Download Cursor: Every Build for macOS, Windows and Linux

Downloading Cursor

One application, thirteen builds. This page explains which one your machine wants and what the confusing options actually change, then sends you to the official download.

macOS, Windows, Linux

Free to download

Older releases available

Checked against cursor.com on 25 September 2026

Picking a build

macOS

ARM64: Apple Silicon: M1 and everything after it. The right choice for any Mac sold since late 2020.
x64: Intel Macs. Only if your machine predates Apple Silicon.
Universal: Both architectures in one larger download. Useful for imaging a mixed fleet.

Windows

x64 (User): Installs for the current user, no administrator rights needed. The default choice.
x64 (System): Installs machine-wide. Needs admin rights and is what IT deployment expects.
ARM64 (User): Snapdragon and other ARM Windows devices, per-user install.
ARM64 (System): Same hardware, machine-wide install.

Linux

.deb: Debian, Ubuntu and derivatives. Integrates with apt, so updates follow your package manager.
.rpm: Fedora, RHEL, openSUSE. Same idea through dnf or zypper.
AppImage: Distribution-independent single file. No install step, and no system integration either.

The one that trips people up

On Windows, System and User installers look interchangeable and are not. The User installer puts Cursor inside your profile and asks for no elevation, so it works on a machine where you are not an administrator. The System installer writes to Program Files and installs once for everybody on the box.

The failure mode is installing both. You end up with two copies, two update cycles, and a file association that points at whichever one registered last. If Cursor is behaving strangely on Windows after an update, checking whether you have both installed is a fast thing to rule out.

macOS, briefly

Take ARM64 if your Mac has an M-series chip, which means anything bought since late 2020. Take x64 only for an Intel machine. The Universal build is neither faster nor more compatible for an individual; it is simply both binaries shipped together, which is convenient if you are imaging a mixed fleet and inconvenient otherwise because the download is larger.

If you are not sure which chip you have, the Apple menu, then About This Mac, names it directly.

Linux and the AppImage question

Reach for .deb or .rpm first. They register Cursor with your package manager, which means the application appears in your launcher and updates travel through the same channel as everything else on the system.

AppImage is the escape hatch. It is one executable file that runs almost anywhere without installation, which is exactly right for a locked-down machine or an unusual distribution, and exactly wrong as a default. Nothing registers it with the desktop environment, so you get no menu entry and no file associations unless you wire them up yourself.

Getting an older release

The download page lists recent versions below the current one, each with the complete platform matrix. This exists for a specific reason: a release occasionally breaks an extension or a workflow, and being able to install the previous version while the fix lands is the difference between an annoyance and a lost afternoon.

If you do roll back, turn off automatic updates for the moment, otherwise the application will quietly restore the version you were trying to avoid.

The editor is not the only surface

Cursor ships three: the desktop application, the terminal CLI, and a web interface for starting cloud agents from a browser or phone. They install independently. Someone whose work happens over SSH may only ever need the CLI, which is a single curl command and has no desktop dependency.

Build list read from cursor.com/download on 25 September 2026. Download binaries from that page rather than from mirrors.

Frequently asked questions

Which Cursor download do I need for a Mac?

ARM64, unless your Mac has an Intel processor. Every Mac released since late 2020 uses Apple Silicon and should take the ARM64 build. The Universal build works everywhere but is a larger download because it contains both architectures.

What is the difference between the Windows System and User installers?

The User installer writes into your own profile and needs no administrator rights, which makes it the right pick on a personal machine or a locked-down work laptop. The System installer writes machine-wide, requires admin rights, and is what IT departments use for managed deployment.

Which Linux package should I choose?

Prefer .deb on Debian and Ubuntu, or .rpm on Fedora, RHEL and openSUSE, because those hook into your package manager and keep updates in one place. Choose the AppImage only when neither format fits your distribution, and accept that it will not integrate with the system menu or update automatically the same way.

Is Cursor free to download?

Yes. The application is the same on every plan, the download requires no payment, and the free Hobby plan has no expiry. Plans change how much agent usage is included, not which build you install.

Can I download an older version of Cursor?

Yes. The download page lists several recent releases alongside the latest one, each with the full set of platform builds. That matters when a new release breaks an extension you depend on and you need to pin a known-good version while it is fixed.

Do I need to download anything to use Cursor in a terminal?

The desktop app and the CLI install separately. The CLI is a one-line curl install and runs on machines with no desktop environment, which is the point of it. You do not need the editor installed for the CLI to work.

Can I use Cursor without downloading it?

Partly. Cursor offers a web surface for starting cloud agents from a browser, which covers kicking off and reviewing agent work but is not a replacement for the desktop editor.