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2026-09-22 • Updated 2026-09-26 • 6 min read • Fix

How to Fix an MCP Server That Isn't Showing Up in Cursor

Get a hosted MCP server to appear in Cursor: fix the JSON, add the bearer token for a private server, edit the file Cursor loads, and restart.

When an MCP server is not showing up in Cursor, the cause is usually one of three things: the JSON file has an error, a private server is missing its bearer token header, or Cursor was not restarted after the edit. Put the URL containing /api/mcp/ in your MCP config, add an Authorization header if the server is private, check that you edited the file Cursor actually loaded, and restart Cursor.

By the end you will have a working config you can copy, and a curl check that tells you whether to keep editing Cursor or fix the token.

What you want to see in Cursor

An entry under Settings → MCP Servers whose url is your hosted endpoint. For a server built in Context MCP Studio, that URL contains /api/mcp/ and the server name. After a restart, the entry shows the server's tools.

The entry name is only a label. A wrong label still connects. A wrong path does not.

Throughout this post, the example is a private API reference server that documents a createUser endpoint. The test is asking Cursor which fields createUser requires and seeing it call the server.

Why a server stays hidden

One bad comma hides every server in the file. Cursor shows only the servers it could read from MCP settings. A JSON syntax error means it reads none of them, so every entry in that file disappears at once.

A private server with no header does not appear. It does not half load or show an error in the list. The token belongs in headers, as Authorization: Bearer followed by the mcps_live_ value from that server's Access panel.

The file Cursor loaded may not be the one you edited. A project config can override the global one. Check the MCP settings Cursor says are active for this window.

Saving the file is not a restart. Cursor reads MCP config at startup, so the change takes effect only after you restart it.

How to put the MCP Studio URL in Cursor

MCP Studio is the no-code builder on Appa Tools. Copy the URL from the server's setup page. If the server does not exist yet, create it in the wizard.

  1. Open the MCP config file Cursor lists as active for this window.
  2. Add an entry with the hosted URL, using the public example below.
  3. For a private server, add the token header from the second example. A URL alone will not list it.
  4. Restart Cursor. Do not commit the token. Keep it in your local MCP config.

A public server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "your-server": {
      "url": "https://appatools.com/mcp-studio/api/mcp/your-server"
    }
  }
}

A private server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "your-server": {
      "url": "https://appatools.com/mcp-studio/api/mcp/your-server",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer mcps_live_your_token_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

The full private setup is in Give Cursor access to your private documentation.

Windsurf and VS Code accept the same headers object. Reload the window after saving. The connection guide covers the public case, and the private servers guide covers the header.

Check that it works

Prove the token with curl before you keep editing Cursor. If curl returns 401, fix the token. If curl lists tools and Cursor does not, the header is not in the file Cursor loaded, or Cursor has not been restarted. The curl commands are in Fix an MCP server that isn't connecting.

After a restart, the server name should appear in MCP settings with its tools listed. Then ask Cursor which fields createUser requires. A tool call to your server, and an answer that cites your API reference, confirm the fix.

What to do if it is still missing

A server can appear and then fail every call. That means the token was revoked, or it belongs to a different server. Tokens do not transfer between servers, so create one on this server and replace the header.

Once the tools are listed, a weak answer is a separate problem. Indexing may still be running, or the citation may point to the wrong page. Follow the order in Debug an MCP server.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my MCP server not showing up in Cursor?

The usual causes are a syntax error in the MCP JSON file, a private server with no bearer token header, or Cursor not being restarted after the edit. Cursor reads MCP config at startup and shows only the servers it could read. Fix the file, add the header if the server is private, and restart.

Why does Cursor not show my MCP tools after I saved the config?

Cursor reads MCP config when it starts, so saving the file while Cursor is open changes nothing yet. Restart Cursor to load the new config. If the tools still do not appear, check that a project config is not overriding the global file you edited.

How do I add a bearer token to an MCP server in Cursor?

Add a headers object to the server's entry in your MCP config, with an Authorization value of Bearer followed by your access token. For an MCP Studio server, the token starts with mcps_live_ and comes from that server's Access panel. Keep the token in your local config and never commit it.

Can one broken entry hide all my MCP servers in Cursor?

Yes. A JSON syntax error such as a missing comma stops Cursor from reading the file, so every server in it disappears. Validate the file, fix the error, and restart Cursor to bring them all back.

Does the same MCP config work in Windsurf and VS Code?

Windsurf and VS Code accept the same headers object for a private server. Reload the window after saving so the change takes effect. The URL is the same hosted endpoint you use in Cursor.

Connect your server to Cursor with MCP Studio

Open MCP Studio, copy the /api/mcp/ URL, and paste it into Cursor's MCP settings with the bearer header if the server is private. Restart Cursor. You do not write any code, and the server is fixed when its tools are listed.

Where to go next