How to Boost Productivity in Cursor Without Manual Switching

How to Boost Productivity in Cursor Without Manual Switching - Photo by Budka Damdinsuren on Unsplash

Alright, this is going to be a quick one, but I really wanted to show you a feature in Cursor AI that’s just too good to skip. If you’re like me and you spend a lot of time bouncing between different tasks—debugging, reviewing, or just poking at code—you’ll appreciate this.

So, you know how Cursor has those default modes? Usually, you get the standard three: agent, ask manual, and whatever else is in there. But here’s the cool part: you can add your own custom modes. Seriously, this changes everything.

Let me walk you through it.

Setting Up Custom Modes in Cursor

First, scroll up in Cursor chat until you see the option for custom modes. If you don’t have custom modes enabled, you’ll just see the default three. But once you tick that box for custom modes, you get a new button: Add Custom Mode.

Let’s say I want a mode just for debugging. I hit “Add Custom Mode,” name it “debug,” and now I can fine-tune exactly what I want my agent to do in this mode. There are options like “auto run” (yes or no), and “MCP” (whatever that stands for in your setup). If it’s a debugging agent, maybe you don’t want it to edit code automatically, so you can turn that off.

How to Boost Productivity in Cursor Without Manual Switching - Photo by Martin Martz on Unsplash

But here’s where it gets really useful: you can add custom instructions. For my debugging mode, I’ll write something like:

“You are a debugger. Your job is to find out why the current code doesn’t work.”

That’s it. Now, whenever I switch to this mode, the agent knows exactly what its job is.

Why This Matters

This is a game changer. Instead of having one generic agent doing everything, you can have specialized agents for each task. Debugging? Use the debug agent. Need to review code? Make a review agent. Each one is laser-focused on its job.

You can even add multiple chats—just hit the plus button. So you might have one chat for debugging, another for code review, and another for something else entirely. Switching between them is instant, and you stay organized without losing context.

The result? You’re way more productive and your results are more efficient. Each agent is responsible for a specific task, and you don’t have to keep re-explaining what you want. It’s like having a team of specialists, each handling their own thing.

Example: Setting Up a Debugging Agent

Here’s a quick walkthrough:

How to Boost Productivity in Cursor Without Manual Switching - Photo by Tigran Hambardzumyan on Unsplash

1. Enable custom modes in Cursor chat.
2. Click “Add Custom Mode.”
3. Name it “debug.”
4. Set your preferences (auto run, MCP, etc.).
5. Add custom instructions:

   1You are a debugger. Find out why the current code doesn’t work.
   

6. Save it.

Now, whenever you need to debug, just switch to this mode. Want to add another agent for a different task? Repeat the process. It’s that simple.

Key Takeaways

• Custom modes in Cursor let you create task-specific agents for workflows like debugging, code review, or anything else.
• Each agent can have its own instructions and settings, making them more efficient and focused.
• You can easily switch between different chats and agents, keeping your work organized and context-aware.
• “Instead of having the same agent doing everything, we have a specific agent doing one specific task.”
• Productivity goes up, confusion goes down.

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The right tool for the right job—Cursor’s custom modes make it easy.