Can't Update Cursor IDE from Help menu

Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor IDE

Describe the Bug

I can’t update Cursor from the Check for Updates option in the Help menu. It says ‘New Update Available - Install Now’ but when I click ‘Install Now’ Cursor closes, the system hangs for a while and finally says:

"There was an error while Opening file handle:

Failed to create file handle: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.

Please verify there are no Cursor processes still executing.

I do what it says and verify there are no Cursor processes executing so I click Retry. It just says the same thing until I cancel and it says:

Failed to install Cursor update.

Updates may fail due to anti-virus software and/or runaway processes. Please try restarting your machine before attempting to update again.

Please read the log file for more information. (See attached)

I do as it says and disable the anti-virus and reboot the computer. I try again and it produces the same results- it opens Cursor and the process repeats.

Steps to Reproduce

Navigate to Help menu and click “Check for Updates”. Wait for it to say New Update Available - Install Now and click ‘Install Now’.

Expected Behavior

It’s expected Cursor IDE will update and open.

Operating System

Windows 10/11

Current Cursor Version (Menu → About Cursor → Copy)

Version: 1.5.2 (user setup)
VSCode Version: 1.99.3
Commit: 460bf37e9a7b6a1f441c5faaae8d2c5dda059c10
Date: 2025-08-22T00:21:22.384Z
Electron: 34.5.8
Chromium: 132.0.6834.210
Node.js: 20.19.1
V8: 13.2.152.41-electron.0
OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26100

Does this stop you from using Cursor

No - Cursor works, but with this issue

2 Likes

I have the same problem

1 Like

I’ve also been facing this issue since version 1.3.x. I even made a post about it, but I was ignored.

You can revert to an earlier version for example the version I am using is 1.4.5, checking for updates 1.4.5 is the latest stable version.

oslook is NOT the official Cursor site. BEWARE! Same with cursorhistory.com
These are not official and always be cautious of unofficial sites, as they may not provide accurate information or could pose security risks.

Again, not official, but made by me and sourcecode is on Github - all versions are available here: https://downloadcursor.app and all links are direct from Cursor.

Please explain why the cursor.com official site has 1.4 as the latest version, and when you click to download the file it’s version 1.4.2. However, if you click the Download button in the upper right of the page, it downloads V. 1.4.5 and they show no links to any higher versions while you are displaying links to higher versions? Are these beta versions? It’s not clear.
|Edit:
I see from reading some other posts that there are ‘Early Access’ users of which I suppose I’m one of.. Guinea pigs for beta tests I suppose. I rolled back to 1.4.5 by download the installer from the Download button on the official cursor website.

I was able to update Cursor from 1.4.5 to 1.5.5 today using auto-update so this issue is resolved.

1 Like

Now it’s doing it again. It doesn’t auto-update because Cursor is in use by another process.

hi @SamuraiCobra - This is an issue for a lot of people including myself. (See 2 example links to other bug reports below). I feel left alone by Cursors team but am still hopeful that they address this issue asap. It seems to affect a growing number of people. I for one need to make a decision soon whether I’ll stay with cursor or move away from it.

I hope we’ll get an answer soon.

1 Like

Facing the same issue.
Window 11 Home
24H2 - 26100.4946

1 Like

I suggest trying manually installing the latest version from the Cursor.com website which is 1.5.11.

That’s what I did. I now will see if the issue has been resolved when Cursor tries to auto-update the next time.

Version: 1.5.11 (user setup)
VSCode Version: 1.99.3
Commit: 2f2737de9aa376933d975ae30290447c910fdf40
Date: 2025-09-05T03:48:32.332Z
Electron: 34.5.8
Chromium: 132.0.6834.210
Node.js: 20.19.1
V8: 13.2.152.41-electron.0
OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26100

1 Like

I encountered this problem updating from 1.5.6 to 1.5.11. I think I was too fast doing things when it started, because I was closing Cursor forgetting it was still updating. Then I opened it again and see it installing. It got messy and I will keep story short, but yea, I had that same error about other process locking files.

In the end, I closed Cursor and tried to kill some background process called Cursor, but task manager said Access denied. Then I rebooted computer, launched Cursor, took Check update from Help menu, and ignored when it tried to offer update at that small hint bubble at left bottom corner. At some point the Help menu item changed to restart, and when I did choose that, then the update went through.

2 Likes

Thanks @Serp your approach is actually working for me. You may have found the workaround!

I did add cursor.exe to my AV exclusion list. And then did the same as you. “
” 1. Check update from Help menu, and ignored when it tried to offer update at that small hint bubble at left bottom corner.
2. At some point the Help menu item changed to restart, and when I did choose that, then the update went through.”

(Sad to see that Cursor cant fix it)

2 Likes

aaaaannnnd the new update reintroduced the error (or it was still there and i was just lucky last time). This is so incredibly frustrating. Cursor get your …. together this is embarrassing and simply ridiculous.

1 Like

I can confirm that the bug has been reintroduced. It’s an annoying bug because as perfectionists we want everything to work, but it’s not that hard to download the installer from the Cursor.com website.

1 Like

yeah it’s super disappointing but i actually dont think it’s acceptable to download a latest version from a website like it’s 1992

Have been checking this thread. We have not any additional reports of it. We have a team member reviewing Windows updating for any possible issues.

Hi Andrew. Thanks for the reply. It only happens on my Windows 11 computer not Windows 10. I hope that help narrow the problem. The Cursor.exe process definitely is not running as per task manager, but somehow the installer thinks it is.

@andrewh I think it’s fixed again because it was able to auto update to 1.6.27

1 Like