Cursor on Ubuntu
To install Cursor on Ubuntu, add Cursor’s apt repository and run sudo apt install cursor. That is the method Cursor’s own documentation recommends, on amd64 and arm64 alike.
The repository keeps Cursor updated with the rest of your system. Paid plans also include Grok Bot, which runs on Ubuntu too. If a step does not work on your system, leave a comment below or contact us and we will help you sort it out.
Install Cursor in 3 Steps
Three steps, five minutes. Nothing here is specific to one Ubuntu release.
Step 1: Add Cursor’s signing key
Open a terminal with Ctrl + Alt + T and fetch Cursor’s key into the folder apt keeps repository keys in:
curl -fsSL https://downloads.cursor.com/keys/anysphere.asc | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /etc/apt/keyrings/cursor.gpg > /dev/nullSilence means it worked. If the shell answers command not found, fetch both tools with sudo apt install curl gpg and run the line above again.
Works on both amd64 and arm64.
Step 2: Add the repository and install
Write the repository into apt’s list of sources. This is one long line, so copy it rather than typing it:
echo "deb [arch=amd64,arm64 signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/cursor.gpg] https://downloads.cursor.com/aptrepo stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/cursor.list > /dev/nullThen install:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install cursorAbout 207 MB to download, 940 MB installed.
Step 3: Open it and sign in
Cursor is in your applications menu. From a terminal, cursor opens it and cursor . opens the folder you are standing in:
cursor .On first run it offers to import your VS Code settings. Take it, then sign in.
The Other Two Ways to Install It
The download page has a .deb, an RPM and an AppImage. The RPM is for Fedora.
| Method | Updates | Menu entry | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| apt repository | With your system | Yes | Everyone on Ubuntu |
| .deb file | With your system, after it adds the repository itself | Yes | One offline machine |
| AppImage | Never. You re-download it | No | Trying it without installing |
The .deb file
Download it from cursor.com/downloads, then:
cd ~/Downloads && sudo apt install ./cursor_*_amd64.debThe .deb adds Cursor’s apt repository for you, so it updates like the repository install. From a terminal it asks first. Double-click the file and it just adds it.
The AppImage
One file, nothing to install:
chmod +x Cursor-*.AppImage
./Cursor-*.AppImageNo menu entry and no updates. If it will not start, see When Something Goes Wrong.
The AppImage route, including adding a menu entry with Gear Lever.
What Cursor Is Now
Agents Window. Run several agents at once, on your machine or in the cloud, and watch them in one place.
Composer 2.5. Cursor’s own model, built for long coding jobs that run for a while without you.
The editor is still there. It is based on VS Code, so your extensions and shortcuts carry over. Want the editor without the AI? Install Visual Studio Code.
Plans: Hobby is free. Pro, Pro+ and Ultra are paid, with Teams and Enterprise for companies. Your code goes to Cursor’s servers when the AI works on it.
Grok Bot Comes With Cursor
Grok Bot is a personal assistant that does real work for you. Each Bot has its own computer in the cloud, with a browser and apps. Give it a job by message, and it keeps going while your laptop is closed.
It runs on Ubuntu. It is a separate app with its own .deb, .rpm and AppImage, for x64 and arm64. There are also apps for iPhone and Android.
Already pay for SuperGrok or X Premium+? You can link that instead. Install Grok Bot on Ubuntu.
How Updates Reach You
New versions arrive with your system updates.
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgradeUbuntu’s Software Updater picks it up too, so if you already let that run there is nothing to do here.
To see which version you have:
apt policy cursorThe AppImage never updates. Download a new one to upgrade.
When Something Goes Wrong
NO_PUBKEY 42A1772E62E492D6
Happens on Ubuntu 24.04 after installing the .deb file. The steps replace its repository entry with a working one.
apt still checks Cursor after you removed it
FIX Run sudo rm -f /etc/apt/sources.list.d/cursor.list
Removal on 24.04 leaves this file behind.
dlopen(): error loading libfuse.so.2
FIX Run sudo apt install libfuse2t64
AppImage only. On 22.04 the package is libfuse2.
The window never opens and mentions the sandbox
FIX Run sudo apt install cursor-sandbox-apparmor
Newer Ubuntu blocks the sandbox Cursor uses. This small package from Cursor’s repository allows it.
Remove It
sudo apt remove cursor
sudo rm -f /etc/apt/sources.list.d/cursor.list /etc/apt/keyrings/cursor.gpgYour settings stay in ~/.config/Cursor and ~/.cursor. Delete them for a clean slate.
Helpful Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Which file should I download for Ubuntu?
Use the apt repository instead, so Cursor updates with your system. If you want a file, take the .deb.
Does installing the .deb add an apt repository?
Yes. It asks first in a terminal and adds it without asking if you double-click the file.
Is Cursor free on Ubuntu?
Yes, on the free Hobby plan. Pro, Pro+ and Ultra give you more AI use and include Grok Bot.
Do I get Grok Bot with a Cursor subscription on Linux?
Yes. Pro, Pro+, Ultra and Teams all include Grok Bot. It is a separate app with its own Linux .deb, .rpm and AppImage, so it runs on Ubuntu.
Does Cursor work offline, or run a model on my own machine?
No. The editor opens offline, but the AI features send your code to Cursor’s servers.
Will my Visual Studio Code extensions work?
Mostly. Cursor imports them on first run. A few are missing from its marketplace.
Cursor’s own repository for Ubuntu and Debian, on amd64 and arm64, signed and recommended by Cursor.
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