Developer

Install MCP Skills Cursor Windows: Config & Path Guide

Install MCP skills for Cursor on Windows — config file location at %USERPROFILE%\.cursor\mcp.json, JSON format, Windows path gotchas with npx, and how to reload and verify skills.

🕐Last updated 4 March 2026

⚡ Quick Answer

Edit %USERPROFILE%\.cursor\mcp.json, add skills under mcpServers. If npx isn't found, get the full path with Get-Command npx in PowerShell. Reload via Settings → MCP Servers or just restart Cursor.

Same concept as the Mac guide — different file location, one Windows-specific quirk with backslashes. Here's the whole thing.

Config File Location

%USERPROFILE%.cursormcp.json
# Usually: C:UsersYourName.cursormcp.json

Creating the Config

# PowerShell
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path "$env:USERPROFILE.cursor"
code "$env:USERPROFILE.cursormcp.json"
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "weather": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@trustedskills/weather-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

npx Not in PATH? Get the Full Path

# PowerShell
Get-Command npx | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Source
# C:Program Files
odejs
px.cmd
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "weather": {
      "command": "C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\npx.cmd",
      "args": ["-y", "@trustedskills/weather-mcp"]
    }
  }
}
⚠️ Backslash doubling: In JSON, every backslash must be doubled. C:Program Files odejs px.cmd becomes C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\npx.cmd.

Reloading Cursor

  • Settings (Ctrl+,) → search "MCP" → click refresh next to your server
  • Or just close and reopen Cursor

Verifying It Works

Open Cursor Chat (Ctrl+L) and ask: "What tools do you have?"

🔬 From the field

On a Windows machine managed by corporate IT, npx was installed but blocked from running in certain execution contexts. We worked around it by installing the skill globally first (npm install -g @trustedskills/weather-mcp) and then using the installed binary name directly as the command instead of npx. Not pretty, but it worked.

💡 Check the status dot: In Cursor's Settings → Features → MCP Servers, there's a green/red status indicator for each server. Red means it failed to start. Click to see the error. Much faster than guessing what went wrong.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Cursor's MCP config on Windows?

At %USERPROFILE%.cursormcp.json. Open the folder with explorer $env:USERPROFILE.cursor in PowerShell.

How do I fix "npx not recognized" in Cursor on Windows?

Get the full path: Get-Command npx | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Source. Use that as the "command" value, doubling all backslashes.

Does Cursor support project-level MCP config on Windows?

Yes — create .cursormcp.json in your project root. Commit it to git for team sharing (without secrets).

TT

TrustedSkills Team

The TrustedSkills team builds and tests AI agent integrations across Claude, OpenClaw, Cursor, and VS Code. We verify every skill in our registry and have set up hundreds of MCP configs across every major platform.

← PreviousInstall MCP Skills Cursor Mac: Config Guide & Reload TipsNext →Install Skills OpenClaw Mac: One-Command Setup Guide