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Connect Cursor to Azure DevOps Boards

This page explains how to let Cursor read and update Azure Boards work items (epics, features, tasks, comments) from Agent chat.

Cursor’s built-in Azure DevOps integration is for Git and pull requests only. Boards access uses a local MCP server and a Personal Access Token (PAT).

What you need

Item Value used in this guide
Azure DevOps organisation imorital
Project WorkManager
Org URL (legacy) https://imorital.visualstudio.com
Org URL (current) https://dev.azure.com/imorital
Cursor Current desktop app, Agent mode
Node.js 20 or later (nodejs.org)

The MCP server always calls https://dev.azure.com/imorital. That is the same organisation as https://imorital.visualstudio.com.

Personal Microsoft accounts

Microsoft’s official Azure DevOps MCP server does not support interactive sign-in with a personal Microsoft account. Use PAT authentication (envvar) as shown below. That talks to the REST API and does not use Entra OAuth.

If PAT mode still fails, the Microsoft-supported path is to connect the organisation to Microsoft Entra ID, then use interactive login.

Do not commit your PAT

Store the token in your user Cursor MCP config, not in a git repository. Treat it like a password.

1. Install Node.js

  1. Install the LTS build from https://nodejs.org if you do not already have Node 20+.
  2. Confirm in PowerShell:
node -v

You need a version that starts with v20 or higher.

2. Create a Personal Access Token

  1. Open https://imorital.visualstudio.com/_usersSettings/tokens.
  2. Choose New Token.
  3. Name it something identifiable, for example Cursor MCP.
  4. Set Organisation to imorital.
  5. Set an expiry you will remember (90 days is typical).
  6. Under Scopes, choose custom and enable at least:
    • Work Items: Read, write, & manage
    • Project and Team: Read (recommended)
  7. Create the token and copy it immediately. Azure DevOps will not show it again.

3. Add the MCP server in Cursor

  1. In Cursor, open Settings → Tools & MCP (wording may be Cursor Settings → MCP).
  2. Choose New MCP Server. This opens your user mcp.json.

  3. On Windows the usual path is:

    C:\Users\<you>\.cursor\mcp.json

  4. Add (or merge) this server. Replace the token placeholder with the PAT from step 2.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ado": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@azure-devops/mcp",
        "imorital",
        "--authentication",
        "envvar",
        "-d",
        "core",
        "work",
        "work-items"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ADO_MCP_AUTH_TOKEN": "PASTE_YOUR_PAT_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

The -d core work work-items flags load only organisation, sprint/board, and work-item tools. Drop those arguments if you also want repos, pipelines, wiki, and test plans.

  1. Save the file. In Tools & MCP, the ado server should show as enabled.

Windows: MCP will not start

If npx is not found, wrap the command:

"command": "cmd",
"args": [
  "/c",
  "npx",
  "-y",
  "@azure-devops/mcp",
  "imorital",
  "--authentication",
  "envvar",
  "-d",
  "core",
  "work",
  "work-items"
]

Keep the same env block with ADO_MCP_AUTH_TOKEN.

4. Use Boards from Agent chat

  1. Open a Cursor chat and switch to Agent (not Ask).
  2. Approve Azure DevOps tools when Cursor prompts.

  3. Try:

    List projects in Azure DevOps org imorital. Then list recently updated work items in project WorkManager.

  4. Then, for a specific item (use a real ID):

    Get work item 1234 in WorkManager and add a comment: Checked from Cursor.

You can ask the agent to inspect epics, features, and tasks, update fields, create child items, or add comments. Writes require the Work Items write scope on the PAT.

5. Troubleshooting

Symptom What to check
Personal-account or Entra login error You are on interactive auth. Keep "--authentication", "envvar" and the PAT.
401 or TF400813 Token expired, wrong organisation, or missing Work Items scope. Create a new PAT.
MCP server is red / never starts Node is older than 20, or npx is not on PATH. Try the cmd /c wrapper.
Tools run but the wrong project Tell the agent the project is WorkManager.
Token leaked in git Revoke the PAT in Azure DevOps immediately and create a new one.

Reference