---
title: "Connect Cursor"
description: "Add the UptimeMonitoring MCP server to Cursor via mcp.json with a Bearer header."
doc_version: "1"
last_updated: "2026-06-02"
---

## Prerequisites

- Cursor (current stable release)
- An `umk_live_` API key from [app.uptimemonitoring.com](https://app.uptimemonitoring.com) — see [Authentication](/docs/authentication/)

## Connect

Create or open your Cursor MCP config file and add the UptimeMonitoring server block:

- **Global (all projects):** `~/.cursor/mcp.json`
- **Project-local:** `./.cursor/mcp.json` in your project root

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "uptimemonitoring": {
      "url": "https://api.uptimemonitoring.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer umk_live_..."
      }
    }
  }
}
```

Replace `umk_live_...` with your actual API key. Do not commit a project-local config with a live key — add `.cursor/mcp.json` to `.gitignore` before saving.

### OAuth alternative

Cursor supports OAuth for remote MCP servers that advertise OAuth metadata. If the server triggers an OAuth prompt, complete the browser flow rather than adding a manual header.

## Verify

Fully restart Cursor (quit and relaunch — killing only the window is not enough). Open the MCP panel and confirm `uptimemonitoring` appears as connected. Then ask:

> list my monitors

## Common errors

| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---------|-------|-----|
| `401 Unauthorized` | Missing or incorrect key | Confirm the key starts with `umk_live_` and is pasted in full without extra whitespace |
| Server not appearing | Config file in wrong location | Cursor reads only `~/.cursor/mcp.json` or `./.cursor/mcp.json` |
| Tools not appearing after config change | Cursor not fully restarted | Quit Cursor fully (including background helper) and relaunch |

For end-to-end verification with test monitor creation and deletion, see the [detailed Cursor guide](/docs/cursor/).

## See also

- [MCP reference and host compatibility matrix](/docs/mcp/)
- [Connect Claude Code](/docs/connect-claude-code/)
- [Connect ChatGPT](/docs/connect-chatgpt/)
- [Connect via OpenAI API](/docs/connect-openai-api/)
- [Connect via REST API](/docs/connect-rest-api/)