name}}": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "{{url}}"
    }
  }
}

Placeholders such as {{name}}, {{command}}, {{args}} and {{url}} are filled from each server's package or endpoint data.

Protocol support

Support is uneven across clients. A server that only exposes prompts is of no use in a client that does not implement them.

Transports
Transport	Supported
stdio	Yes
Streamable HTTP	Yes
SSE	Yes

Features
Feature	Supported
Tools	Yes
Resources	No
Prompts	No
Sampling	No
Roots	Yes
Elicitation	No
OAuth	Yes

Official Cursor MCP documentation

Frequently asked questions

How do I add an MCP server to Cursor?: 1. Create .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or open the global file 2. Add the server under mcpServers 3. Open Settings, then MCP and confirm the server shows as connected
Where is the Cursor MCP configuration file?: project: .cursor/mcp.json; global: ~/.cursor/mcp.json.
Can Cursor run a local MCP server?: Yes. It can start a local process and talk to it over stdio, so packaged servers work without any hosting.
Which parts of the protocol does Cursor not support?: It does not implement resources, prompts, sampling or elicitation. A server whose value is mostly in those features will feel incomplete here.
Does Cursor need restarting after adding a server?: No, it picks up the change without a restart.
When was this setup information last checked?: These details were verified on 2026-07-15. Clients change their configuration format from time to time, so check the official documentation if something does not work.

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