Cursor AI for Windows: What It Is and How to Use It

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Cursor IDE for Windows with AI agents

Cursor is an agent-first coding workspace for Windows that combines a code editor with local agents, cloud agents and automations. You can still open folders and edit code like a normal IDE, but Cursor can now plan work, change files, run commands, test software and hand longer jobs to agents that continue working remotely.

The desktop app supports Windows, macOS and Linux, while Cursor agents can also run through the terminal, web interface and mobile workflows. On Windows, both x64 and Arm64 installers are available.

Cursor has changed significantly during 2026. It added Automations, more capable Cloud Agents, the Agents Window, remote environments, a growing model catalog and its own Git-based code-hosting platform called Origin.

This guide covers how to install Cursor on Windows, how its agents and Automations work, which AI models are available, what Origin does and how much Cursor costs.

Price
Free / From $20
Windows
x64 & Arm64
Platforms
Desktop, Web & CLI
Best For
Agentic Coding

What Is Cursor?

Cursor started as an AI-focused code editor, but it now works more like a development workspace built around AI agents. The familiar editor is still there when you want to work directly with files, Git, extensions and terminals.

Its agents can inspect a codebase, plan changes, edit several files, run shell commands and test their own work. Longer tasks can move from your Windows PC to isolated cloud machines, allowing them to continue while you work on something else.

Cursor also supports plugins, skills, MCP servers, hooks, subagents and a wide selection of AI models. That gives it a much larger role than simply providing autocomplete inside an IDE.

How to Download Cursor on Windows

Cursor provides native Windows installers for both x64 and Arm64 machines, with separate System and User installers.

2 Choose Windows x64 or Windows Arm64, depending on your PC.

3 Pick either the System or User installer. The User installer is normally the simplest choice for a personal PC.

4 Run the installer and open Cursor when setup finishes.

5 Sign in, then open an existing project folder or create a new project.

Not sure which CPU you have? Open Settings > System > About and check System type. Most Windows PCs use x64, while many newer Snapdragon-based systems use Arm64.

Use Cursor Everywhere You Work

Cursor is no longer limited to the desktop editor. Its agents can be started and managed across several surfaces.

Desktop

The full editor and Agents Window are available on Windows, macOS and Linux.

View downloads →

Terminal / CLI

Run Cursor Agent directly from a terminal or script, including native Windows PowerShell, WSL, macOS and Linux.

Cursor CLI guide →

Web & Mobile

Launch cloud agents from a browser or phone and continue checking tasks away from your desktop.

Open Cursor Agents →

Cursor Also Works from the Terminal

Cursor CLI lets you interact with an AI coding agent directly from PowerShell, WSL, macOS or Linux. You can start interactive sessions, ask it to modify code and use it from scripts and development workflows.

WINDOWS POWERSHELL INSTALL

irm ‘https://cursor.com/install?win32=true’ | iex

Key Cursor Features

Most of Cursor’s recent development has focused on agents and the systems that let them work independently or in parallel.

Agents Window

Run several agents across local projects, worktrees, cloud environments and remote machines while keeping the editor available when you need it.

Cloud Agents

Move longer jobs onto isolated cloud VMs that can build, test and verify changes without keeping your Windows PC occupied.

Automations

Start Cloud Agents on schedules or from GitHub, GitLab, Slack, Linear, webhooks and other events.

Plugins, Skills & MCP

Extend agents with skills, plugins, MCP servers, hooks, custom commands and project rules.

Parallel Agents

Use worktrees, separate cloud environments and subagents so multiple tasks can proceed without writing over the same files.

Browser & Computer Use

Agents can launch apps, open browsers, click through interfaces and generate screenshots, videos and logs to show what they changed.

How Cursor Cloud Agents Work

Each Cursor Cloud Agent runs in its own isolated virtual machine rather than directly on your Windows PC. Its environment can include repositories, dependencies, secrets, startup commands and approved network access.

The agent can edit files, run commands, start development servers and test the software it changed. It can also create artifacts such as screenshots, videos and log references for review.

Because the work happens remotely, Cloud Agents can continue without your local machine being connected. They also support multi-repository environments for tasks spanning frontend, backend, infrastructure or shared libraries.

Local Agent vs Cloud Agent
Which mode makes sense for the task?
Task Local Agent Cloud Agent
Quick code edit Good fit Usually unnecessary
Long feature build Uses your local workspace Good fit
Continue after PC shuts down No Yes
Parallel work Possible with worktrees Designed for it
Multi-repo task Possible Supported directly

What Are Cursor Automations?

Automations turn Cloud Agents into recurring or event-driven workers. You choose what starts an agent, what it should do and which tools it can use.

Review Pull Requests

Start an agent when a PR opens or changes and have it inspect the code before a human review.

Triage Bugs from Slack

Trigger an agent from Slack and let it investigate a report using the repositories and tools you allow.

Scheduled Maintenance

Run recurring jobs such as dependency checks, feature-flag cleanup or scheduled reports.

Custom Event Workflows

Use GitHub, GitLab, Linear, webhooks and other integrations to start agents when real events occur.

Which AI Models Are Available in Cursor?

Cursor supports its own models alongside models from several major AI providers. The exact catalog can vary by plan, region and team settings.

Cursor / SpaceXAI

Cursor includes Grok and Composer models alongside its wider third-party catalog.

Anthropic

Claude models are available for coding, planning, debugging and agent work.

OpenAI

GPT-family models are available through Cursor’s model picker on supported plans.

Google

Gemini models can also be selected for supported Cursor tasks.

Moonshot AI

Kimi models are also available through Cursor’s expanding model catalog.

Z.ai / GLM

GLM models are available alongside the larger providers in Cursor’s model selection.

Cursor changes its model catalog frequently, and availability can depend on your account, region or organization settings. Check Cursor’s model picker for the exact options available to you.

Cursor Origin: Git-Based Code Hosting

Origin is Cursor’s own Git-based code-hosting service, or Git forge. It brings repositories, pull requests, code browsing and agents into the same Cursor environment.

For repositories hosted directly on Origin, Cursor can manage the repository and pull-request workflow itself. Existing GitHub repositories can also be connected and synchronized.

Cloud Agents can even start a project without an existing repository, show you a live browser preview and later save the project into an Origin repository.

Read about Cursor Origin →

Cursor and Grok Bot Are Not the Same Thing

Cursor is primarily designed around software-development agents. Grok Bot is a separate product focused on named AI teammates that can handle broader tasks across websites and business tools.

Paid Cursor plans also provide Grok Bot access. Read our Grok Bot for Windows guide for setup instructions, examples and pricing.

Cursor Plans and Pricing

Cursor has a free Hobby plan, while paid individual plans add more Agent usage, frontier models, Cloud Agents, skills, hooks and other advanced features.

Individual Plans
Current monthly pricing
Plan Price Good For
Hobby Free Trying Cursor with limited Agent usage
Pro $20/mo Regular individual use
Pro+ $60/mo Heavier Agent usage
Ultra $200/mo Power users and very high Agent usage
Teams
Administration, shared context and team features
Plan Price Notes
Teams Standard $40/user/mo Team marketplace, Cloud Agents, Automations, administration and shared context
Teams Premium $120/user/mo Higher Agent usage limits

Cursor also offers Enterprise plans with custom pricing. Model usage and limits can change, so check Cursor’s official pricing page before upgrading.

See Cursor in Action

This video gives you a closer look at Cursor and its agent-based workflow.

Cursor Screenshots

A look at Cursor across the desktop editor, agents, downloads and newer cloud-based features.

Cursor Interface Gallery
Desktop, agents, cloud tools and platform support

FAQ

What is Cursor?
Cursor is an agent-first development workspace that combines a code editor with local agents, cloud agents, AI model selection, Automations, plugins, and integrated code hosting.
Does Cursor work on Windows?
Yes. Cursor provides native x64 and Arm64 Windows installers, with both System and User installation options.
Is Cursor free?
Yes. Cursor offers a permanent free Hobby plan with basic agent usage and tab completions. Paid individual plans start at $20 per month for frontier models and extended agent capacity.
Does Cursor Replace VS Code?
Cursor is built as a fork of VS Code. It natively supports your existing VS Code extensions, themes, settings, and keybindings while adding an agentic workflow on top.
Does Cursor work with WSL on Windows?
Yes. You can run Cursor on Windows and develop directly inside Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) environments, just like standard VS Code.
Does Cursor work without the desktop app?
Yes. In addition to the desktop app, Cursor agents can be launched and managed via the Windows PowerShell CLI, web browsers, or remote cloud machines.
Which AI Models does Cursor support?
Cursor supports its own Composer and Grok models alongside major models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Moonshot AI, Z.ai and others.
Which AI models does Cursor support?
Cursor supports Grok and Composer models alongside models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google and other providers, including Kimi and GLM options.
What is Cursor Origin?
Origin is Cursor’s Git-based code-hosting platform. It handles repositories, pull requests, code browsing, and background agent tasks without requiring a third-party Git host.

Cursor Downloads and Help

More AI software for Windows: Grok Bot for Windows · ChatGPT for Windows · Claude Desktop for Windows


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