Windows: Desktop shortcut breaks after auto update

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1

Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor IDE

Describe the Bug

After several Cursor updates on Windows, my desktop shortcut repeatedly becomes invalid. Windows displays the message: “The item ‘Cursor.exe’ that this shortcut refers to has been changed or moved, so this shortcut will no longer work properly.” This has already happened three times. Cursor is not uninstalled and still appears in Windows Installed Apps. Neither Windows Defender nor Malwarebytes reports that Cursor has been quarantined or removed. The actual executable remains available at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Cursor_\Cursor.exe, and I can launch the application manually from there without any problems. However, the desktop shortcut continues to point to a non-existent executable after the update. Recreating the shortcut fixes the issue temporarily, but the problem returns after future updates. It appears that the auto-update process does not correctly update the desktop shortcut, even though the application itself remains installed and fully functional. I have attached screenshots showing the Windows error message, the installation directory, and the location of the executable inside the _ folder.

Steps to Reproduce

I can’t reproduce it on demand because it only happens after automatic updates. However, it has happened three times on the same Windows installation.

The sequence is approximately:

Install Cursor using the standard Windows user installer.
Use Cursor normally for several days/weeks.
Allow Cursor to update automatically.
After one of the updates, the desktop shortcut becomes invalid and Windows reports that Cursor.exe has been moved or deleted.
Cursor is still installed and listed in Windows “Installed Apps”.
The executable is still present at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Cursor_\Cursor.exe and can be started manually.
Creating a new desktop shortcut fixes the issue until it happens again after a later update.

Expected Behavior

Expected behavior:

After Cursor updates itself, I expect the existing desktop shortcut to continue working. The shortcut should automatically point to the current Cursor.exe, regardless of any internal changes made during the update process.

Actual behavior:

After several automatic updates, the desktop shortcut points to a non-existent executable and Windows displays an error saying that Cursor.exe has been moved or deleted. Cursor is still installed and fully functional, and I can launch it manually from %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Cursor_\Cursor.exe. Recreating the desktop shortcut fixes the issue until it happens again after a later update.

Operating System

Windows 10/11

Version Information

Version: 3.13.25 (user setup)
VS Code Extension API: 1.128.0
Commit: 31e8d61c448c7472e371505838a0fe34083dad50
Date: 2026-07-28T06:17:45.069Z
Layout: Agent Window
Build Type: Stable
Release Track: Default
Electron: 40.10.3
Chromium: 144.0.7559.236
Node.js: 24.15.0
V8: 14.4.258.32-electron.0
xterm.js: 6.1.0-beta.256
OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26200

Does this stop you from using Cursor

No - Cursor works, but with this issue

5

Hey, thanks for the detailed report. This is a known issue with the Windows auto-updater and we’re tracking it. It’s not the shortcut itself and it’s not your setup. The updater installs new files into the staging folder _, then it should move them into the install root after a restart. If that step gets interrupted (a common reason is antivirus holding a file lock while files are being replaced), Cursor.exe disappears from the root folder that the shortcut points to, even though the working exe is still inside _.

How to get back to a stable state:

  1. Don’t run Cursor from the _ folder and don’t make a shortcut to it. It’s a temporary staging directory for the updater, and its contents get overwritten or replaced on the next update, so the shortcut will break again.
  2. Download the latest installer from cursor.com and reinstall to the same location. Your settings, chats, and login will be kept. This will restore Cursor.exe in the root, and the normal shortcut will work again.
  3. Add a Malwarebytes exclusion for %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Cursor. AV holding files during the update is the most common trigger.

I can’t share an exact timeline yet, but I’ll reply in the thread if there’s an update. Let me know if reinstalling fixed it.