How to Use Claude API in Cursor IDE — 2-Minute Setup [2026]

Quick Answer

To use Claude API in Cursor IDE: open Cursor Settings → Models, enable OpenAI API Key and OpenAI Base URL, set the base URL to https://api2.claudestore.store/v1, paste your ClaudeStore API key, and add claude-sonnet-4.6 to the model list. Setup takes under 2 minutes. No Anthropic account, no waitlist, no phone verification — just a Cursor Pro subscription and a ClaudeStore key.

Why ClaudeStore for Cursor?

Cursor's built-in Claude access requires Anthropic's API key, which has waitlist restrictions, no Russian/CIS payment options, and limited per-key controls. ClaudeStore solves all three: instant signup, payment in RUB/crypto/cards, and per-key credit limits.

• Same Claude models (Sonnet 4.6, Opus 4.6, Haiku 4.5) — same per-token rates as Anthropic direct
• OpenAI-compatible endpoint — Cursor sees it as a generic OpenAI proxy
• Pay with Mir card, SBP, USDT, BTC, or international Visa/Mastercard
• Per-key credit limits — set $20 cap on a key for a junior dev, no surprise bills

Required Plan

Custom API access in Cursor requires a paid Pro plan or higher.

Exact Fields in Cursor

• OpenAI API Key: your API key from the ClaudeStore dashboard (starts with sk-)
• OpenAI Base URL: https://api2.claudestore.store/v1 (must include /v1)
• Verify: click "Verify" — Cursor will list all available models

Recommended Setup

1. Open Cursor settings (Cmd/Ctrl + ,)
2. Go to Models
3. Turn on OpenAI API Key
4. Paste your API key from claudestore.store dashboard
5. Turn on OpenAI Base URL
6. Set it to https://api2.claudestore.store/v1
7. Click Verify — should show "OpenAI key works"
8. Open Composer (Cmd/Ctrl + I), pick a Claude model from the dropdown, send a test prompt

Recommended Model IDs

• claude-opus-4.6 — most powerful, best for refactors and architecture
• claude-sonnet-4.6 — best value for daily coding (default)
• claude-haiku-4.5 — fastest, cheapest, ideal for batch edits

Troubleshooting

"Invalid API Key" error: Verify the key starts with sk- and the base URL ends with /v1. Cursor caches keys aggressively — restart Cursor after pasting.

"Model not found": Make sure the model ID exactly matches (e.g. claude-sonnet-4.6, not claude-sonnet-4.5). Add the model in Cursor's "Add Model" field.

Slow responses: Switch to Haiku 4.5 for fast inline edits, or check your network. ClaudeStore adds <100ms overhead vs Anthropic direct.

Windows-specific notes

The 8-step setup above is identical on Windows, macOS, and Linux. A few Windows extras:

• Installer: download Cursor from cursor.sh. The MSI puts cursor on PATH and registers %APPDATA%\Cursor for settings.
• Hotkey: Ctrl+, for Settings, Ctrl+I for Composer, Ctrl+L for Chat.
• Restart Cursor fully after pasting the key — close all windows, then end any Cursor.exe in Task Manager. Cursor caches OpenAI credentials in memory.
• Corporate proxy: setx HTTPS_PROXY "http://proxy.company:8080" in PowerShell, then reopen Cursor.
• SmartScreen / antivirus blocking outbound calls — whitelist api2.claudestore.store.
• WSL projects: Cursor on Windows talks to ClaudeStore directly — env vars inside WSL do not affect Cursor's HTTP calls. Configure the key in Cursor Settings (the GUI), not in ~/.bashrc.