Cursor is an AI-powered code editor for Windows, Mac and Linux, it was created to help developers by combining programming and AI to create software faster and more efficiently.
I had no trouble installing Cursor on my Mac, however when I attempted to install it on Ubuntu Linux, I encountered multiple obstacles.
After some research, I found out how to get it working and sharing the steps with you here.
Step 1 Download Cursor
- Go to the https://cursor.so and click on the "Download" button.
- When the download is finished, a file with this extension .AppImage at the end will be in your download folder
what is this ".AppImage" extension?
AppImage is a universal software package format that does not require the conventional installation method to be installed on Linux.
Step 2: Make the .AppImage File Executable
Before running the file, you need to make it executable, Open a terminal and navigate to your Downloads folder (or the folder where you saved the file), then run:
chmod +x Cursor-0.50.5-x86_64.AppImage
Note: The filename may differ, so make sure to replace Cursor-0.50.5-x86_64.AppImage with the correct file name if yours is different.
Step 3: FUSE Error (Optional)
Proceed to Step 3 if you run into a problem at this point, If you didn't encounter this error, you can skip the Step 3
./Cursor-0.50.5-x86_64.AppImage
dlopen(): error loading libfuse.so.2
AppImages require FUSE to run.
You might still be able to extract the contents of this AppImage
if you run it with the --appimage-extract option.
See https://github.com/AppImage/AppImageKit/wiki/FUSE
for more information
So what’s going on here? Don’t panic.
The error tells us that Cursor needs FUSE (Filesystem in Userspace) to run, this is a Linux feature that lets regular users run filesystems without needing root access.
Install FUSE (Optional)
sudo apt-get install libfuse2
Step 4 Make File Exectutable
once you install the libfuse2 now run again this command
chmod +x Cursor-0.50.5-x86_64.AppImage
Step 5: Sandbox Error (Optional)
If you try to run Cursor and see something like this:
./Cursor-0.50.5-x86_64.AppImage
The setuid sandbox is not running as root. Common causes:
* An unprivileged process using ptrace on it, like a debugger.
* A parent process set prctl(PR_SET_NO_NEW_PRIVS, ...)
Failed to move to new namespace: PID namespaces supported, Network namespace supported, but failed: errno = Operation not permitted
[7278:0529/092356.887893:FATAL:zygote_host_impl_linux.cc(207)] Check failed: . : Invalid argument (22)
[1] 7278 trace trap (core dumped) ./Cursor-0.50.5-x86_64.AppImage
Don't worry. This happens because the app is trying to use a Linux feature called namespaces (used for sandboxing), but your system isn't allowing it
This is usually caused by:
- Running from a non-root terminal
- Ubuntu disabling user namespaces for security reasons
Quick Fix, try running the AppImage like this:
./Cursor-0.50.5-x86_64.AppImage --no-sandbox
⚠️ This skips the sandboxing feature. It's less secure but good for testing.
Step 6 Run The .AppImage
Great! You can now run the .AppImage file either by running the command from the terminal or by opening the Cursor file directly from your Downloads folder
./Cursor-0.50.5-x86_64.AppImage
Follow these steps to add Cursor to your applications list
How to add cursor app on the installed application list
Follow these steps to add Cursor to your applications list
- Move the app from the download to opt folder
sudo mv Cursor-0.50.5-x86_64.AppImage /opt/cursor.appimage
- Create a desktop entry for Cursor by running the command
sudo nano /usr/share/applications/cursor.desktop
- Past the follow in the file you've just created
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Cursor
Exec=/opt/cursor.appimage --no-sandbox
Icon=/opt/cursor.png
Type=Application
Categories=Development;
- save the file
ctl + x
then
press y
then
press enter
As Final Step, we should add an icon to the app so you can tell it apart from other applications
Since we moved the app into the /opt directory, add a .png image into the /opt directory as well
The image file should be named cursor.png as defined when we created the desktop entry.
If you did all the steps and you application icon is not showing Log Out then login again
That is it thanks for reading :)
Top comments (60)
Since Ubuntu 22.04 the installation of Fuse can crash your system (as it did mine, Ubuntu 23). Just install libfuse2.
github.com/AppImage/AppImageKit/wi...
I've updated the article to reflect this correction & I apologize for any inconvenience caused.
I just had to reinstall my Ubuntu 24.04 yesterday. Please pay attention to this comment before installing!
I've updated the article to reflect this correction & I apologize for any inconvenience caused.
How do you solve the problem after installing the fuse? I've already installed it and after I restarted my Ubuntu system it was damaged and information was like this : Oh no! Something went wrong. A problem occurred and the system could not recover. Please log out and try again.
Check this out. The answer lists the packages that get removed when you install fuse: askubuntu.com/a/1409500
Thanks. Wish I had seen this before crashing my Ubuntu system.
I've updated the article to reflect this correction & I apologize for any inconvenience caused.
There is an option without fuse proflead.dev/posts/cursor-ai-full-...
thx for help
@mhbaando Please add a warning to the post informing the installation of Fuse will break Ubuntu installs above 22.04. Too many people in the comments have had the problem (myself included) and nobody reads the comments before installing, so the post needs to be updated.
I've updated the article to reflect this correction & i apologize for any inconvenience caused.
How to update to the latest Cursor?
you do the same steps just download the cursor, then move it the existing directory, you don't need t install the Fuse again since you already installed and keep on
Hahaha you're right! I just move the newest AppImage to my existing app. Thanks!!
It's absolutely baffling that Linux app distribution is still this frustratingly broken and annoying in 2025. A company can't even get a simple editor binary released without needing third-party install guides. Appreciate the guide though - we clearly need it!
Thanks for your feedback, I know Linux app distribution can be frustrating, which is why i made this guide to simplify installing Cursor, Glad it helped!
Thank you. I do have a recommendation. When an action is conditional, put the CONDITION first!
"Now go to step 4........ but ONLY if what you did above doesnt work"
I am doing the instructions as I read them.... and I did step 4 even though I didnt need it.
It would have been nicer if it read:
"If what you did above does not work, then do Step 4, otherwise skip step 4"
Just my 2 cents.
Thank you for your feedback!
Thank for saving my time
U welcome :)
pretty helpful! thanks!
Thanks
it working and thanks for that but the icon of the app isnt showing (its transparent)
the reason that the icon is not showing is you have to manually assign icon,
see this section on the "How to add cursor app on the installed application list"
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Cursor
Exec=/opt/cursor.appimage --no-sandbox
Icon=/opt/cursor.png
Type=Application
Categories=Development;
Terminal=false
above desktop file worked for me
This is wrong. DO NOT INSTALL FUSE ON UBUNTU 24.04. I tried this guide and it caused my system to crash to a point where I had to reboot my computer from grub rescue. It heavily deleted extensions and important apps I had on my system.
You're correct, installing the fuse package on Ubuntu 24.04 can cause system instability,
I've updated the article to reflect this correction & I apologize for any inconvenience caused.
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