How to Configure MCP Servers in Cursor (2026 Guide)

Start with one server and one task you can verify. Cursor supports hosted MCP connections as well as local processes, but those use different configuration fields. Copy the publisher's connection instructions for the specific server you chose.

This guide was reviewed against primary documentation on September 10, 2026. It supplies a documented example and a verification procedure; it does not claim that this update ran an authenticated installation.

Choose project or global configuration

For a project-specific connection, create .cursor/mcp.json in the repository. For tools you want across projects, use ~/.cursor/mcp.json. Cursor documents the mcpServers object and environment references such as ${env:NAME}. Merge new entries into an existing file instead of replacing its contents. Cursor MCP documentation.

Keep a project configuration focused. A teammate should be able to tell why each connection belongs in that repository. Keep real credentials out of shared files.

Example: connect to hosted Notion MCP

Notion publishes a hosted MCP endpoint and instructions for connecting clients. Follow the account authorization flow described in Notion's setup guide.

A Cursor configuration for that endpoint is:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "notion": {
      "url": "https://mcp.notion.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Save the file, inspect the server in Cursor's MCP settings, and complete authorization for the intended workspace. A remote endpoint uses url; it does not need an invented npm package or a local launch command. Cursor's transport configuration.

Verify the result against a known page

Pick a page you can open in Notion and ask:

Use the Notion tools to find the page named PROJECT NOTES. Return its title and link without changing the page.

Replace the title with your own example. Inspect the tool call and compare the result with the page in Notion. If several pages share the title, narrow the search before requesting edits. A natural-language answer alone does not prove that a tool was used.

When a local server is different

A local server requires the publisher's executable, arguments, and any credentials or file paths. Confirm the command is installed and visible to Cursor's environment. Do not infer a package name from the server title or translate an unsupported package format into npx.

If a server connects but the requested task fails, distinguish authentication, missing permissions, and unsupported tools. Record the exact failing operation and the server error; reinstalling unrelated packages is unlikely to clarify that distinction.

Browse development servers by the task you need next. For GitHub specifically, follow the publisher link in our GitHub setup guide; its Claude Code file location must be adapted to Cursor's configuration location.