Local port 3306 is bound by Cursor

Support Help
1

Running a local mysql server on my machine cant start due to Cursor SSH port forwarding on the same port.

I am connected with Cursor SSH to a server.

Cursor should not use common ports ?

5

Hey Andrew!

This isn’t Cursor picking a common port on its own. It means something on the remote host you’re SSH’d into is listening on 3306 (probably a MySQL server on that box). Cursor inherits VS Code’s automatic port forwarding, which forwards remote listening ports and tries to use the same port number locally so connection strings work unchanged.

If your local MySQL is already running when the tunnel opens, Cursor picks a different local port; the clash only happens when Cursor connects first.

A few ways to stop it:

  • Open the Ports panel while connected, right-click 3306 → Stop Forwarding Port (forwarded ports are remembered per workspace, so this stops it coming back).

  • Or right-click the port → Change Local Address Port to move it off 3306.

  • Turn auto-forwarding off entirely: "remote.autoForwardPorts": false

  • Or keep it but exempt MySQL: "remote.portsAttributes": { "3306": { "onAutoForward": "ignore" } }

7

Thanks Colin “Turn auto-forwarding off entirely: "remote.autoForwardPorts": false” — worked for me