Why My Cursor IDE Was Stuck on ‘Downloading VS Code Server’ and How I Fixed It in 5 Minutes

I recently made the switch to Cursor IDE for my coding. I was really excited about its AI features, but then I hit a snag. Every time I tried connecting to a remote server, it got stuck on “Downloading VS Code Server…”. Meanwhile, the exact same connection worked instantly in VS Code. Frustrated? You bet. But I dug in and found some simple fixes that got me back to coding in just minutes.

The Problem I Encountered

Setting up remote access in Cursor should be straightforward. But for me, the progress bar kept freezing at “Downloading VS Code Server…”. It just hung there indefinitely, making remote work impossible. What baffled me? The same connection worked instantly in VS Code. It felt like I was missing out on Cursor’s cool AI features because of this one annoying issue.

What I Tried First

My first thought? Maybe it was a network issue or an outdated version of Cursor. I checked my internet – solid. Then I updated Cursor to the latest version. Still no luck. I even peeked at the logs, but they weren’t much help. So I turned to the community for ideas and found some promising workarounds.

The Solutions That Worked for Me

After testing different approaches, these solutions did the trick:

• Use Microsoft’s SSH Remote Extension: I ditched the default Anysphere extension and installed Microsoft’s “Remote – SSH”. That bypassed the download hang-up and connected without a hitch.
• Roll back to a stable version: When the problem persisted, I downgraded to Cursor version 0.48. After that, the download finished in minutes.
• Just ignore OS warnings: Sometimes you’ll get a pop-up saying your OS isn’t supported. If the connection works, go ahead and dismiss it. The developers have fixed this in recent updates.

Step-by-Step Fix Guide

Here’s how to implement the most reliable fix quickly:

1. Open Cursor IDE and head to the Extensions tab
2. Search for “Remote – SSH” and install the one by Microsoft
3. Connect to your server using this extension – goodbye, download stalls!
4. Still stuck? Try downgrading Cursor. Uninstall your current version, grab version 0.48 from the official site, and reinstall
5. Keep an eye out for updates; they often fix these issues

Wrapping Up: Keep Your Remote Coding Smooth

This whole experience showed me how extension conflicts or version bugs can throw a wrench in your workflow. Switching to a trusted extension or rolling back to a stable version made all the difference. Now I get fast, reliable connections in Cursor. If you’re still having trouble, share detailed logs with the support team. But with these fixes, you should be back to AI-enhanced coding in no time.