Unable to install C# Dev Kit

Bug Reports
1

Unable to install C# and C# Dev Kit using cursor!
Tried with both 0.46 and 0.45 and none of them installs.

Has anyone experienced this issue?

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2

Recently, some friends (maybe including you!) have found it difficult to directly install the C# Dev Kit (ms-dotnettools.csdevkit) extension from Microsoft’s official source in Cursor. They either couldn’t find it or encountered installation failures. For developers who rely on C# Dev Kit for .NET project development—especially for features like solution management, advanced debugging, and unit testing—this is undoubtedly a significant setback.

Don’t worry! We have a proven “workaround” solution that will allow you to successfully enable C# Dev Kit in Cursor!

The core idea of this method is: since direct installation in Cursor is problematic, we’ll use the “big brother” VS Code to complete the installation and then “transfer” the installed extension to Cursor.

Here are the detailed steps:

Step 1: Install C# Dev Kit and Its Dependencies in VS Code

  1. Open Visual Studio Code installed on your computer.

  2. Click the Extensions icon in the sidebar (or press Ctrl+Shift+X).

  3. Type “C# Dev Kit” in the search box.

  4. Find the C# Dev Kit (ms-dotnettools.csdevkit) extension published by Microsoft and click Install.

  5. Important Note: C# Dev Kit depends on the basic C# extension (ms-dotnettools.csharp). If you haven’t installed it yet, VS Code will usually prompt you or install it automatically. Make sure both extensions are successfully installed in VS Code.

Step 2: Locate the Extensions Folders for VS Code and Cursor

You need to know where the extensions for these two editors are installed. Typically, their default paths are:

  • VS Code Extensions Folder:

    • Windows: %USERPROFILE%.vscode\extensions

    • macOS: ~/.vscode/extensions

    • Linux: ~/.vscode/extensions

  • Cursor Extensions Folder:

    • Windows: %USERPROFILE%.cursor\extensions

    • macOS: ~/.cursor/extensions

    • Linux: ~/.cursor/extensions

(Tip: %USERPROFILE% is a Windows environment variable pointing to your user folder, e.g., C:\Users\YourUsername. ~ represents the user’s home directory in macOS and Linux.)

Step 3: Copy the C# Extensions from VS Code to Cursor

This is the critical step!

  1. Navigate to your VS Code extensions folder (.vscode/extensions).

  2. Find the folders related to C# and C# Dev Kit inside. Their names are usually ms-dotnettools.csharp-x.x.x and ms-dotnettools.csdevkit-x.x.x (where x.x.x represents the version number).

  3. Copy these two (or more related folders if Dev Kit installed additional dependencies).

  4. (Optional but recommended) For safety, you can first back up the contents of your Cursor extensions folder (.cursor/extensions).

  5. Navigate to your Cursor extensions folder (.cursor/extensions).

  6. Paste the copied C# and C# Dev Kit extension folders here.

(Note: Another simpler but more aggressive approach is to directly copy all contents from the .vscode/extensions folder and paste them, overwriting the .cursor/extensions folder. This ensures all dependencies are copied but may also introduce unnecessary VS Code extensions. If you choose this method, be sure to back up Cursor’s original extensions folder first!)

Step 4: Restart Cursor and Log in to Your Microsoft Account

  1. Close any running instances of Cursor completely.

  2. Restart Cursor.

  3. At this point, Cursor should recognize the newly copied C# Dev Kit extension. Since many advanced features of C# Dev Kit require authorization, it will prompt you to log in to your Microsoft account.

  4. Usually, in the status bar at the bottom-right corner of the editor—or when you try to open a C# project (.csproj or .sln file)—you’ll see a Sign in prompt or an account-related icon.

  5. Click the prompt and follow the steps to log in using your Microsoft account.

Step 5: Verify the Installation

Once logged in, you should be able to use C# Dev Kit’s features normally!

  • Check Cursor’s Extensions view to confirm that C# and C# Dev Kit are listed as installed and enabled.

  • Open your C# project or solution (.sln file).

  • Check if the Solution Explorer view appears.

  • Try using features like IntelliSense code completion, code navigation, debugging, and running unit tests to confirm they work properly.

Additional Step (Optional but Recommended): Clean Install by Replacing the Entire Extensions Folder

If you prefer a cleaner approach, you can delete the entire extensions folder in .cursor and then copy the entire extensions folder from .vscode into .cursor. This ensures no leftover files interfere with the C# Dev Kit installation.

Here’s how:

  1. Close Cursor completely (make sure no instances are running).
  2. Navigate to your .cursor folder:
    • Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.cursor
    • macOS/Linux: ~/.cursor
  3. Delete the extensions folder inside .cursor.
  4. Go to your .vscode folder:
    • Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.vscode
    • macOS/Linux: ~/.vscode
  5. Copy the entire extensions folder from .vscode.
  6. Paste it into .cursor (replacing the deleted folder).
  7. Restart Cursor and log in to your Microsoft account if prompted.

This method guarantees a fresh installation of all VS Code extensions in Cursor, avoiding potential conflicts.

(Note: This will copy all extensions from VS Code to Cursor. If you only want C# Dev Kit, stick with the original selective copying method.)

Now, Cursor should work seamlessly with C# Dev Kit! :rocket:

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3

“Click the dropdown arrow next to the Uninstall button, then select ‘Install Specific Version.’”

Or a more concise version:
“Uninstall button dropdown → ‘Install Specific Version’”

For a complete step-by-step guide:

  1. Open the Extensions view and find the C# plugin.
  2. Click the ▼ dropdown arrow next to the Uninstall button.
  3. Select “Install Specific Version” from the menu.
  4. Choose an older version from the list to install.

This keeps the original VS Code UI terminology while providing clear instructions. Let me know if you’d like any adjustments!