# Cursor does not modifies files, even if it thinks so **URL:** \ **Category:** Bug Reports\ **Created:** [August 16, 2025, 2:07pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-does-not-modifies-files-even-if-it-thinks-so/130168 "2025-08-16T14:07:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Alberto\_Cardellino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/alberto_cardellino/32/76849_2.png) [@Alberto\_Cardellino](https://forum.cursor.com/u/Alberto_Cardellino)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 2:07pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-does-not-modifies-files-even-if-it-thinks-so/130168/1 "2025-08-16T14:07:40Z")
### Where does the bug appear (feature/product)? Cursor IDE ### Describe the Bug The Agent sometime do modify the files sometime does not. This apperas to be totally random because one minute it works, after a few minutes it stops modifying the files and simply write portion of code in the chat. The agent keeps saying the it did modified the files whe it is not true. maybe after a few times of after yelling at it (yes it does makes a diference often) it starts again to modify the files, and the stops again. It is really frustrating because this tool becames totally useless if it’s not able to modify the files. And there is no logical reason why sometime it works and sometimes not, but it is making me waste lots of time trying to persuade a tool to function as it should. ### Steps to Reproduce totally random… just ask agent to modify files, sometime it works sometimes not ### Expected Behavior always modify the file and never write diffs on the chat ### Screenshots / Screen Recordings ![Screenshot 2025-08-16 160234.png](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/original/3X/e/1/e1701e703999d7e51c588a928444401e91e20910.png) ### Operating System Windows 10/11 ### Current Cursor Version (Menu → About Cursor → Copy) Version: 1.4.5 (user setup) VSCode Version: 1.99.3 Commit: af58d92614edb1f72bdd756615d131bf8dfa5290 Date: 2025-08-13T02:08:56.371Z 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 ### Additional Information after asking Agent about what the issue could be, it says that it has no access to the tools for modifying the file … whatever that means ### Does this stop you from using Cursor Sometimes - I can sometimes use Cursor ---
**Author:** ![Alberto\_Cardellino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/alberto_cardellino/32/76849_2.png) [@Alberto\_Cardellino](https://forum.cursor.com/u/Alberto_Cardellino)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 7:18pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-does-not-modifies-files-even-if-it-thinks-so/130168/2 "2025-08-16T19:18:02Z")
New piece of information: If I put the chat in “Ask” mode then cursor does not modify the files, as expected in this case. It writes the code in the chat, and if I go on the top right corner of the code snippet there is an ‘Apply’ button. Clicking the apply button the “Ask” chat succesfully applies the changes on the files, then I can click on “Keep” and everything is ok. In the “Agent” mode it does not applies changes to files, and there is no “apply” button. So the Ask is able to do what the Agent is not, even though it should be the opposite. _Basically Agent randomly loses the ability to “apply” the changes._ **The workaround is to set Curson on Ask mode, then click on apply → apply all → keep all.** For now this seems to work but it is a bit annoying. I guess it should be easy to fix the agent. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![condor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/condor/32/73148_2.png) [@condor](https://forum.cursor.com/u/condor)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2025, 7:40am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-does-not-modifies-files-even-if-it-thinks-so/130168/3 "2025-08-17T07:40:16Z")
hi @Alberto_Cardellino could you share more details as I can not reproduce the issue: - Which model are you using? - Please post a Request ID with privacy disabled so we can look into the details? [Cursor – Getting a Request ID](https://docs.cursor.com/troubleshooting/request-reporting) ---
**Author:** ![Alberto\_Cardellino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/alberto_cardellino/32/76849_2.png) [@Alberto\_Cardellino](https://forum.cursor.com/u/Alberto_Cardellino)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2025, 6:33am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-does-not-modifies-files-even-if-it-thinks-so/130168/4 "2025-08-18T06:33:45Z")
I understand you cannot reproduce it, since it’s random. I tried different combinations of models. Using this setup of model happens very often ![Screenshot 2025-08-17 104918](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/original/3X/7/b/7b6b0a080758f3ae5d4957280191d2054d113c3d.png) Using the following one today it seems ok … maybe are the brain-icon-models the problematic ones? ![Screenshot 2025-08-18 083259](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/original/3X/4/b/4b4f9d736c9a655d08e601ed85b1e2eba43e4c36.png) ---
**Author:** ![condor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/condor/32/73148_2.png) [@condor](https://forum.cursor.com/u/condor)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2025, 6:35am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-does-not-modifies-files-even-if-it-thinks-so/130168/5 "2025-08-18T06:35:12Z")
Some models do perform better on specific codebases and tasks. Its important for you to know which models are able to do certain tasks. ---
**Author:** ![Alberto\_Cardellino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/alberto_cardellino/32/76849_2.png) [@Alberto\_Cardellino](https://forum.cursor.com/u/Alberto_Cardellino)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2025, 12:00pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-does-not-modifies-files-even-if-it-thinks-so/130168/6 "2025-08-18T12:00:01Z")
I guess you are missing the point. The models are doing their job perfectly, producing code and diffs. What is not working is that Cursor (meaning the IDE) is not applying it to the files. **Models are OK. IDE is not.** I don’t know how to make it more clear. The code under the ‘Apply’ button is working for Ask but not when in Agent mode. ---
**Author:** ![condor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/condor/32/73148_2.png) [@condor](https://forum.cursor.com/u/condor)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2025, 12:01pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-does-not-modifies-files-even-if-it-thinks-so/130168/7 "2025-08-18T12:01:30Z")
I see, it is clear now. Thank you. I have answered above specific to your last message as my assumption was that there is an issue with a single model. ---
**Author:** ![Alberto\_Cardellino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/alberto_cardellino/32/76849_2.png) [@Alberto\_Cardellino](https://forum.cursor.com/u/Alberto_Cardellino)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2025, 12:04pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-does-not-modifies-files-even-if-it-thinks-so/130168/8 "2025-08-18T12:04:15Z")
I see. I said ‘fix the agent’ which was misleading. I actually meant ‘IDE in agent mode’, sorry Anyway as I said it is random. Today it seems ok, yesterday was impossible to make it work. If I get any other insight I’ll update this issue. It is no more a blocking issue as far as the fallback works Ask→ manually click on apply button ---
**Author:** ![system](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/system/32/99069_2.png) [@system](https://forum.cursor.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 12:04pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-does-not-modifies-files-even-if-it-thinks-so/130168/9 "2025-09-09T12:04:46Z")
Closed on September 9, 2025, 12:04pm UTC This topic was automatically closed 22 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.