How to Edit Code Inline with Cmd+K in Cursor

Inline edit is Cursor's fastest way to change code without leaving the file. You select code, press Cmd+K, describe the change in plain English, and Cursor rewrites the selection in place with a diff you approve. This guide walks through a real edit from selection to accept.

What you need

• Cursor installed and signed in
• A file with some code you want to change
• A clear, short description of the change

Step 1: Select and open the prompt

Highlight the lines you want to change, then press Cmd+K (Ctrl+K on Windows). A small prompt box appears right above the selection. With nothing selected, Cmd+K instead generates new code at the cursor.

Step 2: Describe the change

Type an instruction, not code. Be specific about the outcome you want. Reference symbols or other files with @ if the edit needs context from elsewhere in the project.

Step 3: Review the diff

Cursor shows the proposed change as a colored diff inline: removed lines in red, added lines in green. Read it before accepting. You can accept, reject, or type a follow-up to refine without starting over.

- function toMoney(n) {
-   return "$" + n
+ function toMoney(n: number) {
+   return n.toLocaleString("en-US", {
+     style: "currency",
+     currency: "USD",
+   })
  }

Step 4: Accept or refine

Press Enter or click Accept to apply the change. If it is close but not right, type a correction like make the currency a parameter and Cursor revises the same selection again.

Result: a one-line, plain-English instruction turns an untyped string concatenation into a properly typed, locale-aware currency formatter, applied in place after you reviewed the diff.