Enter key short cut not working on macOS to run terminal command from agent chat

Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor IDE

Describe the Bug

Clicking enter when prompted to run a terminal command no longer runs it if the user has the text input box selected like it used to.

Steps to Reproduce

have ongoing chat with terminal command, focus select the text input box in agent chat

Expected Behavior

its supposed to run the command

Operating System

MacOS

Current Cursor Version (Menu → About Cursor → Copy)

Version: 1.5.8 (Universal)
VSCode Version: 1.99.3
Commit: d1893fd7f5de2b705e0c040fb710b08f6afd4230

Does this stop you from using Cursor

No - Cursor works, but with this issue

2 Likes

Hey, thanks for the report. We’ll look into it.

I’m seeing the annoying behavior of the agent text input box losing focus when the agent requires input through the “Run command?” dialog. I always need to re-focus it with ⌘+Y to be able to accept the command with enter. Not sure if this is the same issue as OP has though. I’m running Cursor 1.5.9.

1 Like

yeah same issue

1 Like

I also have the issue described and agree with khx’s findings. I can’t just hit enter anymore to approve tool calls. 1.5.9

Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor IDE

Describe the Bug

Previously, when Claude responded with a suggested action and the menu with Run / Skip / Reject appeared, pressing Return would activate Run. As of the recent update, the keyboard focus is pulled back to the editor window instead, so pressing Return just inserts a newline into the editor. This breaks the flow, since the natural muscle memory is to just hit Return to confirm.

Impact:
Slows down workflow, forces me to use the mouse or arrow keys to reselect the menu, breaks natural keyboard flow.

Steps to Reproduce

Ask Claude for a code change that triggers the Run / Skip / Reject menu.
When the menu pops up, press Return.
Instead of triggering Run, a newline is entered into the editor.

Expected Behavior

Pressing Return should trigger the default action (Run) (if I had just typed a question into Claude chat and pressed return and not shifted focus elsewhere)

Operating System

MacOS

Current Cursor Version (Menu → About Cursor → Copy)

Version: 1.5.9 (Universal)
VSCode Version: 1.99.3
Commit: de327274300c6f38ec9f4240d11e82c3b0660b20
Date: 2025-08-30T21:02:27.236Z
Electron: 34.5.8
Chromium: 132.0.6834.210
Node.js: 20.19.1
V8: 13.2.152.41-electron.0
OS: Darwin arm64 24.6.0

Does this stop you from using Cursor

No - Cursor works, but with this issue

@deanries any update here? it always focus on the open file in editor as soon as the agent prompts an action

same issue.

I’ve forwarded this to our team, and hopefully, it will be fixed soon.

Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor IDE

Describe the Bug

When the Chat Agent reaches a pause for command approval the prompt window is now instantly disabled, which has the effect of shifting focus to the open text editor window and if user was drafting next prompt in chat prompt window they are now typing away in the code text editor window with breaking effect. This is a critical issue that needs to be rectified immediately. Users typing in chat prompt should never finish a sentence in the code text editor screwing up their code.

Below I said that Cursor still works but with this issue, however, if this is not fixed I will stop using Cursor until it is resolved. I dumped the last IDE I was using for a similar issue, and Cursor was great about that until the last few days when a new release introduced this major problem from unexpected behavior that destroys productivity and injects significant frustration and stress that harshes my mellow.

Steps to Reproduce

With a text file open in editor panel, enter a prompt in chat that causes AI agent to run a command that will pause for approval to proceed. Then keep typing a new prompt for when the prior response is completed. When the AI agent is paused waiting for approval to run the command, the prompt window will become disabled for editing and the focus will change to text editor window where user will be typing in the text editor what they intended to type in the prompt.

Expected Behavior

Do not disable prompt entry when waiting for user approval for AI agent to run command. Allow user to continue editing prompt and do not switch focus to editor window.

Operating System

MacOS

Current Cursor Version (Menu → About Cursor → Copy)

Version 1.5.9
VSCode Version 1.99.3
Commit: de327274300c6f38ec9f4240d11e82c3b0660b20
Date: 2025-08-30T21:02:27.236Z (4 days ago)
Electron: 34.5.8
Chromium: 132.0.6834.210
Node.js: 20.19.1
V8: 13.2.152.41-electron.0
OS: Darwin arm64 24.6.0

Additional Information

User cannot know when this is going to happen and really affects productivity to have to write prompts in a separate editor until the agent response resolves.

Does this stop you from using Cursor

No - Cursor works, but with this issue

1 Like

Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor IDE

Describe the Bug

When auto-run mode is disabled, the agent pauses for permission as expected. However, instead of keeping focus on the command approval option, focus automatically shifts back to the IDE’s open file. This disrupts workflow, forcing the user to use the mouse to re-select the command option every time.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Disable auto-run mode in Cursor AI.
  2. Trigger the agent to suggest a command.
  3. Wait for the permission prompt.
  4. Notice that focus jumps from the approval option back to the open file in the IDE.

Expected Behavior

Focus should remain on the “choose command” approval option so the user can quickly approve or reject with keyboard input, without being forced to click back into the prompt.

Screenshots / Screen Recordings

Operating System

MacOS

Current Cursor Version (Menu → About Cursor → Copy)

Version: 1.5.9
VSCode Version: 1.99.3
Commit: de327274300c6f38ec9f4240d11e82c3b0660b20
Date: 2025-08-30T21:02:27.236Z (4 days ago)
Electron: 34.5.8
Chromium: 132.0.6834.210
Node.js: 20.19.1
V8: 13.2.152.41-electron.0
OS: Darwin arm64 23.6.0

Additional Information

This issue interrupts continuous workflow, especially for keyboard-driven users.

Does this stop you from using Cursor

No - Cursor works, but with this issue

my quality of life rn on cursor is so low

Is this just me? The little pop up command execution window I find gets in the way endlessly. The UX doesnt work. Either it will capture my enter when Im trying to send messages, or its prompting for a command I dont want it to run and I want to just type my message and have it go away. In short it feels like it’s always in the way and super clunky. Surely there must be a better pattern here? It’s now redirecting focus away from the chat window entirely often when it pops up, so that I have to re-click on the chat window to continue typing that was interrupted mid stream.

If I’m in the middle of typing something already, I think I want it to wait until I send my message before popping up and asking if it can run. If I’m typing a message Im already ahead of the chat and giving it new instructions or next steps.

If I’m not typing anything, then have it take over the chat input box for its request, so its clear and that there is only a single input area/enter action. Right now you have the same workspace with two different branching happening at once, its not a good design pattern.

Yes. It steals focus. I have ran a command unintentionally several times. This is a dangerous UX issue.

if this is the case, then it should be a user level setting, no? Personally my work flow is almost 100% agent with very rare tab

exactly

Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor IDE

Describe the Bug

When I’m waiting for Cursor Chat to finish, it often generates commands. Before, I could just hit Enter to allow the command, but now it automatically focuses the code editor, so pressing Enter just adds a new line in the code.

The same thing happens if I’m typing in the chat while the LLM is still generating. If it happens to create a console command mid-reply, my caret jumps into the code editor, and I end up typing there by accident. It’s super frustrating.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Open Cursor Chat.
  2. Have it generate a reply.
  3. Wait until it generates a terminal command.
  4. At that point, the caret jumps into the code editor.

Expected Behavior

It should not focus the code editor, and it should be possible to press enter to allow the command.

Operating System

Windows 10/11

Current Cursor Version (Menu → About Cursor → Copy)

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

Does this stop you from using Cursor

No - Cursor works, but with this issue

Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor IDE

Describe the Bug

When cursor agents suggest to run a command, it suggest action in a drop-down menu: “run”, “skip”, “reject”. Those action have a keyboard shortcut. For instance “enter” will “run”.

But the focus is not the drop-down menu, so pressing “enter” actually create a new line in the currently open text tab.
To make “enter” key work, you need to manually click on the terminal command view in the chat. But it defeat the purpose, you had better directly click on the “run” button.

Steps to Reproduce

Request cursor to run any terminal command with yolo mode disabled.

Expected Behavior

When the terminal tool open the menu, pressing “enter” should run the command.

Operating System

Windows 10/11

Current Cursor Version (Menu → About Cursor → Copy)

Cursor: 1.5.11
VSCode: 1.99.3

Does this stop you from using Cursor

No - Cursor works, but with this issue

@deanrie any update? why is this taking so long?

Hey all - we think this is fixed in a release going out today (1.6.3 prerelease) or later this week stable. Enter works but focus was incorrectly shifted to the editor.

1 Like