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June 19, 2025
As an AI developer, I was excited to try DeepSeek’s R1 model for its cost efficiency. I wanted to integrate it into my daily workflow with Cursor IDE. But then I hit frustrating slowdowns and setup errors. Here’s how I fixed them.
The Problem I Faced with R1 in Cursor
When I first tried DeepSeek R1 in Cursor, it was painfully slow. It took way longer than other models to respond.
I also kept running into error messages. Sometimes the model name wasn’t recognized, and other times the API key didn’t work. I was stuck.
On top of that, I had privacy concerns. And I wasn’t sure if I needed a Cursor Pro subscription to use R1 in both chat and composer modes.
My Step-by-Step Fix for DeepSeek R1 in Cursor
- Get an API Key from Fireworks: I learned that Cursor uses Fireworks to provide DeepSeek models securely. So I signed up for a Fireworks account and got an API key. Then I pasted that key into Cursor’s settings. This keeps my data private.
- Use the Exact Model Name: To stop the model name errors, I made sure to type
deepseek-r1exactly. No extra spaces or characters. That fixed the recognition issues. - Upgrade to Cursor Pro for Everything: To use R1 in composer mode, I upgraded to Cursor Pro. That unlocked all features immediately, with no extra cost for the model.
What I Learned About Speed and Privacy
Why was R1 so slow at first? Fireworks was scaling up their infrastructure. But as they added capacity, the speed got much better. I noticed a big improvement within a week.
As for privacy? Fireworks acts as a secure middleman. They handle the data, so DeepSeek doesn’t get direct access. That put my mind at ease.
Why It’s Worth the Effort
After setting up R1, it gave me incredibly accurate coding help. It’s now an essential part of my AI toolkit.
I use it every day in Cursor. No more slowdowns, no errors. Just smooth, efficient coding.
