The Ultimate Guide to Cursor AI Free Trials: How to Bypass Verification & Reset Device IDs (2026 Edition)

The only guide you need to get unlimited GPT-4o, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and "Fast Requests" without paying $240/year.

Introduction: The "Fast Request" Trap

If you are a developer in 2026, you aren't just coding; you are "prompt engineering." And right now, Cursor AI is the undisputed king of AI code editors. It feels less like an autocomplete tool and more like a senior engineer sitting next to you.

But there is a catch.

Cursor’s "Pro" plan costs $20/month (or $240/year). For that price, you get 500 "Fast Requests" (GPT-4 / Claude 3.5). Once those run out, you are downgraded to "Slow Requests," which can take 10-30 seconds to generate a single function. For a serious developer, "Slow Mode" is unusable.

You probably tried to create a new account to get a fresh 14-day trial. You used a temp mail, you signed up, and then... Bang.

"Too many free trial accounts used on this machine."

"Your request has been blocked as our system has detected suspicious activity."

Most developers give up here. They assume Cursor has banned their IP address or that "temp mail doesn't work."

They are wrong.

Cursor doesn't just track your email. It fingerprints your Hardware ID (Machine ID). To get unlimited free trials, you don't just need a new email; you need a new digital identity.

In this guide, I will show you exactly how to reset your Cursor Machine ID, bypass the email blocklist using premium domains, and even how to run local LLMs (Ollama) to get unlimited AI without using Cursor's cloud at all.

Part 1: How Cursor Tracks You (The Technical Breakdown)

Before we hack the system, you need to understand how it works. When you install Cursor, it generates a unique "fingerprint" based on your hardware components. It stores this fingerprint in a hidden JSON file deep in your system.

Every time you make a request (even if you are logged out), Cursor sends this ID to its servers (telemetry.cursor.sh).

The file is located here:

• Windows: %APPDATA%\Cursor\User\globalStorage\storage.json

• Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/User/globalStorage/storage.json

• Linux: ~/.config/Cursor/User/globalStorage/storage.json

Inside this file, there are three specific tokens that link you to your past trials:

1. telemetry.machineId: The persistent ID linked to your OS installation.

2. telemetry.macMachineId: A hash of your network card's MAC address.

3. telemetry.devDeviceId: A secondary device identifier.

If you create a new account but don't change these three IDs, Cursor knows it's you. It will link your new account to your old "Expired" status instantly.

Part 2: The Solution (3 Methods)

We have three ways to solve this. Method 1 is the safest. Method 2 is the fastest. Method 3 is the "Nuclear Option."

Method 1: The Manual Reset (Recommended & Safe)

This method is best because it doesn't require running unknown scripts on your computer. You are simply editing a text file.

Step 1: Get a "Clean" Email

Do not use temp-mail.org or guerrillamail. Cursor has blacklisted these domains. You need a premium, private domain that looks like a real business email.

Get Email Here

Step 2: Close Cursor Completely

Make sure Cursor is not running in the background.

• Windows: Check Task Manager.

• Mac: Right-click the dock icon -> Quit.

Step 3: Edit the Storage File

• On Windows:

  1. Press Win + R.

  2. Paste: %APPDATA%\Cursor\User\globalStorage\

  3. Find storage.json. Right-click -> Open with Notepad.

• On Mac/Linux:

  1. Open Terminal.

  2. Type: nano ~/Library/Application\ Support/Cursor/User/globalStorage/storage.json

Step 4: The Reset

You will see code that looks like this:

{
    "telemetry.machineId": "582910-4819-1234-5678",
    "telemetry.macMachineId": "882910-4819-1234-5678",
    "telemetry.devDeviceId": "112910-4819-1234-5678"
}

Delete these IDs. You can either leave them blank ("") or change a few random numbers in the middle.

• Safe Bet: Just change the last 4 numbers of each ID.

Step 5: Make it "Read Only" (Optional but Powerful)

To stop Cursor from tagging you again, you can lock this file.

• Windows: Right-click storage.json -> Properties -> Check "Read-only" -> Apply.

• Mac: Run chmod 444 storage.json.

Step 6: Sign Up

Open Cursor. It will generate a new ID because it can't find the old one. Create an account with your TempoMailUSA address. You are now a "New User."

Method 2: The Script Way (For Power Users)

If you are comfortable running scripts, the open-source community has built tools to automate this.

The "Cursor-Reset" Script (Python)

There is a popular script on GitHub that automatically generates a random UUID and replaces it in your config file.

1. Download: Search for ultrasev/cursor-reset on GitHub.

2. Run: Open your terminal and run the Python script (python reset.py).

3. Result: It automatically backs up your old config (just in case) and injects a fresh Machine ID.

Warning: Always review code before running it. We recommend Method 1 (Manual) for maximum safety.

Method 3: The Local LLM Hack (Unlimited Free AI)

What if you didn't need a trial at all?

Cursor allows you to connect Local LLMs (like Llama 3 or DeepSeek Coder) running on your own computer. This uses zero fast requests and is 100% free forever.

Prerequisites: A computer with a decent GPU (Mac M1/M2/M3 or NVIDIA RTX).

The Setup:

1. Download Ollama: Go to ollama.com and install it.

2. Pull a Model: Open terminal and type ollama pull deepseek-coder:6.7b. (This is a model trained specifically for coding).

3. Connect to Cursor:

   • Open Cursor Settings (Ctrl + Shift + J).

   • Go to Models.

   • Toggle "Ollama" to ON.

   • It should auto-detect your local model.

The Result: You now have an AI code assistant that runs offline, costs $0, and never runs out of requests. It isn't quite as smart as GPT-4o, but for 80% of tasks (boilerplate, refactoring, comments), it is perfect.

Comparison: Cursor vs. GitHub Copilot (Is the Reset Worth It?)

Why go through this trouble? Why not just pay $10 for GitHub Copilot?

We analyzed the benchmarks (SWE-Bench Verified) to give you the answer.

The Verdict:

Cursor is objectively better for complex projects. Its "Composer" feature (Cmd + I) can write entire files from scratch by understanding your whole project structure. Copilot still struggles with context outside the current file.

If you are a professional, the "Cursor Reset Method" gives you access to a tool that is arguably worth $50/mo, for free.

Troubleshooting Guide: Fixing Common Errors

Even with a fresh email, you might hit a snag. Here is how to fix the most common errors in 2026.

Error 1: "Suspicious Activity" on Signup

• Cause: You have created too many accounts from the same IP address in a short time.

• Fix:

  1. Mobile Data Hotspot: Connect your PC to your phone's hotspot for the signup process. This gives you a fresh residential IP.

  2. Wait 1 Hour: Their rate limiter usually resets every 60 minutes.

Error 2: "Trial Ended" Immediately After Login

• Cause: You didn't save the storage.json file correctly, or Cursor was running in the background when you edited it.

• Fix:

  1. Close Cursor.

  2. Check the file again. Did the IDs revert?

  3. If they reverted, set the file to Read-Only (See Method 1, Step 5).

Error 3: Email Domain Blocked

• Cause: You used a cheap temp mail provider.

• Fix: Use the generator at the top of this page. We rotate our domains daily to ensure they work with Cursor, Discord, and OpenAI.

Is This Ethical? (A Note on Usage)

We believe that developers should support the tools they use. If you are using Cursor to build a commercial product that makes you money, you should pay for it.

However, for students, hobbyists, and developers living in countries with low purchasing power ($20 USD is a lot in some regions), the free trial is essential for learning. This guide is intended for educational purposes and to help you test the full capabilities of the tool before committing to a subscription.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Does Cursor ban your actual hardware?

No, they don't ban your GPU or CPU serial numbers. They only "ban" the randomly generated ID stored in storage.json. This is why the reset method works 100% of the time.

Can I keep my settings after a reset?

Yes! The reset only touches the telemetry ID. Your themes, extensions, and keybindings are stored in separate files and will remain safe.

How many "Fast Requests" do I actually get?

The 14-day trial gives you 500 Fast Requests. After that, you are unlimited but "Slow." For most users, 500 requests last about 5-7 days of heavy coding.

Does this work on Mac M1/M2/M3?

Yes, the file path is slightly different (~/Library/Application Support/...), but the logic is identical.

Ready to Code?

Don't let a $20 paywall stop your progress.

1. Get your email from the tool above.

2. Reset your ID using Method 1.

3. Start building.

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. We are not affiliated with Cursor.sh or Anysphere Inc.