Cursor Commands & Shortcuts

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl I
• Opens the side panel if closed, or toggles focus if already open.

Examples

Cmd I

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl L
• Difference from Cmd I: Cmd L toggles the side panel display, Cmd I switches agent mode.

Examples

Cmd L

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl K
• Select code then press Cmd K to enter edit instructions for the selection.
• Press Cmd K on an empty file to generate the entire file.

Examples

Select code → Cmd K → "Add error handling"

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl .
• Opens a menu to quickly switch between four AI modes.

Examples

Cmd .

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl /
• The available model list can be configured in settings.

Examples

Cmd /

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl Shift J
• Access Rules, Tab, Indexing, Docs, and other Cursor settings.

Examples

Cmd Shift J

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl Shift P
• Also provides access to Cursor-specific commands like New Cursor Rule.

Examples

Cmd Shift P → "Cursor Rule"

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl Shift L
• If no selection is made, the entire file is used as context.

Examples

Select code → Cmd Shift L

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl Shift K
• If Inline Edit is already open, toggles input focus.

Examples

Select code → Cmd Shift K

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl Shift Backspace
• Stops the in-progress response midway.

Examples

Cmd Shift Backspace

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl Return
• While typing in chat: force send message immediately (bypasses queue).
• With suggested changes: accept and apply all changes.
• In terminal: execute the generated command.

Examples

Cmd Return

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl Backspace
• Use when diffs are displayed to discard all suggestions.

Examples

Cmd Backspace

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl →
• Partial Accepts must be enabled in Tab settings.

Examples

Cmd →

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl N
• Cmd T: Open a new chat tab.

Examples

Cmd N

Key points

• Tab completion: suggestions appear as ghost text (additions) or diff popups (modifications).
• In chat, moves cursor to the next message.

Examples

Tab

Key points

• In terminal: accept generated command into shell (without running).
• In chat: unfocus the input field.

Examples

Escape

Key points

• Rotates through Agent → Ask → Plan → Debug → Agent.

Examples

Shift Tab

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl Shift Space
• Use your microphone to give voice instructions to AI.

Examples

Cmd Shift Space

Key points

• Pre-enter follow-up instructions while Agent is still working.
• Drag to reorder queued messages.

Examples

Ctrl Return

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Alt Return
• Useful when you want to understand code without modifying it.

Examples

Opt Return

Key points

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl Alt /
• Similar to Cmd /. Use while the chat input is focused.

Examples

Cmd Opt /

Key points

• Type / after a folder name to expand subfolders.
• Navigate candidates with arrow keys; press Enter to select.

Examples

@src/components/Header.tsx

Key points

• More granular than @Files.
• Directly specify functions or classes.

Examples

@handleSubmit

Key points

• In addition to built-in docs, you can add your own URLs.
• Use the "Add new doc" option to register new documentation URLs.

Examples

@Docs → Next.js

Key points

• Useful for carrying over decisions and discussions from previous conversations.

Examples

@Past Chats

Key points

• Use when context runs low in long conversations.
• Auto-compression also occurs, but this allows explicit manual execution.

Examples

/summarize

Key points

• Custom command: can be defined in .cursor/commands/commit.md.
• Can be combined with /pr.

Examples

/commit

Key points

• Custom command: can be defined in .cursor/commands/pr.md.
• Can be used with /commit: /commit and /pr

Examples

/commit and /pr these changes to address DX-523

Key points

• Project-level: .cursor/commands/*.md
• Global: ~/.cursor/commands/*.md
• Team: Created via Cursor Dashboard (Team/Enterprise plans).

Examples

.cursor/commands/code-review.md

Key points

• Launch with Cmd I. Best for complex features and refactoring.
• Tools: Semantic Search, file read/write, shell execution, browser, image generation, etc.
• Checkpoints automatically save state before changes.

Examples

Cmd I → "Add authentication"

Key points

• Switch with Cmd . → Ask.
• Best for learning, planning, and understanding code.
• Only search tools available (edit tools disabled).

Examples

Cmd . → Ask → "How does this function work?"

Key points

• Switch with Shift Tab from input.
• Implementation starts after plan approval.
• All tools available.

Examples

Shift Tab → "Plan a JWT auth system"

Key points

• Switch with Cmd . → Debug.
• Best for tricky bugs and regressions.
• All tools plus debug server available.

Examples

Cmd . → Debug → "Investigate the 500 error on login"

Key points

• Shows ghost text (additions) or diff popups (modifications).
• Tab: accept. Escape: reject. Cmd →: accept one word at a time.
• Jump in file: auto-moves to next edit location after accepting.
• Jump across files: portal window suggests edits in other files.

Examples

Tab → Tab (jump)

Key points

• Select code then Cmd K to enter edit instructions.
• Opt Return: ask a question without editing.
• On empty files, can generate the entire file.

Examples

Cmd K → "Add TypeScript types"

Key points

• Best-of-N: send the same prompt to multiple models simultaneously and compare.
• Apply button merges worktree changes back to the main branch.
• Up to 20 worktrees per workspace.

Examples

Launch multiple Agents → Apply best result

Key points

• Auto-saved each time the Agent makes changes.
• "Restore Checkpoint" button to revert to any point.

Examples

Restore Checkpoint

Key points

• Review option appears automatically after Agent finishes.
• Detects code quality, bugs, and security issues.

Examples

Find Issues

Key points

• Cmd Return: execute the generated command.
• Escape: accept command into shell (without running).

Examples

Terminal → Cmd K → "Search logs from last 3 days"

Key points

• Location: .cursor/rules/*.md or .cursor/rules/*.mdc
• Apply types: Always Apply, Apply Intelligently, specific files only, manual.
• Use frontmatter to set alwaysApply: true or globs patterns.

Examples

.cursor/rules/coding-standards.md

Key points

• Location: Cursor Settings → Rules
• Project rules take precedence (Team > Project > User).

Examples

Cmd Shift J → Rules

Key points

• Write rules in Markdown format.
• Functional alternative to .cursor/rules.
• .cursorrules (legacy) is still supported.

Examples

AGENTS.md

Key points

• Modes: Run in Sandbox / Ask Every Time / Run Everything
• Network access: sandbox.json only / defaults included / allow all.
• Protections: browser auto-run, file deletion, dotfile, and external file protection.

Examples

Cmd Shift J → Agents → Auto-Run

Key points

• Partial Accepts: accept one word at a time with Cmd →.
• Toggle suggestions in comments, whitespace-only suggestions, auto-import (TypeScript/Python).
• Status bar: snooze, disable globally, or disable for specific file extensions.

Examples

Cmd Shift J → Tab

Key points

• Location: .cursorignore in project root.
• Same pattern syntax as .gitignore.
• Exclude sensitive files or binaries from AI.

Examples

.cursorignore → .env*

Key points

• Location: Cursor Settings → MCP, or .cursor/mcp.json
• Configure MCP tool allowlists for sandbox execution.

Examples

.cursor/mcp.json

Key points

• Location: .cursor/worktrees.json
• Setting: cursor.worktreeCleanupIntervalHours (cleanup interval).
• cursor.worktreeMaxCount: max worktrees per workspace (default 20).

Examples

.cursor/worktrees.json