Cursor IDE automatically getting uninstalled on win11

[kisha]

Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor IDE

Describe the Bug

The IDE is automatically being uninstalled on my windows 11 laptop. This is the 4th happening. This happens like this, I use cursor for a few days, then when i turn on my laptop i see this cursor.exe doesnt exist message. So I reinstalled from the website and used it again for a few days and the issue was repeated in the same way. Its so frustrating.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install Cursor IDE from the official website on Windows 11
2. Use Cursor normally for a few days (approximately 2-3 days)
3. Shut down laptop
4. Turn on laptop the next time
5. Attempt to launch Cursor from shortcut or Start menu
6. Receive error message that Cursor.exe no longer exists

Expected Behavior

IDE should remain installed and functional after shutdown/restart cycles. The application should not spontaneously uninstall itself.

Screenshots / Screen Recordings

Operating System

Windows 10/11

Current Cursor Version (Menu → About Cursor → Copy)

Version: 1.7.38 (user setup)
VSCode Version: 1.99.3
Commit: fe5d1728063e86edeeda5bebd2c8e14bf4d0f960
Date: 2025-10-06T18:18:58.523Z
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

Yes - Cursor is unusable

[deanrie]

Hey, thanks for the report. It looks like Windows Defender or another antivirus might be quarantining or removing Cursor. A few steps to try:

1. Check Windows Defender quarantine: Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Protection history and see if Cursor appears there
2. Add Cursor’s installation folder to your antivirus exclusions (usually C:\Users[username]\AppData\Local\Programs\cursor)
3. Try downloading and installing the system installer instead of the user installer from Download · Cursor it installs to Program Files instead of AppData, which is less likely to trigger false positives

Also check if any cleanup tools or disk cleaners are running that might remove “temporary” files, some aggressive cleaners can mistakenly target apps installed in the user profile.

The system installer usually fixes this because it installs with proper system permissions rather than into the user directory, where security software is more suspicious.