How to Get DeepSeek to Work with Cursor Agent Mode?

How to Get DeepSeek to Work with Cursor Agent Mode

Are you struggling to make DeepSeek work in Cursor’s Agent Mode so it can act like a real co‑pilot for your codebase? Maybe you’ve enabled DeepSeek in Cursor, but when you switch to Agent Mode, it just behaves like normal chat, no autonomous file edits, no cross‑file reasoning, no real agent power. It’s super frustrating: you want smart, reasoning AI inside Cursor, but instead it seems limited, buggy, or even unsupported in Agent Mode.

Well, you’re not alone, many developers are hitting roadblocks integrating DeepSeek with Cursor’s Agent Mode. But don’t worry: as an expert who’s followed the latest on this, I can help you actually make DeepSeek work in Cursor Agent Mode (or at least as close as possible).

In this article, I’ll walk you through how to get DeepSeek to work with cursor agent mode and how to troubleshoot common issues, step by step.

How to Fix It (Solution Overview)

The solution involves enabling the DeepSeek model in Cursor’s settings, then using a special proxy (or local deployment) to allow DeepSeek to operate in Agent Mode. This lets Cursor send OpenAI‑style API calls to DeepSeek (even though DeepSeek itself uses a different API), enabling multi-file edits and autonomous actions.

Why Use DeepSeek with Cursor Agent Mode?

Cost Efficiency

DeepSeek models (like R1 / V3) are cheaper than many proprietary options but still powerful for coding tasks.

Powerful Coding Assistance

DeepSeek is very good at code generation, reasoning, and understanding complex instructions .

Autonomous Workflow

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Custom Integration

By using a proxy, you can integrate DeepSeek even if native Agent support is limited, giving you flexibility and control.

Step‑by‑Step Guide: How to Get DeepSeek to Work with Cursor Agent Mode?

Here’s a simple, easy guide to make DeepSeek work with Cursor Agent Mode:

  1. Update Cursor
  • Make sure you’re running Cursor version 0.44 or 0.45 (these versions added better support for DeepSeek).
  • In Cursor, go to Help → About to check your version.
Update Cursor

2. Enable DeepSeek Model

  • Open Cursor → Settings → Models.
  • Find and enable either deepseek-r1 or deepseek-v3.
  • If you’re using the R1‑0528 version, go to Settings → Models and check deepseek-r1-0528.
Enable DeepSeek Model

3. Decide How You’ll Connect to DeepSeek

4. Set Up the Proxy (for Agent Mode)

  • Clone or download the cursor‑deepseek proxy from GitHub.
  • Install and run it (you can use Docker):
docker run -p 9000:9000 --env DEEPSEEK_API_KEY=<your_key> cursor-deepseek

This proxy listens on a port (like 9000) and translates OpenAI-style requests from Cursor into requests DeepSeek understands.

5. Configure Cursor to Use the Proxy

  • In Cursor settings, go to where you set the LLM provider or API base URL.
  • Set the base URL to your proxy, e.g., http://localhost:9000/v1.
  • Please verify that your API key is entered exactly as it appears (including in the proxy settings)..

6. Enable Agent Mode

  • Go to Composer (Cursor’s advanced mode): Ctrl + I (or your OS equivalent).
  • Turn on Agent Mode
  • Optionally, you can tweak Agent behavior (passive, exploratory, aggressive) in settings.

7. Test the Integration

  • In Chat UI (Ctrl + L), ask DeepSeek to write a simple function (e.g., a factorial in Python) and see if it responds correctly.
  • In Composer (Agent Mode), prompt: “Create a Python script for a web scraper.” See if DeepSeek can generate code and create files / suggest multi-file structure.

Confirm that files are actually being created/edited (agent autoplan should work).

Pros & Cons of Using DeepSeek with Cursor Agent Mode

Pros

  • DeepSeek is more cost-effective than other models.
  • With Agent Mode + proxy, DeepSeek can act on its own, editing files.
  • You can choose between API mode or local deployment.
  • DeepSeek (R1 / V3) is strong in coding, reasoning, and large context.
  • The proxy is open source, giving you more trust and control.

Cons

  • DeepSeek’s Agent Mode support in Cursor is not perfect or fully native.
  • Setting up the proxy (via Docker or local machine) adds complexity.
  • If you misconfigure your API key or base URL, integration fails.
  • Depending on your setup (local vs remote), latency and response quality may vary.

Troubleshooting Guide 

Here are common problems and how to fix them:

ProblemSolution
DeepSeek not showing in Cursor’s model listUpdate Cursor to version 0.44/0.45. Then go to Settings → Models and enable deepseek-r1 or deepseek-v3. 
Agent Mode doesn’t act like an agent (just like Ask mode)Use the cursor-deepseek proxy. Many users say native Agent Mode support is weak. 
API Key or authentication failureDouble-check your API key, base URL, and whether your key is still valid. 
File writing fails in Agent ModeTry updating Cursor; also check for issues in deepseek-v3 versions. Some users report bugs.
Proxy errors / can’t start proxyEnsure Docker is running, check .env in the proxy repo, set DEEPSEEK_API_KEY, and run with the correct command. 
Slow responses / lagIf using a remote API, check your network. For local deployment, check system resources (RAM, CPU). Also monitor proxy logs.

Additional Tips

  • Use specific prompts when asking DeepSeek in Agent Mode: e.g., “Refactor this function for better performance,” rather than vague instructions.
  • Monitor your token usage if you use a paid DeepSeek API.
  • If you deploy DeepSeek locally (via Ollama or similar), make sure your hardware can handle the model.
  • Keep Cursor and the proxy up to date — check GitHub for any fixes or updates.
  • Join the Cursor community (Discord / Reddit) — people often share updates, fixes, and proxy improvements.
  • If you’re doing serious multi-file work, consider writing Cursor rules that help Agent Mode understand which files to touch.

Conclusion

Getting DeepSeek to work with Cursor Agent Mode is totally possible, but it takes a few extra steps. Because DeepSeek doesn’t have perfect native support in Agent Mode yet, you often need to rely on a proxy server (like the cursor-deepseek proxy) or run DeepSeek locally. Once set up, though, the benefits are big: cheaper AI, powerful reasoning for code, and more autonomous workflows inside Cursor.

If you follow the step-by-step guide above, updating Cursor, enabling the right DeepSeek model, configuring a proxy, and then activating Agent Mode, you could be able to unlock real agent capabilities. And if things break, the troubleshooting tips can help you fix common issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Not fully in all cases. Some users report that DeepSeek in Agent Mode behaves more like Ask Mode. The proxy workaround helps mitigate that.

Many users prefer DeepSeek V3 for its stability and instruction-following. But R1 is also supported via the proxy.

Yes, if you’re using their hosted API (ModelBox, OpenRouter, etc.). You’ll need a valid API key.

Yes, by using local deployment strategies (e.g., via Ollama) plus the proxy, you can run DeepSeek on your machine.

This is a reported issue. It could be a bug in DeepSeek or Cursor, or a problem with how the proxy is set up. Try updating versions or reconfiguring your setup.