Hey, thanks for the report.
This is a known issue, especially with a large number of rules. The team is already working on improving how long rules are handled. The issue is that they can take up too much of the model’s context.
A few things that will help us narrow it down:
Can you check the size of your rules?
How many rules do you have in Cursor Settings → Rules? We recommend keeping each rule under 500 lines. If you have one huge rule or lots of big ones, that could be the cause.
Workaround:
- Split large rules into smaller, more focused ones
- Use “Apply to Specific Files” instead of “Always Apply” where possible, it reduces context load
- Make sure your rules use “Always Apply” and not “Agent Decides” since the latter is less reliable
Quick test:
Try creating one simple test rule, literally 2 to 3 lines, with type “Always Apply”, and see if it works. This helps confirm whether the issue is the size or something else.
If the issue still happens even with a short rule, send the Request ID from the chat (top right menu → Copy Request ID) so the team can check the details.
Related threads:
- Agent ignoring rules
- Invest in Cursor Rules: A Four-Level Maturity Framework (useful guide on structure)