User rules are not recognized from folder ~./cursor/rules

Support Help
3

Hey, thanks for the report. Looks like a known issue with automatic rule application in agent mode.

Could you please share:

  • Full contents of your .mdc file
  • Whether there’s alwaysApply: true or other metadata in the file
  • Request ID from the chat (chat menu → Copy Request ID) where the rule didn’t work
  • Exact steps you took in the agent when the rule should have worked.

Similar issue: Why does Cursor ignore rules? - it discusses how rules sometimes don’t apply automatically even with alwaysApply: true. Solution: simplify rule format (use plain text instead of complex structures), explicitly mention rules at the start of the conversation, or attach them as markdown.

Workaround: At the start of each agent request, explicitly refer to the rule or attach critical rules as markdown files in the chat.