How I Fixed Cursor IDE’s Unbearable Interface Lag on Linux with a Simple Script

I was ready to throw my computer out the window. Every time I selected text or copied code in Cursor IDE, everything froze for 3-5 agonizing seconds. Even worse? My entire Linux system would grind to a halt. This constant lag doubled my work time and nearly made me quit using Cursor altogether.

But after some late-night troubleshooting, I discovered a shockingly simple fix that completely transformed the experience. Let me walk you through what worked when nothing else did.

Why Cursor Became Unusable

Running Linux Mint with an Intel i7 processor should’ve handled Cursor 0.50.7 easily. Instead, every UI interaction triggered complete lockups. Editing simple markdown files brought “Cursor not responding” warnings, while memory usage would balloon past 15GB.

Force-quitting became routine, and the lag always returned. This wasn’t about hardware – it felt like a Linux-specific memory leak turning my coding sessions into waiting games.

What Didn’t Work

Before finding the solution, I tested every suggestion from the community:

• Cursor’s Process Explorer showed normal memory use despite the freezes
• Disabling GPU acceleration (Settings > Features) reduced crashes but didn’t stop the lag
• Updating Cursor and removing extensions helped briefly, but chat histories still triggered slowdowns

The 2-Line Script That Changed Everything

My breakthrough came when I realized the state.vscdb file in Cursor’s config directory was causing write delays on my Btrfs filesystem. By moving it to RAM, the lag vanished completely.

Here’s how to implement it:

1. Create this script to run at system startup
2. Execute it manually before launching Cursor if needed

Save this as fix_cursor_lag.sh:

#!/bin/bash
mv ~/.config/Cursor/state.vscdb /tmp/state.vscdb


After making it executable with chmod +x fix_cursor_lag.sh, Cursor’s performance transformed instantly. No more freezes during text selection, stable memory usage, and my entire system stayed responsive. I kept hardware acceleration disabled as extra insurance.

Keeping Cursor Running Smoothly

This tiny script solved months of frustration. The lesson? Sometimes Linux filesystems interact strangely with apps like Cursor. If you’re battling similar lag, try this approach first.

Now when I code, Cursor responds immediately – no more watching spinning cursors. It’s amazing how one small tweak can rescue your workflow from constant interruption.