Connect Cursor
to your MCP servers.

1. Start MCPProxy and add a server

Install MCPProxy and Cursor if needed. Start MCPProxy, then open the Web UI address shown by your instance. With the default port, it is http://localhost:8080/ui/. Sign in with your instance’s admin key if prompted.

In Servers, add an MCP server you trust. For a first test, use a filesystem server confined to a folder containing a small test note. Review the server and approve the tools you intend to use; leave unneeded write tools unapproved.

2. Review and connect Cursor

1. Open Clients → Connect client in the Web UI.
2. Find Cursor and choose Review & connect. The helper detects the configuration file; install and open the client once if it is missing.
3. Review the proposed entry and file path. The helper normally targets ~/.cursor/mcp.json in the account running MCPProxy. Pick a profile if you want a subset of servers; the default is All servers.
4. Select Connect. MCPProxy writes a dedicated client credential and backs up an existing configuration before changing it. If an entry already exists, review the replacement rather than adding a second one.

The generated file contains a private client credential. Keep it out of Git and shared screenshots. Manage upstream servers from MCPProxy’s Web UI, CLI, or macOS app.

3. Make your first successful tool call

Reload the Cursor window, open its MCP settings, and check mcpproxy. Use Agent mode for the verification prompt and approve the read when Cursor asks.

For the filesystem example, ask:

Use MCPProxy to find the read_text_file tool on my filesystem server. Read my test note and report its first line. Do not write or delete files.

Give your client the actual path of the note in the server’s allowed folder. In MCPProxy Activity, look for an upstream Tool Call with Success and the expected server and tool. Confirm the content matches your note.

A saved client configuration or a successful retrieve_tools discovery call alone does not prove the upstream tool worked.

Manual configuration

Use this when the Web UI helper cannot access your client’s file, or you prefer an environment variable. In Clients → Add other client…, create a dedicated client credential, choose its profile, and save the credential shown once as MCPPROXY_CLIENT_TOKEN in your client’s environment. Use a client credential rather than the admin key.

Merge the entry below into ~/.cursor/mcp.json (global) or .cursor/mcp.json (project), preserving your other settings. Replace the default URL if your instance uses a different address.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcpproxy": {
      "url": "http://localhost:8080/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${env:MCPPROXY_CLIENT_TOKEN}"
      }
    }
  }
}

The environment variable must be available to the Cursor process. A desktop app launched from the Dock may not inherit your terminal environment. The Web UI helper writes a client credential directly to the global file instead.

Configuration reference: Cursor MCP documentation ↗.

If the first call does not work

The client is missing from Connect client

Open it once to create its configuration. Check the file path and the OS account running MCPProxy. For another machine or account, use manual configuration.

Connection refused

Keep MCPProxy running and check the address and port. localhost refers to the machine running the client; a container or remote development environment needs a reachable endpoint.

Unauthorized

Check the client credential and its scope. For a manual environment variable, restart the client from an environment that contains it.

No upstream tools, or a call is blocked

Check Servers for a connected upstream, Review queue for pending approval, and the client’s profile for the intended server. Check Activity for the failure reason.

Old or duplicate MCPProxy entry

Use the preview to replace the old entry, then reload the client. Keep the backup until the new setup works.

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