# Cursor how to reload window: run Developer: Reload Window > Open the Command Palette and run Developer: Reload Window. Here is what Cursor's docs say about when to reload, when to restart, and when Cursor does it for you. URL: https://claudegpt.si/news/cursor-how-to-reload-window Published: 2026-11-04T18:52:47.926Z Author: ClaudeGPT Si Newsroom Section: Guides Topics: Cursor, Troubleshooting, How to Publisher: ClaudeGPT Si ## Key takeaways - Run Developer: Reload Window from the Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+P), the command Cursor's plugin docs name. - Cursor's docs offer restarting the app as the alternative, and the troubleshooting guide tells you to quit and restart Cursor. - Since version 3.23, Cursor restarts a hung AI extension host on its own, so a reload is not needed in that case. To reload the window in Cursor, open the Command Palette with Cmd+Shift+P on macOS or Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows and Linux, then run **Developer: Reload Window**. Cursor's own [plugin docs](https://cursor.com/docs/plugins) use exactly that command, and it is the only place the official docs name it. This is how to reload the window in Cursor, and what the docs say about when it is and isn't needed. A reload restarts the editor window. Cursor's docs don't say more about it than the plugin page does, so this guide sticks to what they confirm. All the pages below were read on November 4, 2026. None of them shows a date. The release notes show version numbers only. ## How to reload the window in Cursor 1. Press Cmd+Shift+P (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows, Linux). The [keyboard shortcuts page](https://cursor.com/docs/configuration/kbd) lists this as the Command Palette shortcut. 2. Type `Developer: Reload Window`. 3. Select the command and press Enter. The docs don't list a dedicated key for reloading, so the Command Palette is the documented route. The shortcuts page says you can see every shortcut by searching the Command Palette for `Keyboard Shortcuts`. If you want a key for the reload command, look there. Save your files before you reload. The docs don't describe what happens to running terminals or open chats during a reload, so don't count on either surviving. ## When Cursor's docs tell you to reload The plugin docs, under "Test plugins locally", give these steps for a plugin you are building: 1. Create the plugin folder at `~/.cursor/plugins/local/my-plugin`. 2. Copy in your plugin files, with the manifest. 3. Restart Cursor, or run **Developer: Reload Window**. 4. Open **Customize** to confirm the plugin's components appear. The page adds that after a reload, Cursor discovers plugins in this folder if local plugin imports are allowed. So if your local plugin doesn't show up, the reload is the first thing to try. ## Restart Cursor instead A reload is lighter than a full restart, but the docs treat a restart as the standard fix. The [troubleshooting guide](https://cursor.com/docs/troubleshooting/troubleshooting-guide) tells you to "Quit and restart Cursor" when it won't start properly, and to restart when prompted after running **Cursor: Attempt Update** from the Command Palette. The plugin steps above accept either one. If you are not sure which to pick, restart. Quitting the app ends every window, so it clears more than a reload does. ## When you no longer need to reload Recent versions of Cursor handle some of the cases that used to call for a reload. These are the entries in the [IDE release notes](https://cursor.com/docs/release-notes/ide): - **Version 3.19:** you can reconnect to a remote workspace without reloading the window. The reconnecting notification no longer offers Reload Window, so you keep your window state while it retries. - **Version 3.22:** if the local extension host that connects Cursor to its servers hangs, Cursor restarts it so the window reconnects. - **Version 3.23:** if the extension host that powers Cursor's AI features stops responding for about a minute, Cursor restarts it automatically, so you no longer need to reload the window. The extension host is the process that runs extensions apart from the editor itself. If AI features stall, wait a minute before you reload. If you are on an older version, update first. ## What the docs don't cover - No page in the docs describes Reload Window on its own, and none says what it keeps or loses. - The docs don't give a keyboard shortcut for the reload command. - The troubleshooting guide doesn't mention reloading. It names restart and uninstalling extensions. - A reload is not the same as the context commands for the AI chat. For those, see our guide on [how to compact context in Cursor](https://claudegpt.si/news/cursor-how-to-compact-context). If a reload doesn't fix the problem, our guide on [what to do when Cursor is not working](https://claudegpt.si/news/cursor-not-working-fixes) covers the next steps. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I reload the window in Cursor? Open the Command Palette with Cmd+Shift+P or Ctrl+Shift+P and run Developer: Reload Window. Cursor's plugin docs name this command. ### Is there a shortcut to reload the Cursor window? Cursor's docs don't list one for the reload command. They say to search the Command Palette for Keyboard Shortcuts to see or set your keys. ### Should I reload the window or restart Cursor? The plugin docs accept either one. The troubleshooting guide uses a full restart, which clears more than a reload does. ### Do I still need to reload when Cursor's AI features stop responding? Not on version 3.23 or later. The release notes say Cursor restarts the extension host automatically after it is unresponsive for about a minute. ## Sources - [Plugins](https://cursor.com/docs/plugins), Cursor - [Troubleshooting guide](https://cursor.com/docs/troubleshooting/troubleshooting-guide), Cursor - [Keyboard shortcuts](https://cursor.com/docs/configuration/kbd), Cursor - [IDE release notes](https://cursor.com/docs/release-notes/ide), Cursor