# Composer lost the ability to run commands

**URL:** <https://forum.cursor.com/t/composer-lost-the-ability-to-run-commands/50498>\
**Category:** Bug Reports\
**Created:** [February 13, 2025, 2:58am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/composer-lost-the-ability-to-run-commands/50498 "2025-02-13T02:58:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![gitcnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/gitcnd/32/25840_2.png) [@gitcnd](https://forum.cursor.com/u/gitcnd)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 2:58am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/composer-lost-the-ability-to-run-commands/50498/1 "2025-02-13T02:58:14Z")

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All was fine for 5 days, then suddenly, composer started pretending to run commands (instead of for real) and showing me simulated outputs.

I tried to get it to go back to how it once worked, but now it is asking me how to do that.

 ![sim_issue](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/original/3X/e/f/ef4c627ab1e04dba181e2dcb94fad68aafe8c949.png)

I’m on Windows 10:

Version: 0.45.11  
VSCode Version: 1.96.2  
Commit: f5f18731406b73244e0558ee7716d77c8096d150  
Date: 2025-02-07T09:43:58.555Z  
Electron: 32.2.6  
Chromium: 128.0.6613.186  
Node.js: 20.18.1  
V8: 12.8.374.38-electron.0  
OS: Windows\_NT x64 10.0.17763

🚫 Tell us if the issue stops you from using Cursor.  
Yes - I’m stuck now - all the helpful commands it was running for me no longer execute.

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**Author:** ![jake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/jake/32/20459_2.png) [@jake](https://forum.cursor.com/u/jake)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 6:51am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/composer-lost-the-ability-to-run-commands/50498/2 "2025-02-13T06:51:27Z")

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For Cursor to run commands for you, you need to be in `Composer`, not `Chat`, and in `agent` mode.

Based on your screenshot, I can’t tell. Can you confirm you’re in `agent` mode in `Composer`, and try again fresh in a new chat?

Maybe just say “Create a new directory for me called /new-directory using terminal”.

> **[Cursor – Agent](https://docs.cursor.com/agent)**
>
> AI assistant that uses tools and reasoning to perform coding tasks with minimal supervision

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![deanrie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/deanrie/32/1263_2.png) [@deanrie](https://forum.cursor.com/u/deanrie)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 6:53am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/composer-lost-the-ability-to-run-commands/50498/3 "2025-02-13T06:53:32Z")

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Hey, does this also happen in a new Composer session? Also, let me know which model you’re using.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gitcnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/gitcnd/32/25840_2.png) [@gitcnd](https://forum.cursor.com/u/gitcnd)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 7:30am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/composer-lost-the-ability-to-run-commands/50498/4 "2025-02-14T07:30:57Z")

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Yes - agent mode was the cause. The problem _is_ actually a UI bug :-

 ![notworking](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/original/3X/2/8/28ccebf72e14412fad6e1e3f666de0e255173686.png)

The word “normal” shows up, and cannot be clicked, and doesn’t tell you anything about how to get it back into agent mode - which turns out is impossible. You actually need to start a whole new chat/composer session (only then does the option to change to agent mode show up) and discard all your accidental “normal mode” work.

This comment is intended to be helpful to everyone else who might land here using google, and as a constructive suggestion to the Cursor team about a new-user experience they might not be aware of. It’s not intended to be rude or critical.