Cursor agent notifications on Mac
How to catch the moment a Cursor agent finishes or stops for approval on macOS, instead of switching back to the editor to check.
By Piotr Jura, creator of AgentNotch. Tested on macOS with AgentNotch v1.3.1.
❯ claude
● Wiring the license claim endpoint
⎿ Edited lib/license/store.ts (+38 −6)
⎿ Edited app/api/license/claim/route.ts (+21 −3)
⎿ Ran npm test (42 passed)
● Run npm run db:migrate?
❯ 1. Yes 2. No, tell Claude what to do
waiting for your approval
Cursor's agent is easy to start and hard to leave. You give it a task, it works across the project, and the only place its status lives is a panel inside the editor. Switch to a browser or a terminal and the signal is gone.
So the pattern sets in: send the agent off, get pulled into something else, come back eight minutes later to find it finished six minutes ago, or worse, that it stopped to ask permission and never moved. Cursor's alerts assume you're looking at Cursor. The table shows how far each option gets you.
Where AgentNotch fits
AgentNotch reads Cursor agent sessions and puts their status in the menu bar, where you see it without bringing the editor forward. A finished run reads as done, a session waiting on approval stays flagged until you deal with it, and clicking one lands you in that session. Your Claude Code and Codex sessions sit on the same surface. It runs on your Mac and never reads your code or keys.
Side by side
| What it does | Its limit | |
|---|---|---|
| Cursor's own alerts | Flags the agent in the sidebar when it stops. | You have to be looking at Cursor to see it. |
| Dock badge | Marks the app when something changed while you were away. | Says the app wants you, not which agent or why. |
| AgentNotch | Keeps each Cursor session's status in the menu bar as it runs. | Flags the one that needs you; macOS only. |
Questions
- How do I get notified when a Cursor agent finishes?
- Cursor marks a finished agent in its sidebar, so the signal is there as long as the editor is in front of you. A menu-bar monitor like AgentNotch shows the same status without the editor in focus, which is what you want when the agent runs for minutes and you work elsewhere.
- Does Cursor notify me when the agent needs approval?
- Cursor shows the request in the agent panel and waits there. Nothing pulls you back if you are in another app, so the run can sit unanswered until you switch to the editor and notice it.
- Can I see Cursor agent status without opening Cursor?
- Yes, with a menu-bar monitor. AgentNotch reads your Cursor sessions on macOS and shows which finished, stalled, or wants approval, so you read the state from the menu bar and click through to the session.
- Does AgentNotch work with Cursor's CLI as well as the editor?
- Yes. AgentNotch reads Cursor agent sessions whether you start them in the IDE or from the command line, and shows them next to your Claude Code and Codex sessions.
Keep reading
See which agent needs you.
Try AgentNotchfree for 14 days, no card. Watch Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex from your Mac's menu bar.
Updated 2026-07-18