Cursor Ships Remote Control So Developers Run Local Agents From iPhone
Cursor's iOS app can now pair with your desktop to monitor, message, and launch local coding agents while you're away from your machine.
- Cursor iOS app can now control coding agents running on your local computer via Remote Control
- Agents keep executing on your desktop even if the phone loses signal
- Pairing works automatically after signing into the app and approving on desktop
- Optional "keep awake" setting prevents your laptop from sleeping while connected
- Enabled by default for individuals, opt-in for Enterprise admins under Security settings
- Does not require Cloud Agents and adds no extra cost on existing plans
Cursor has added Remote Control, a feature that lets developers monitor, message, and start local coding agents from an iPhone. Agent execution, project files, credentials, and environment state remain on the paired computer.
Remote Control is available through the Cursor iOS app. Cursor enables it by default for individual accounts. Enterprise administrators must enable it under Org Settings → Security and Identity. The announcement covers iOS and does not specify Android availability.
Pair in three steps
- Sign in to the iOS app with the account used on the desktop.
- Select a computer from the devices associated with that account.
- Approve the pairing request in the Cursor desktop app.
Once paired, the iOS app lists agents running on the computer. Developers can inspect progress, answer clarification requests, send follow-up instructions, or start another task against the same local environment.
The host sets the limits
Agent work continues on the computer when the phone loses connectivity because the phone acts as a remote control rather than the execution host. Remote access still requires the computer to remain powered on, connected to the internet, and reachable by Cursor.
Cursor includes a Keep this computer awake option in the desktop Remote Control settings. According to Cursor, the computer must be plugged in, and a laptop must remain open. Closing a laptop lid can suspend the host and interrupt remote access.
Local and cloud agents fit different jobs
Cursor’s existing Cloud Agents run inside isolated virtual machines with provisioned development environments. Remote Control uses the developer’s existing workstation, including its local databases, VPN connections, SSH keys, credentials, files, and uncommitted project state.
| Consideration | Remote Control | Cloud Agents |
|---|---|---|
| Execution host | Paired personal computer | Isolated remote VM |
| Environment | Existing local setup and state | Provisioned cloud environment |
| Availability | Requires the paired computer to stay online | Runs independently of the developer’s computer |
| Typical use | Stateful projects and workstation-specific access | Parallel tasks in reproducible environments |
Remote Control supports several common workflows:
- Checking a long-running refactor, build, or test suite away from the desk
- Answering an agent that paused for clarification
- Starting a task against the workstation’s current project state
- Handling small follow-ups without provisioning a cloud VM
Access and administration
Cursor has not announced a separate fee for Remote Control; access follows plan eligibility for the iOS app. Enterprise organizations retain administrative control because pairing exposes a path to agents operating within developer workstations. Desktop approval, the organization setting, and existing endpoint policies should therefore form part of a team’s rollout review.
For developers whose projects depend on machine-specific state, Remote Control extends an active Cursor session beyond the desk while preserving the workstation as the execution environment. Its usefulness depends primarily on whether that host can remain powered, connected, and available.
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