Cannot find way to require confirmation before code changes - This is unacceptable and very frustrating

Support Help
1

Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor IDE

Describe the Bug

Cannot find way to require confirmation before code changes - This is unacceptable and very frustrating

Hi Cursor team,

I’m extremely frustrated with the current state of file modification controls in Cursor. I used to be able to configure the agent to ask for confirmation before making any code changes, but this functionality seems to have been removed or buried in confusing settings.

What I need:

  • A mode where the AI can read and analyze code
  • BUT requires explicit approval before writing/modifying any files
  • Clear preview of changes before applying them
  • Simple on/off toggle for this behavior

What I’m experiencing:

  • Custom modes don’t work properly (still allows modifications without confirmation)
  • Settings are poorly documented and confusing
  • No clear way to get the “ask before write” behavior
  • Having to constantly revert unwanted changes

This is unacceptable because:

  1. I lose control over my codebase
  2. The AI makes changes I didn’t approve
  3. It’s time-consuming to clean up unwanted modifications
  4. The whole point of AI assistance is to help, not to take over

What I expect:

  • A simple setting: “Require confirmation before file modifications: ON/OFF”
  • Clear visual indicators when changes are being proposed
  • Easy approve/reject workflow
  • This should work in ALL modes, not just custom ones

This used to work in earlier versions. Please either restore this functionality or provide clear documentation on how to achieve this basic requirement.

The current state makes Cursor unusable for professional development where code control is critical.

Thanks for your attention to this critical issue.

Steps to Reproduce

Steps to Reproduce:

  1. Open Cursor v1.5.11
  2. Open any project with code files
  3. Try to configure confirmation before file modifications:
    • Go to Settings (Ctrl+,)
    • Search for “cursor.general” or “confirmation”
    • Look for file modification settings
  4. Create a Custom Mode:
    • Go to Settings → Chat → Custom Modes
    • Enable Custom Modes (beta)
    • Create new mode with “Require Confirmation” option
  5. Switch to the custom mode
  6. Ask AI to modify a file (e.g., “add a comment to main.py”)
  7. Observe behavior:
    • Expected: AI asks for confirmation before making changes
    • Actual: AI modifies files directly without any confirmation dialog

Alternative reproduction:

  1. Use Agent mode (default)
  2. Ask AI to make any code change
  3. Observe: Changes are applied immediately without confirmation
  4. Check settings: No clear way to enable confirmation requirement

Expected Behavior:

  • AI should show a preview of changes
  • User should be able to approve/reject changes
  • Clear confirmation dialog before applying modifications

Actual Behavior:

  • AI modifies files directly
  • No confirmation dialog appears
  • No way to prevent unwanted changes
  • User has to manually revert changes

Configuration Attempted:

  • Custom modes with confirmation settings
  • Settings: cursor.general.requireConfirmationForFileChanges: true
  • Settings: cursor.ai.requireApprovalForChanges: true
  • None of these work as expected

Result:

  • Unusable for professional development
  • Loss of control over codebase
  • Time wasted reverting unwanted changes

Operating System

Linux

Current Cursor Version (Menu → About Cursor → Copy)

Cursor Version: 1.5.11 (2f2737de9aa376933d975ae30290447c910fdf40)
OS: Linux x64
Issue: Cannot find way to require confirmation before code changes

Does this stop you from using Cursor

No - Cursor works, but with this issue

2 Likes
2

also running into this after upgrading to the latest cursor version. this issue practically makes cursor unusable

3

This topic was automatically closed 22 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.