What should I do first after installing Cursor?
Set up the basics
After installation, sign in so your settings and any plan features are active. Open a folder you already know well rather than a huge repository, so the AI responses are easier to judge. Pick a theme and a keyboard layout you can live with, since changing them later takes a few minutes of rework.
- Sign in and confirm your account plan
- Open a small, familiar project folder
- Set your theme and font size
- Import settings from another editor if you use one
Run one low-risk test
Ask the chat to explain what one file does, then ask for one small change, such as adding a comment or renaming a variable. Read the proposed edit before accepting it. This shows you how the editor shows diffs and how accept and reject controls work.
Build habits early
Use version control on your project from day one, so every AI change can be undone. Spend ten minutes exploring the command menu so the common actions stay easy to find later. Keep a short list of the shortcuts you use most, and add to it as you go. A few minutes each week during the first month adds up quickly.
Common mistakes
- Opening your largest production project on the first day.
- Accepting AI edits without reading the diff.
- Skipping version control because the project feels small.
