> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.unstructured.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Get started with Unstructured Transform for the Cursor CLI

> Learn how to install the Unstructured Transform MCP server into the Cursor CLI, then parse your files into partitioned, enriched, chunked, and embedded data.

<Accordion title="Have you already used the Cursor IDE to install Transform?">
  If you installed the Transform MCP server in the Cursor IDE, the Cursor CLI might already list it. To check, run:

  ```bash theme={null}
  agent mcp list
  ```

  Find the `unstructured-transform` entry, then follow the action for its status:

  | Status                        | What to do                                                                                            |
  | ----------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
  | `ready`                       | Skip ahead to [parse your source files](#parse-your-source-files).                                    |
  | `not loaded (needs approval)` | Run `agent mcp enable unstructured-transform`, then run `agent mcp list` again.                       |
  | `requires_authentication`     | Run `agent mcp login unstructured-transform`, then authenticate, and then run `agent mcp list` again. |
  | Not listed                    | [Install the Transform MCP server](#install-the-transform-mcp-server).                                |
</Accordion>

## Requirements

You will need:

* A Cursor plan. To see if you have a plan, sign in to your [Cursor Dashboard](https://cursor.com/dashboard). [Sign up for Cursor](https://cursor.com/pricing).
* The Cursor CLI installed on your local development machine. To see if it is, from your terminal, run `agent -v` or `agent --version`. [Install the Cursor CLI](https://cursor.com/download).

## Install the Transform MCP server

1. Open the Cursor CLI's `mcp.json` settings file in your preferred code editor. This file is located at:

   * For macOS and Linux: `~/.cursor/mcp.json`
   * For Windows: `%APPDATA%\Cursor\mcp.json`

   If this file does not already exist, create it in this location.

2. Add the following to the `mcpServers` object, and then save and close the `mcp.json` file. If there are any
   existing `mcpServers` entries, do not change or remove them:

   ```json theme={null}
   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "unstructured-transform": {
         "url": "https://mcp.transform.unstructured.io"
       }
     }
   }
   ```

3. From your terminal, authenticate with the Transform MCP server by running this command:

   ```bash theme={null}
   agent mcp login unstructured-transform
   ```

   A web browser tab appears, prompting you to authenticate with Transform. If you do not have a Transform account, click **Register** and then follow the on-screen directions to finish authenticating.

4. To verify the connection, run this command in your terminal:

   ```bash theme={null}
   agent mcp list
   ```

   `unstructured-transform` appears, showing as `ready`.

## Parse your source files

Parsing requests have the following limits:

* Each file must be of a [supported file type](/transform/supported-file-types).
* Each file must be 50 MB or less in size.
* Each request must have 10 files or fewer.
* Only 5 requests can be running at a time.

The Transform MCP server is designed to notify the Cursor CLI about these limits. Because of this, the Cursor CLI should notify you whenever it encounters a file that exceeds 50 MB in size. Also, the Cursor CLI should formulate strategies to send requests that are 10 files or fewer and not cause more than 5 requests to be running at a time.

1. After you install the Transform MCP server and start a Cursor CLI session, from your terminal, switch to the folder on your local machine that stores the files you want Transform to parse.
2. Enter this prompt:

   ```text theme={null}
   Use the Unstructured Transform MCP server to parse the files in this project.

   Provide the results as JSON files, one JSON file per source file.
   ```

   Adapt the phrase `in this project` in the preceding prompt to indicate a more specific project folder. Also, guide the Cursor CLI as to where to write Transform's output into the project.

   Transform parses your input files and delivers its results to you as a set of output files, one output file per input file.

## Extract structured data

If you want to pull specific fields from your files, instead of converting the files in full, ask for an *extraction*. To determine what structured data Transform can extract from your files, use a prompt similar to the following:

```text theme={null} theme={null}
Use the Unstructured Transform MCP server to extract structured data from these files.

I don't have a schema — suggest one based on what's in the document, show it to me, and then run the extraction with it.
```

Your tool parses each file first, then extracts the field values from the parsed element JSON; this is because the Transform MCP extraction tools read a file's parsed output, rather than the raw file itself. Transform returns results as JSON matching the schema, wrapped with the source filename so you can tell a batch apart.

If you know the specific fields you want, include them in your prompt to guide Transform in extracting just the information that's important to you. For more information, including prompting patterns and performance considerations, see [Structured data extraction](/transform/sde).

## Approve Transform tool calls automatically

The Cursor CLI asks for approval each time it calls a Transform MCP server tool that you have not already approved. To approve all Transform tools in advance:

1. Open the Cursor CLI's `cli-config.json` file in your preferred code editor. The default location is:

   * For macOS and Linux: `~/.cursor/cli-config.json`
   * For Windows: `%USERPROFILE%\.cursor\cli-config.json`

2. Add this `permissions` object at the top level of `cli-config.json`. If `permissions` already exists, merge these settings into it and leave any existing `deny` array unchanged:

   ```json theme={null}
   {
     "permissions": {
       "allow": [
         "Mcp(unstructured-transform:*)"
       ],
       "deny": []
     },
     "approvalMode": "allowlist"
   }
   ```

3. Save and then close the `cli-config.json` file.

## Troubleshooting

<Accordion title="Can't authenticate with HTTP" id="cant-authenticate-with-http">
  **Issue**: You are unable to use the Cursor CLI to authenticate with Unstructured Transform through HTTP.

  **Cause**: Your Cursor CLI version or MCP server installation does not support HTTP authentication.

  **Solution**:

  Install and authenticate with `npx` instead. This solution requires Node.js on your local machine. To check, run the command `node -v` or `node --version`. [Install Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/download).

  To install and then authenticate by using `npx`:

  1. Open the Cursor CLI's `mcp.json` settings file in your preferred code editor. This file is located at:

     * For macOS and Linux: `~/.cursor/mcp.json`
     * For Windows: `%APPDATA%\Cursor\mcp.json`

  2. Add the following `mcpServers` object, and then save and close the `mcp.json` file. If there is
     an existing `unstructured-transform` entry, overwrite it with this one. If there are any other
     existing `mcpServers` entries, do not change or remove them:

     ```json theme={null}
     {
       "mcpServers": {
         "unstructured-transform": {
           "command": "npx",
           "args": ["-y", "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.transform.unstructured.io"]
         }
       }
     }
     ```

  3. From your terminal, authenticate with the Transform MCP server:

     ```bash theme={null}
     npx -y mcp-remote https://mcp.transform.unstructured.io
     ```

     A web browser tab appears, prompting you to authenticate with Transform. If you do not have a Transform account, click **Register** and then follow the on-screen directions to finish authenticating. Once authenticated, close the browser.

  4. After you authenticate, back in your terminal, press `Ctrl + C` to exit and return to your terminal prompt.

  5. Run this command in your terminal:

     ```bash theme={null}
     agent mcp list
     ```

     **unstructured-transform** appears, showing as `ready`.
</Accordion>

## Next steps

* [Control Transform file parsing output](/transform/output): Control how the Unstructured Transform MCP server instructs Transform to partition, enrich, chunk, and embed the data based on your files.
* [Control Transform structured data extraction](/transform/sde): Control how the Unstructured Transform MCP server extracts and formats structured data from your files.
* [Control Transform generated sample code](/transform/code): Control how the Unstructured Transform MCP server generates sample curl or Python code that demonstrates how to use Transform to partition, enrich, chunk, and embed the data based on your files.

## Questions? Need help?

* For technical support, [request support](/support/request).