# “Open Chat as Editor” causes permanent black screen when reopening project

**URL:** <https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515>\
**Category:** Bug Reports\
**Tags:** crashes, layout, chat\
**Created:** [January 10, 2026, 11:14pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515 "2026-01-10T23:14:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 15\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nicolas\_Ziegler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a5b964/32.png) [@Nicolas\_Ziegler](https://forum.cursor.com/u/Nicolas_Ziegler)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 11:14pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515/1 "2026-01-10T23:14:53Z")

</div>

### Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor IDE

### Describe the Bug

Hello Cursor Support Team,

I would like to report a critical bug in the Cursor IDE that renders a project completely unusable.

Issue Description:  
When using a Chat and clicking the three-dot menu, then selecting “Open Chat as Editor”, the following happens:

The chat remains in the same window and remains stuck on “Loading Chat” indefinitely.

The chat cannot be closed afterward (the X is not working / close all chat doesn’t help).

At this point, the rest of the IDE still appears to work.

Severe Follow-up Issue:  
After restarting Cursor and reopening the same project folder, a major UI failure occurs:

Cursor shows a complete black screen inside the IDE.

No text, UI elements, or clickable areas are visible.

The application becomes entirely unusable for that folder.

Restarting Cursor again does not resolve the issue.

Limited Workaround:

The only way to regain usability is to open a different folder.

The affected project folder remains broken and cannot be used anymore and needs to be deleted.

Impact:

Active projects become inaccessible

Significant productivity loss (loosing the chathistory from other chats)

Very disruptive in daily development work

Thank you for your support.

Best regards,  
Nico

### Steps to Reproduce

press “new agent” and in the new chat window on the more option / three dots and then on “Open Chat as Editor”. Try closing the Chat (shouldn’t work) and restart cursor (and open the same project)

### Expected Behavior

“Open Chat as Editor” should load correctly as before.  
Reopening a project folder should never result in a total UI black screen.

### Screenshots / Screen Recordings

 ![Screenshot 2026-01-11 000444.png](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/original/3X/a/4/a439522153c7d82a25a50080e295dec357ed7e0f.png)

### Operating System

Windows 10/11

### Current Cursor Version (Menu → About Cursor → Copy)

Version: 2.3.34 (user setup)  
VSCode Version: 1.105.1  
Commit: 643ba67cd252e2888e296dd0cf34a0c5d7625b90  
Date: 2026-01-10T21:17:10.428Z  
Electron: 37.7.0  
Chromium: 138.0.7204.251  
Node.js: 22.20.0  
V8: 13.8.258.32-electron.0  
OS: Windows\_NT x64 10.0.26200

### Does this stop you from using Cursor

Yes - Cursor is unusable

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ashish8545](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/ashish8545/32/92367_2.png) [@ashish8545](https://forum.cursor.com/u/ashish8545)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 12:11pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515/3 "2026-01-11T12:11:41Z")

</div>

Yes. This happened with me too.

Checkout this thread [Recommended]: [Open chat as editor bug - #3 by deanrie](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-bug/148297/3)

Solution that worked for me:

- Uninstall the cursor
- Take a backup of C:/Users//.cursor directory (If you have plans, rules, commands, etc. that you don’t want to lose)
- Remove all data  
`rd /s /q “%AppData%\Cursor”`  
`rd /s /q “%LocalAppData%\Cursor”`  
`rd /s /q “%UserProfile%.cursor”`  
`del /f /q “%UserProfile%.cursor*”`
- Fresh reinstall cursor

And avoid using “Open chat as editor”. It’s buggy and is causing issues. You can try dragging the chat tab to editor window as a workaround.

You can also try this if that doesn’t works.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/colin/32/90452_2.png) [@Colin](https://forum.cursor.com/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 12:31pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515/4 "2026-01-11T12:31:31Z")

</div>

While trying to reproduce this, it completely borked my Cursor install. 😢

Seems to only happen when opening a new chat as an editor before it has any content. Was that your experience as well @ashish8545?

Will file a bug with the team.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ashish8545](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/ashish8545/32/92367_2.png) [@ashish8545](https://forum.cursor.com/u/ashish8545)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 3:12pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515/6 "2026-01-11T15:12:50Z")

</div>

Well @Colin, the bug that @Nicolas_Ziegler reported, I faced it when I was connected with remote SSH to a linux machine. Cursor was updated from 2.2.x to 2.3.x. The directory was open and I tried “Open chat as editor” and it went into loading state.  
Next time when I was trying to remote SSH and open the same directory it was going black just like it is reported above. So, I need to select the parent directory when we do “Open Folder” and it loaded.

And so, I completely removed cursor and it’s related files from my windows machine and from the remote Linux machine removed ~/.cursor-server and ~/.cursor

Fresh installed Cursor, connected with SSH to my Linux machine and opened the same directory (which I was unable to open and was going black) and it worked!

So that’s my overall experience.  
Still “Open chat as editor” isn’t working as it should. I have raised a topic for same here - [Duplicate chat panels shown when "Open chat as editor" is enabled + add icon creates tab in wrong panel](https://forum.cursor.com/t/duplicate-chat-panels-shown-when-open-chat-as-editor-is-enabled-add-icon-creates-tab-in-wrong-panel/147091)  
Although, I never mentioned this issue in any thread because I thought it might be own issue.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![z\_keeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/dbc845/32.png) [@z\_keeper](https://forum.cursor.com/u/z_keeper)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 1:25am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515/8 "2026-01-14T01:25:04Z")

</div>

It looks like the `state.vscdb` file was corrupted by the “Open Chat as Editor” feature. Here’s a potential workaround:**(this won’t affect your Cursor settings for other projects)**:

**Steps to resolve:**

1. **Locate and backup your workspace storage:**

 ![bug](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/original/3X/2/a/2aab603d21b87f7e050b793e95330282505e8669.png)

1. **Reset the workspace state:**

2. **Recovery question:**

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![satriowputra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@satriowputra](https://forum.cursor.com/u/satriowputra)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 5:11am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515/10 "2026-01-15T05:11:45Z")

</div>

## Summary

After using the “Open Chat as Editor” feature, reopening the project results in a permanent black screen that prevents Cursor from loading properly.

## Environment

- **OS:** Linux (Ubuntu 24.04 via WSL)
- **Cursor Version:** 2.3.35
- **Workspace:** Local project

## Steps to Reproduce

1. Open any project in Cursor
2. Open a chat/composer session
3. Click “Open Chat as Editor” option
4. Close Cursor
5. Reopen the same project
6. **Result:** Black screen - Cursor UI doesn’t load

## Root Cause

The issue is caused by corrupted data in the workspace’s `state.vscdb` SQLite database, specifically in the `composer.composerData` key:

1. **Corrupted selection state** : The `selectedComposerIds` and `lastFocusedComposerIds` arrays contain objects like `{"preserveFocus":false}` instead of actual composer ID strings
2. **Incomplete composer entries** : Some entries in `allComposers` array are missing required fields (like `name`, `subtitle`, `lastUpdatedAt`)

Example of corrupted data:

```json
{
  "selectedComposerIds": [{"preserveFocus": false}, {"preserveFocus": false}],
  "lastFocusedComposerIds": [{"preserveFocus": false}],
  "allComposers": [
    // ... valid entries ...
    {
      "type": "head",
      "composerId": "e9744bdd-e78c-4ef7-b873-f0253553abbc",
      "createdAt": 1763349950948,
      "unifiedMode": "chat",
      // Missing: name, subtitle, lastUpdatedAt, etc.
    }
  ]
}

```

## Workaround

**IMPORTANT:** Close Cursor completely before applying any fix!

Users can fix this by editing the `state.vscdb` file directly:

**Location of state.vscdb:**

- Linux: `~/.config/Cursor/User/workspaceStorage/<workspace-id>/state.vscdb`
- macOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/User/workspaceStorage/<workspace-id>/state.vscdb`
- Windows: `%APPDATA%\Cursor\User\workspaceStorage\<workspace-id>\state.vscdb`

### Method 1: Python Script (Recommended - Preserves Chat History)

Save this as `fix_cursor_black_screen.py`:

```python
#!/usr/bin/env python3
import sqlite3
import json
import sys

DB_PATH = "./state.vscdb"

def fix_composer_data(db_path):
    """Fix corrupted composer.composerData that causes black screen"""
    
    conn = sqlite3.connect(db_path)
    cursor = conn.cursor()
    
    try:
        # Get current composer data
        cursor.execute("SELECT value FROM ItemTable WHERE key = 'composer.composerData'")
        result = cursor.fetchone()
        
        if not result:
            print("No composer.composerData found - nothing to fix")
            return True
        
        # Parse JSON
        composer_data = json.loads(result[0])
        
        # Remove incomplete composer entries (missing critical fields)
        original_count = len(composer_data.get('allComposers', []))
        composer_data['allComposers'] = [
            c for c in composer_data.get('allComposers', [])
            if 'name' in c or 'subtitle' in c or 'lastUpdatedAt' in c
        ]
        new_count = len(composer_data['allComposers'])
        
        # Fix corrupted selection arrays
        composer_data['selectedComposerIds'] = []
        composer_data['lastFocusedComposerIds'] = []
        
        # Update database
        updated_json = json.dumps(composer_data, separators=(',', ':'))
        cursor.execute(
            "UPDATE ItemTable SET value = ? WHERE key = 'composer.composerData'",
            (updated_json,)
        )
        
        conn.commit()
        print("✓ Successfully fixed composer.composerData")
        print(f" Removed {original_count - new_count} incomplete composer entries")
        print(f" Cleared corrupted selection state")
        return True
        
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error: {e}")
        return False
    finally:
        conn.close()

if __name__ == " __main__":
    print("Fixing Cursor black screen issue...")
    success = fix_composer_data(DB_PATH)
    if success:
        print("\n✓ Fix complete! You can now restart Cursor.")
    else:
        print("\n✗ Fix failed. You may need to delete state.vscdb entirely.")
    sys.exit(0 if success else 1)

```

Run it:

```bash
# Navigate to your workspace storage directory
cd ~/.config/Cursor/User/workspaceStorage/<workspace-id>/

# Run the fix
python3 fix_cursor_black_screen.py

```

### Method 2: SQL Command (Quick Fix)

```bash
# Close Cursor first!
cd ~/.config/Cursor/User/workspaceStorage/<workspace-id>/

sqlite3 "./state.vscdb" "
UPDATE ItemTable 
SET value = json_set(
  value,
  '$.selectedComposerIds', json('[]'),
  '$.lastFocusedComposerIds', json('[]')
)
WHERE key = 'composer.composerData';
"

```

This clears the corrupted selection state but doesn’t remove incomplete entries.

### Method 3: Nuclear Option (Loses Chat History)

```bash
# Delete the entire state database (Cursor will recreate it)
rm state.vscdb

```

**Recommendation:** Use Method 1 (Python script) as it preserves your chat history while fixing the corruption.

## Additional Notes

Deleting the entire `state.vscdb` file fixes the black screen but causes loss of all chat/composer history. The surgical fix above preserves chat history while fixing the corruption.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![z\_keeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/dbc845/32.png) [@z\_keeper](https://forum.cursor.com/u/z_keeper)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 9:17am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515/12 "2026-01-16T09:17:43Z")

</div>

> [@satriowputra](#):
>
> `lastFocusedComposerIds`

Your Method 2 worked perfectly! The black screen issue is completely resolved, and I was able to preserve my chat history.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Opposite\_Maybe4275](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dbc845/32.png) [@Opposite\_Maybe4275](https://forum.cursor.com/u/Opposite_Maybe4275)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 11:08am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515/13 "2026-01-20T11:08:13Z")

</div>

Still exists. Same issue. Fixed deleting state.vscdb

Version: 2.3.41 (system setup)  
VSCode Version: 1.105.1  
Commit: 2ca326e0d1ce10956aea33d54c0e2d8c13c58a30  
Date: 2026-01-16T19:14:00.150Z  
Electron: 37.7.0  
Chromium: 138.0.7204.251  
Node.js: 22.20.0  
V8: 13.8.258.32-electron.0  
OS: Windows\_NT x64 10.0.26100

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gabriel-filincowsky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/gabriel-filincowsky/32/10043_2.png) [@gabriel-filincowsky](https://forum.cursor.com/u/gabriel-filincowsky)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 5:52pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515/14 "2026-01-23T17:52:57Z")

</div>

Method 2 worked for me.

Simple and painless. Thank you!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mr911SealGray](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mr911SealGray](https://forum.cursor.com/u/Mr911SealGray)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 7:07pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515/15 "2026-01-28T19:07:11Z")

</div>

Method 2 worked just as advertised, Cursor is working again, and my chat history is restored. Thank you @satriowputra

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JupDad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/90db22/32.png) [@JupDad](https://forum.cursor.com/u/JupDad)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 7:54pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515/16 "2026-01-28T19:54:32Z")

</div>

Looks like I’m having the same issues on Windows, except I cant open any projects

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![userworld](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/userworld/32/77516_2.png) [@userworld](https://forum.cursor.com/u/userworld)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 1:08pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515/17 "2026-01-30T13:08:18Z")

</div>

### Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor IDE

### Describe the Bug

After selecting open chat as Editor ide shows only blackscreen

### Steps to Reproduce

1. Select chat menu
2. Select open chat as Editor

### Expected Behavior

Something is shown

### Screenshots / Screen Recordings

 ![photo_2026-01-30_16-07-45.jpg](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/original/3X/a/f/af8c00381cbce213a36f9a87e3f21facecf2817d.jpeg)

### Operating System

Windows 10/11

### Version Information

Version: 2.4.23 (user setup)  
VSCode Version: 1.105.1  
Commit: 379934e04d2b3290cf7aefa14560f942e4212920  
Date: 2026-01-29T21:24:23.350Z  
Build Type: Stable  
Release Track: Default  
Electron: 39.2.7  
Chromium: 142.0.7444.235  
Node.js: 22.21.1  
V8: 14.2.231.21-electron.0  
OS: Windows\_NT x64 10.0.19045

### Does this stop you from using Cursor

Yes - Cursor is unusable

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JMighty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/jmighty/32/34377_2.png) [@JMighty](https://forum.cursor.com/u/JMighty)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2026, 9:06am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515/19 "2026-02-02T09:06:21Z")

</div>

Method 1 worked too, chat history restored, thank you @satriowputra !

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/colin/32/90452_2.png) [@Colin](https://forum.cursor.com/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 4:01pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515/21 "2026-02-10T16:01:20Z")

</div>

Hey all!

I can no longer reproduce this on 2.4.31. Please let me know if you still face an issue on the latest version.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [March 4, 2026, 4:01pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/open-chat-as-editor-causes-permanent-black-screen-when-reopening-project/148515/22 "2026-03-04T16:01:35Z")

</div>

Closed on March 4, 2026, 4:01pm UTC

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