How to Install Cursor on Your Device (Windows, Mac & Linux)

What Is Cursor?

Cursor is an AI-native code editor forked from Visual Studio Code. It preserves the VS Code extension ecosystem, keybindings, and workspace model while adding inline AI completion, chat with codebase context, multi-file edits, and agentic workflows that can run terminal commands. For Salesforce developers, Cursor has become a practical replacement for VS Code when building Lightning Web Components, Apex classes, OmniStudio DataRaptors, and integration middleware — especially when paired with the Salesforce Extension Pack and Claude or GPT models.

Ranburg LLP consultants in Jaipur use Cursor daily on client engagements. This guide covers download, installation on Windows and macOS, Linux options, first-run configuration, importing VS Code settings, and preparing a Salesforce DX project.

Download Cursor

Visit cursor.com and click Download. The site auto-detects your operating system. Cursor offers stable releases for Windows (x64 and ARM64 where available), macOS (Universal), and Linux (.AppImage or package formats depending on release channel). Always download from the official site or verified package repositories — third-party mirrors may bundle malware.

Install Cursor on Windows

Run the downloaded CursorUserSetup.exe (name may vary by version). Choose install location — default Program Files is fine. Optionally add Cursor to the PATH and create a desktop shortcut. Launch Cursor, sign in with email, Google, or GitHub to sync settings and activate AI features. Windows Defender may scan the installer; this is normal for Electron-based applications.

Import Settings from VS Code

On first launch, Cursor offers to import extensions, themes, and keybindings from VS Code. Accept if you already develop Salesforce with VS Code — your Salesforce Extension Pack, Prettier config, and ESLint rules transfer in one step. If import fails, manually install Salesforce Extension Pack from the Extensions marketplace inside Cursor.

Install Cursor on Mac

Open the .dmg, drag Cursor to Applications, and launch. macOS may prompt for accessibility permissions if you use AI features that interact with the terminal or window management — grant only what you trust. Add Cursor to the Dock. Mac developers often use Cursor alongside Salesforce CLI in iTerm or the integrated terminal.

Install Cursor on Linux

Download the AppImage or .deb package from cursor.com. For AppImage: chmod +x Cursor.AppImage and run. For Debian/Ubuntu: sudo dpkg -i cursor.deb. Install libfuse dependencies if the AppImage fails to start. Linux support is popular among backend engineers running Salesforce CLI in headless CI-like local environments.

Sign In and Choose an AI Plan

Cursor requires an account for AI features. Free tier includes limited completions and chat; Pro unlocks higher limits, premium models, and background agents. Business plans add team admin and privacy controls. In Settings → Models, select default models for chat and autocomplete — many Salesforce developers prefer Claude Sonnet or GPT-4 class models for Apex generation.

Configure Cursor for Salesforce Development

Install these extensions: Salesforce Extension Pack (or individual Salesforce DX, Apex, LWC extensions), Prettier, ESLint, and XML tools for metadata. Install Salesforce CLI globally: npm install -g @salesforce/cli or use the official installer. Authorize a Dev Hub or sandbox: sf org login web --alias mySandbox. Open your SFDX project folder in Cursor — the AI can then index Apex, LWC, and XML metadata for context-aware suggestions.

Create a .cursorrules File for Salesforce

Add a .cursorrules or project rules file at the repo root instructing the AI to follow Salesforce best practices: bulkified Apex, no SOQL in loops, use @AuraEnabled(cacheable=true) appropriately, and respect naming conventions. Ranburg repositories include rules for Industries vs Revenue Cloud boundaries so generated code aligns with architecture standards.

Keyboard Shortcuts and Daily Workflow

Learn Cursor-specific shortcuts: inline edit (Cmd/Ctrl+K), chat panel (Cmd/Ctrl+L), and composer for multi-file changes. Use @-mentions in chat to reference files, folders, or documentation. For Salesforce, @-mention a trigger class when asking for test coverage improvements. Commit frequently — AI edits can introduce subtle governor limit violations.

Privacy and Enterprise Considerations

Review Cursor's privacy mode and business terms before opening customer repos. Some enterprises require Privacy Mode to prevent code from training models. Air-gapped or highly regulated clients may prohibit cloud AI entirely — know your contract. Ranburg uses client-approved tooling lists and never pastes production credentials into prompts.

After installation, read our guides on using Cursor and Claude together for Salesforce development to maximize productivity on OmniStudio, LWC, and integration projects.