Bugs and fixes

Don't light your laptop on fire just yet. When things break (and they will), these tips will help you troubleshoot without spiraling.

Cursor's not perfect, but a few smart fixes can get you back on track fast.

My localhost page is blank or broken

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Solution

This doesn't mean your whole project is broken.

Restart with:

Something isn't showing up on my local server. Can you help me troubleshoot?

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Cursor isn't doing anything when I prompt

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Solution

Make sure:

• You selected code first

• You pressed Cmd + K

• Agent Mode is ON

If it's still stuck:

Nothing happened when I submitted this prompt. Can you tell me why?

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My layout is all messed up

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Solution

The layout looks broken. Can you check for missing containers, spacing issues, or layout bugs?

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My image isn't showing up

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Solution

This image isn't displaying. Can you check if the path is correct and the file is imported properly?

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I broke something and I don't know what

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Solution

You probably didn't break it. Try:

Can you check the last change and fix whatever caused the page to break?

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I pasted a prompt and now I can't find the file

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Solution

Ask:

Where did you put the new file you created? Can you show me how to find and open it?

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I got an error in the terminal

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Solution

Copy the exact error message. Then say:

I got this error: [paste error]. Can you explain what's wrong and fix it?

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Cursor added too much stuff

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Solution

This looks overcomplicated. Can you simplify it and remove anything unnecessary?

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I want to undo what I just did

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Solution

Use Cmd + Z to undo the edit.

Or ask Cursor:

Undo the last change and go back to how it was before.

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Everything feels messy and unorganized

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Solution

Can you clean this up and organize the files so everything's easier to follow?

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My styles aren't applying

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Solution

The CSS/Tailwind classes I added aren't working. Can you check for typos, conflicting styles, missing imports, or specificity issues and fix them?

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npm install failed or 'Module not found'

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Solution

I'm getting npm errors. Can you check what dependencies are missing and help me install them?

Or try:

Module not found error appeared. Can you fix the imports and install any missing packages?

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Port 3000 is already in use

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Solution

Port 3000 is already being used. Can you help me either stop the other process or run this on a different port?

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Red underlines everywhere (TypeScript errors)

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Solution

There are TypeScript errors showing up. Can you fix the type issues without changing the functionality?

Tip: These often aren't real problems, just type definitions.

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I made changes but can't see them

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Solution

Try these in order:

1. Hard refresh: Cmd + Shift + R

2. Restart the server: Ctrl + C then npm run dev

My changes aren't showing up. Can you help me clear the cache and restart everything?

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Cursor is editing the wrong file

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Solution

Be more specific:

Make this change in [exact filename] not in any other file.

Or:

You made changes in the wrong place. Can you move them to [correct file]?

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How do I save my work?

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Solution

Your files auto-save! To create a backup:

Can you help me commit my changes to git with a descriptive message about what I built?

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Cursor deleted something important

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Solution

Don't panic! Use Cmd + Z to undo.

If that doesn't work:

You accidentally deleted some code. Can you restore what was there before the last change?

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My button/animation isn't working

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Solution

The [button/animation/hover effect] isn't responding. Can you check if the event handlers are connected properly and fix any issues?

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Cursor keeps making the same mistake

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Solution

Be more direct:

Stop. You keep doing [specific thing wrong]. Instead, please [exactly what you want].

Or start fresh:

Let's approach this differently. Can you [new specific instruction]?

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Component not updating when data changes

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Solution

My component isn't re-rendering when the data changes. Can you check if the state is being updated correctly and props are being passed down properly?

Or be specific:

The [component name] should update when [specific data] changes but it's not working.

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Prompting Tips

  • •If you get an error, copy paste the error message directly into the chat, and Cursor will help you troubleshoot
  • •Describe the issue clearly: what's broken, what you expected
  • •Paste any error messages word-for-word
  • •Ask for one fix at a time
  • •If you're overwhelmed: ask Cursor to explain what's going on