import { Steps, Callout, Tabs } from "nextra/components";
import { SignupLink } from "@/app/_components/analytics";

# Use Arcade in Cursor

<GuideOverview>
<GuideOverview.Outcomes>

Connect Cursor to an Arcade MCP Gateway.

</GuideOverview.Outcomes>

<GuideOverview.Prerequisites>

1. Create an <SignupLink linkLocation="docs:claude-desktop-client">Arcade account</SignupLink>
2. Get an [Arcade API key](/get-started/setup/api-keys)
3. Create an [Arcade MCP Gateway](/guides/create-tools/mcp-gateways) and select the tools you want to use

</GuideOverview.Prerequisites>

</GuideOverview>

<Callout type="info">
  Cursor currently does not refresh the MCP OAuth tokens automatically. To set a
  persistent connection between Cursor and your MCP Gateway, you should set the
  `Authorization` field to "Arcade Headers" in the dashboard.
</Callout>

### Set up Cursor

1. Open the Command Palette (`Cmd + Shift + P` on macOS, `Ctrl + Shift + P` on Windows/Linux) and select **Open MCP Settings**
1. Click on the "New MCP Server" button

Cursor will open the MCP settings file, and you can add a new entry to the `mcpServers` object:

<Tabs items={["Arcade Auth", "Arcade Headers"]} storageKey="preferredMCPAuthMode">
<Tabs.Tab>

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-arcade": {
      "url": "https://api.arcade.dev/mcp/<YOUR-GATEWAY-SLUG>"
    }
  }
}
```

</Tabs.Tab>
<Tabs.Tab>

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-arcade": {
      "url": "https://api.arcade.dev/mcp/<YOUR-GATEWAY-SLUG>",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer {arcade_api_key}",
        "Arcade-User-ID": "{arcade_user_id}"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

</Tabs.Tab>
</Tabs>

### Try it out

1. Open the chat pane (typically command-l)
1. Make sure you are in **Agent** mode
1. Ask the agent to use a tool!