Xcode

Xcode 26.3+ exposes a built-in MCP server that gives Cursor direct access to your Xcode projects. Cursor's agent can read and edit files, trigger builds, run tests, capture SwiftUI previews, and search Apple's documentation; all without leaving your editor.

This works through xcrun mcpbridge, a binary Apple ships with Xcode that translates MCP protocol messages into Xcode's internal XPC layer. You configure it once, and Cursor treats Xcode's 20 built-in tools like any other MCP server.

Prerequisites

• macOS with Xcode 26.3 or later installed
• A paid Cursor plan
• An Xcode project open in Xcode (Xcode must be running)

Enable MCP in Xcode

Before Cursor can connect, turn on Xcode's MCP bridge:

Set up Cursor

Pick whichever method suits your workflow.

Option 1: MCP settings UI

Option 2: mcp.json

Add an entry to your MCP config file:

{  "mcpServers": {    "xcode-tools": {      "command": "xcrun",      "args": ["mcpbridge"]    }  }}

Option 3: Cursor CLI

If you use the Cursor CLI, register the server from your terminal:

agent mcp add xcode-tools -- xcrun mcpbridge

The CLI shares the same MCP config as the editor, so the server appears in both.

Available tools

Xcode exposes 20 MCP tools across five categories:

File operations

• XcodeRead - Read file contents (up to 600 lines per call, with offset/limit for larger files)
• XcodeWrite - Create or overwrite files
• XcodeUpdate - Apply targeted edits to existing files
• XcodeGrep - Search file contents with regex
• XcodeGlob - Find files by pattern
• XcodeLS - List directory contents
• XcodeMakeDir - Create directories
• XcodeRM - Remove files or directories
• XcodeMV - Move or rename files

Build and test

• BuildProject - Build the active scheme
• GetBuildLog - Retrieve build logs, filterable by severity, regex, or file glob
• RunAllTests - Run the full test suite
• RunSomeTests - Run specific test classes or methods
• GetTestList - List available tests

Diagnostics

• XcodeListNavigatorIssues - Show warnings and errors from the Issue Navigator
• XcodeRefreshCodeIssuesInFile - Re-check a file for code issues

Intelligence

• RenderPreview - Capture a screenshot of a SwiftUI preview
• DocumentationSearch - Semantic search across Apple's documentation and WWDC transcripts
• ExecuteSnippet - Run a Swift code snippet

Workspace

• XcodeListWindows - List open Xcode windows and tabs

Example workflow

A typical Cursor + Xcode workflow looks like this:

1. Open your project in both Cursor and Xcode
2. Ask Cursor's agent to add a feature or fix a bug
3. The agent uses XcodeRead and XcodeGrep to understand your code
4. It edits files with XcodeWrite or XcodeUpdate
5. It runs BuildProject to check for errors, reads results with GetBuildLog
6. It runs tests with RunSomeTests to verify the change
7. It captures a SwiftUI preview with RenderPreview to confirm the UI

You stay in Cursor the whole time. Xcode handles compilation, testing, and previews in the background.

Cursor CLI with Xcode

The Cursor CLI also works with Xcode's MCP tools. This is useful for headless workflows, CI pipelines, or terminal-first developers.

# Run agent with Xcode tools availableagent "Add unit tests for the NetworkManager class"

The agent picks up the xcode-tools MCP server from your config and uses the same tools available in the editor.

Troubleshooting

sudo xcode-select -s /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developersudo xcodebuild -runFirstLaunch

xcrun --find mcpbridge

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