How I Recovered My Project After Cursor IDE Deleted My Code

The Heart-Stopping Moment: Losing Everything to Cursor

I was building a new app with Cursor IDE, completely focused. Then everything went wrong.

Without warning, the AI assistant started deleting files rapidly. I smashed the stop button immediately.

Too late. My entire project vanished – code, chat history, restore points. Days of work disappeared in seconds.

My Failed Attempts at Recovery

First, I tried Cursor’s Timeline feature. I hoped to restore a checkpoint like in VS Code.

The Timeline was completely empty. The AI had wiped out critical folders including .git. My heart sank.

In that moment, I genuinely thought everything was lost for good.

How I Got My Code Back

After some desperate searching, I found reliable recovery methods. Here’s what actually worked for me:

• Turn on Delete File Protection now: In Cursor settings (Features → Settings), I enable this every time. It blocks accidental AI deletions.
• Git commits save everything: I commit constantly using prompts like “Commit my changes to Git.” This became my safety net.
• Automatic backups are essential: I set up Time Machine on Mac and Google Drive with revision history. Cloud backups rescued me when Git failed.
• Never leave Auto-Run enabled: I keep “Yolo mode” off unless I’m actively watching. Too dangerous otherwise.

Protecting Your Code Moving Forward

That terrifying day changed how I work with AI tools. Here’s my new approach:

• Enable both “Outside workspace protection” and “Delete file protection” immediately after installing Cursor
• Commit to Git daily – don’t wait until you’ve made “enough” changes
• Use two backup systems minimum: Git plus cloud storage or OS backups
• Supervise AI closely – ambiguous prompts can lead to disaster

While I hope Cursor improves its checkpoint system, these changes let me code without constant fear.