How to Fix Cursor Suggestions (When They're Always Wrong)

Cursor's suggestions used to be perfect. You'd hit Tab and boom - exactly what you needed. It understood your project, followed your patterns, made sensible suggestions.

Now? Every suggestion is wrong:

• Suggests rebuilding things you already built
• Code that doesn't match your style
• Changes that break existing features
• Solutions that don't fit your project
• Generic code that needs total rewrite

You're rejecting 90% of suggestions. You're typing everything manually. Cursor feels useless.

Here's how to actually fix it.

Why Cursor Suggestions Get Bad #

Cursor makes suggestions based on what it can see in your project. Early on, your project was small enough for Cursor to see everything. Suggestions were perfect because Cursor understood the full context.

As your project grew:

• Too many files to track at once
• Too many patterns to remember
• Too many connections between features
• Cursor loses track of your project structure

It's like asking someone to give you directions while wearing a blindfold. They might suggest "turn left" when there's a wall there - not because they're dumb, but because they can't see.

Cursor can't see your full project anymore.

Quick Things to Try First #

Try #1: Restart the Chat #

Sometimes Cursor gets confused by a long conversation.

Close the current chat (X button) and start fresh. Give Cursor a clean slate to work from.

Try #2: Be More Specific #

Instead of:

Add a delete button

Try:

Add a delete button to the UserCard component
that calls deleteUser() and shows a confirmation

More context = better suggestions.

Try #3: Reference Specific Files #

Tell Cursor exactly what to look at:

Look at auth.ts and profile.tsx, then add
logout functionality that matches that pattern

This forces Cursor to check the right files.

Try #4: Show Examples #

If Cursor keeps getting it wrong:

Here's how we handle errors in login.tsx:
[paste your error pattern]

Now add error handling to signup.tsx using
that same pattern

Give Cursor the answer template.

Why Quick Fixes Don't Really Work #

You probably noticed: these are exhausting.

You're spending all your time:

• Writing detailed prompts
• Explaining your project in every chat
• Pasting examples
• Rejecting bad suggestions
• Rewriting Cursor's code

You're working around Cursor instead of Cursor working for you.

The real problem: Cursor doesn't have persistent memory of your project. Every chat starts from zero. You have to re-teach Cursor every time.

What Actually Fixes Bad Suggestions #

The fix is giving Cursor permanent memory of your project:

• What features exist
• How they connect
• What patterns you use
• What your project structure is
• What code should never change

Think of it as giving Cursor a map it can always reference, instead of asking it to navigate blind.

Manual Approach: Project Documentation #

You can do this manually by creating documentation Cursor can reference.

Create .cursor/project-context.md:

## Project Structure
 
## Main Features
- User Authentication (auth.ts, login.tsx)
- User Profiles (profile.tsx, ProfileCard.tsx)
- Settings (settings.tsx)
 
## Code Patterns
- All auth checks use checkUser() from auth.ts
- All database calls use db.query() from database.ts
- All errors use showError() from errors.ts
 
## Critical Files
- auth.ts - DON'T modify without careful testing
- database.ts - Used by every feature

Then in every chat:

Read .cursor/project-context.md first, then [your request]

Pros: Free, you control it

Cons: Manual updates, you have to remember to tell Cursor to read it, still not as good as Cursor just knowing

Automated Approach: Use Giga #

Giga does this automatically.

It scans your project, understands your structure, and gives Cursor persistent memory that updates as you build.

Setup (5 minutes):

npm install -g giga-cli
giga init
giga connect cursor

What changes:

• Cursor knows your full project structure
• Suggestions match your actual code patterns
• No more rebuilding existing features
• No more breaking working code
• No need to explain your project in every chat

Testing If Your Fix Worked #

After implementing permanent memory (manual or Giga), test it:

Test 1: Ask about existing features

What authentication system do we have?

Good response: Describes your actual auth setup

Bad response: Suggests building new auth

Test 2: Request a change

Add a "remember me" checkbox to login

Good response: Modifies your existing login, follows your patterns

Bad response: Suggests rewriting entire login system

Test 3: Cross-feature change

Update user profile styling

Good response: Changes only styling, doesn't touch auth or database

Bad response: Modifies unrelated files or breaks connections

What Changes After You Fix This #

Why This Happens to Everyone #

If you're experiencing this, you're not alone. This is the normal progression:

Week 1-2: Cursor suggestions are perfect ✨

Week 3-4: Still mostly good ✓

Week 5+: Suggestions get worse and worse ⚠️

The shift happens when your project crosses from "simple" to "real app with multiple interconnected features."

Simple apps: Cursor can track everything

Real apps: Cursor needs help tracking

This is documented in when Cursor starts making mistakes.

Different Problems, Different Solutions #

If Cursor won't start or crashes:

• That's a technical issue
• See Cursor not working fix

If Cursor suggestions are wrong:

• That's a memory/context issue (this article)
• Solution: Give Cursor permanent project memory

If Cursor is slow:

• Might be system resources
• Might be huge project files
• Might be indexing in background

Don't confuse these. They're different problems needing different fixes.

Common Questions #

Will better prompts fix this? #

Temporarily. But you'll exhaust yourself writing essays for every request. Better prompts are a workaround, not a solution.

Should I use a different AI tool? #

Claude Code, Windsurf, GitHub Copilot - they all have the same limitation. Switching tools won't help.

The problem isn't the tool. It's that AI needs help tracking complex projects. See our Cursor vs Claude Code comparison.

Does this mean my project is too complicated? #

No. It means your project is real. Simple demos don't have this problem. Real apps with multiple features do.

This is a good sign - you built something substantial.

How much does Giga cost? #

Check current pricing at gigamind.dev.

But consider: How much time do you waste fighting bad suggestions? If Giga saves you 5+ hours per week, it pays for itself.

Can I fix this without paying? #

Yes - manual documentation approach (described above). Free but requires maintenance.

What to Do Right Now #

If Cursor suggestions are mostly wrong:

1. Acknowledge this is normal (you built something real)
2. Choose your approach:
   • Manual: Create project documentation
   • Automated: Try Giga free
3. Test if suggestions improve
4. Get back to building confidently

Make Cursor suggestions accurate again → Try Giga