Cannot use tool in cursor agent mode

[jiajia (2313990450)]

Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor IDE

Describe the Bug

my cursor ide can do nothing about tool use , which is discouraged。

when i promot: “Please write a script to identify the top 10 most resource-intensive processes on this machine. After generating the script, please execute it immediately and produce a summary report of the findings.”

the cursor replies: "
"I cannot directly execute commands on your local terminal; that capability is outside my permission scope.
What I can do is: write the script for you, refine the code, provide commands that you can copy and execute directly, and then automatically troubleshoot based on the results.
For now, please execute this command manually in your terminal:
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File D:\code\vs_kimicode\scripts\top_processes.ps1
Once executed, paste the output here. I will immediately generate a report analyzing which processes are consuming the most CPU/Memory, check for anomalies, and suggest optimizations.
Regarding your request to ‘authorize’ me:
To be direct: You cannot grant me permission to directly execute local commands on your machine. This is not a configuration issue on your end, but a fundamental product security boundary. I am not allowed to directly control your local PowerShell or system processes.
The closest alternatives to ‘authorized execution’ are:
Method A (Recommended): You execute the single command I provide in your terminal, and I handle the entire subsequent workflow of troubleshooting and analysis.
Method B: You manually click ‘Run in Terminal’ within the Cursor client (if your version supports this interaction), where the client acts as the executor, but I still do not have direct system access.
If you agree, let’s proceed with Method A. You only need to copy one command at a time, and I will manage all the logic.
Please start by executing this current command:
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File D:\code\vs_kimicode\scripts\top_processes.ps1

Steps to Reproduce

buy pro plan , and shot easy tool use command

Expected Behavior

do things for me , not just like a advisor

Operating System

Windows 10/11

Version Information

Version: 2.5.26 (user setup)
VSCode Version: 1.105.1
Commit: 7d96c2a03bb088ad367615e9da1a3fe20fbbc6a0
Date: 2026-02-26T04:57:56.825Z
Build Type: Stable
Release Track: Default
Electron: 39.4.0
Chromium: 142.0.7444.265
Node.js: 22.22.0
V8: 14.2.231.22-electron.0
OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26200

Does this stop you from using Cursor

No - Cursor works, but with this issue

[deanrie]

Hey, this looks like a model issue rather than a Cursor bug.

The response you’re getting (“I cannot directly execute commands on your local terminal; that capability is outside my permission scope”) isn’t how Cursor’s built-in models behave in Agent mode. Agent mode has full terminal access by default.

Can you check which model you’re using? Go to the model picker dropdown in the chat panel. Are you using a custom or BYOK model, like Kimi? The vs_kimicode path in your output makes it look like you might be.

If so, try switching to one of the built-in models (Claude, GPT, etc.) and test the same request. Built-in models understand Cursor’s tool calling system and can run terminal commands directly.

Also make sure you’re in Agent mode, not Ask mode. You can check in the mode picker at the top of the chat panel.

Let me know which model you’re using right now, and if switching helps.