Changelog

v3.0.23 September 5, 2026 ● Latest

New

• OpenRouter Auto. Pick openrouter/auto in the model dropdown and OpenRouter routes each request to the model that fits it, with a 1M context window and up to 32K of output.

Improved

• MCP servers honour the standard per-server timeout field, and each call now gets one clear time budget instead of competing deadlines.
• Long MCP calls are supervised on server health rather than a fixed stopwatch, so slow-but-alive servers are no longer cut off mid-call.

Fixed

• OpenRouter Auto failing agent turns with a "no models match" error.

v3.0.22 September 1, 2026

New

• MCP servers work out of the box. Cortex reads your existing Cursor and Claude MCP configuration, so servers you have already set up are available with no extra work.
• Plan mode. Let the agent lay out its approach before it starts changing files.
• Skills from every agent tool. Cortex discovers skills from any agent tool's skills directory, not a fixed vendor list.

Improved

• The @ menu lists MCP servers instead of every individual tool, so a handful of servers no longer floods the menu.
• Linux ships as .deb and .rpm packages.
• Cortex is now released under the Apache-2.0 license.
• Project search uses the ripgrep binary already bundled with the app, instead of falling back to a slower search.

v3.0.21 August 29, 2026

New

• New DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp model added. Fast vision-capable tier for screenshots, UI checks, and on-screen reasoning.

Improved

• Optimized agent loop for faster plan, edit, run, and verify.
• More responsive editing, file tree, and model switching.

Fixed

• Bug fixes across editing, file trees, and model switching.

v3.0.12 August 19, 2026

New

• Spreadsheets open natively. .xlsx, .xls, and .csv open in a Sheets-style viewer with tabs, sticky headers, and colors.
• Built-in formula engine. SUM, IF, ROUND, and ranges compute instantly, no Excel required.
• Qwen Token Plan support. sk-sp- keys route correctly; latest Qwen 1M-context models with vision.

Improved

• 5× faster live streaming on long responses.
• Single clean startup splash.
• Office files parse off the GUI thread, large Excel files no longer freeze the app.

Fixed

• Invisible text on light-filled spreadsheet cells.
• Yellow crosshair cursor in spreadsheet preview.
• Spreadsheet preview no longer splits the editor 50/50.
• Tool cards duplicating into a wall of text.
• Ripgrep always falling back to Python.
• Repeated tool calls losing their result cards.

v3.0.7 August 14, 2026

New

• Skills in chat. Type "/" to call a skill, or use several in one message.

Improved

• Faster project-wide search.
• Ctrl+C in the terminal stops a running server.

v3.0.6 August 12, 2026

Improved

• Faster startup, and smoother performance with a long chat history.

v3.0.5 August 12, 2026

Improved

• Sharper semantic code search.
• Faster, steadier diagram rendering.

v3.0.4 August 11, 2026

New

• Voice input. Dictate a prompt with the microphone button. Included in your subscription.

Improved

• More reliable project memory.

v3.0.3 August 11, 2026

Improved

• Provider API keys are now stored in your operating system's encrypted store.

v3.0.2 August 10, 2026

Improved

• Smoother performance and stability while the agent is working.

v3.0.1 August 8, 2026

New

• Skills in Settings. Browse, search, and toggle skills from one place.
• Meta Muse Spark 1.2 and 1.1 models, via OpenRouter.

Improved

• Light mode across the app.
• Terminal and command reliability.

v3.0.0 August 6, 2026

New

• Cortex is on the Microsoft Store.
• Google Gemini provider, bring your own key.

Improved

• Faster startup, diff rendering, and overall performance.
• Reliable rendering on older graphics drivers.

v2.9.9 August 3, 2026

Two new providers: Google Gemini and InferenceHub

• Google Gemini is now a native provider.
• InferenceHub joins the provider list.
• Every provider row now links to its real key page.
• Honest error messages when providers fail.

If you face any issue, contact our official email: [email protected].

v2.9.8 August 2, 2026

Ctrl+C works for real, a full-year activity calendar, fair usage tracking

• Ctrl+C in the terminal now actually stops the running command.
• Token activity is now a real January-to-December calendar.
• Model usage is easier to read.
• Service Usage follows your billing period, not the calendar.
• Text polish across the app.

v2.9.7 July 31, 2026

Terminal fixes

• Ctrl+C no longer closes the whole IDE.
• Command history is instant again.

v2.9.6 July 31, 2026

Terminal rebuilt, agent reliability, clearer chat

• The terminal is fixed, properly this time.
• Typing is roughly twenty times more responsive.
• Ctrl+C stops a running server again, without giving up terminal quality.
• The AI no longer hangs silently.
• Project-wide search fails loudly instead of quietly.
• Multi-step answers read properly.
• Usage & Profile shows real numbers.

v2.9.3 July 29, 2026

Stability update

• Long chats no longer freeze the app.
• The terminal behaves like a real terminal.
• The AI can no longer claim work it didn't do.
• You can see what the AI is doing.
• Every skill is now viewable and editable.
• MiMo with a pay-as-you-go key now sends images natively

v2.9.2 July 28, 2026

251 skills, live skill indicator, and the freeze fixes

• 32 SEO skills added, 251 built in.
• See which skill the AI is using, live.
• Skill search that actually finds skills.
• Long chats no longer freeze the app.
• Ctrl+V in the terminal no longer crashes Cortex.
• Restart offer after switching projects.
• Installer hardening.

v2.9.1 July 24, 2026

The Skills release, 219 expert working methods, built in

• 219 built-in skills.
• Engineering and design, both covered.
• Skills cost you nothing until you use one.
• The AI can also pick a skill by itself.
• Type "/" to call a skill.
• New cost banner in the Skills window.
• Premium website building.
• Anti-whack-a-mole debugging built in.
• Redesigned Skills window.
• Add your own skills.

Fixed

• The AI no longer redoes work it had already done.
• A skill you switched on was being sent twice.
• The interface no longer freezes when you switch theme.
• Skill descriptions written in multi-line form are read correctly.
• A large skill library no longer inflates every message.
• The "/" menu no longer stops at 8 skills
• The "file changed outside the editor" pop-up

v2.9.0 July 23, 2026

The reliability release, the AI can no longer claim work it didn't do

• Every edit is now verified against the real file.
• The AI uses proper edit tools again.
• Permission cards no longer expire.
• No more "please accept" after you already accepted.
• Your work survives a crash.
• Ctrl+S can no longer erase the AI's edits.
• Explorer sees files created anywhere in the project.
• Smoother chat during long answers.
• Much faster under load, background monitoring removed.
• Cleaner installs.
• 110 automated tests added

v2.8.9 July 20, 2026

Fixed

• Gray flash when the IDE opens.
• Your edits no longer revert by themselves.
• Git conflicts are now YOUR decision.
• Empty gaps in chat removed.
• Spelling check works in the installed app.
• Changed Files and Tasks rows no longer cut off.
• Restore and memory pop-ups fully readable.

v2.8.8 July 20, 2026

Fixed

• Chat text corruption fully fixed.
• "Restart Now" actually restarts.
• Files created by the AI now appear in the Explorer.
• Right-click menu readable in light mode.
• Appearance settings readable in both modes.

v2.8.7 July 19, 2026

New

• Grok 4.5 model added.
• Settings shortcut.

Fixed

• WSL, CMD, and Git Bash terminals failed to launch.
• Help menu items did nothing.
• Skills browser crashed on open.
• Sidebar icon names showing only once on hover.
• Keyboard shortcuts reference cleaned up.

v2.8.6 July 18, 2026

New

• Kimi K3 model added.
• GPT-5.6 models now work with your own OpenAI key.

Fixed

• Chat input disappearing under long task lists.
• Ctrl+S silently doing nothing after the editor's right-click menu.
• New files not appearing in the Explorer.
• Unreadable terminal text in light mode.
• Confusing OpenRouter error on connection failures.

v2.8.5 July 16, 2026

New

• Paste more image formats.

Fixed

• Pasted images now actually reach the AI.
• Wrong "Subscription Required" message for vision models.
• Switching models then pasting an image used the old model.
• The AI kept describing an old image.
• DeepSeek chats failing with an HTTP 400 error.
• Safety net when direct image sending fails.

v2.8.4 July 15, 2026

Fixed

• "Restart Now" after a theme change now actually restarts.
• MCP server status no longer stuck on "connecting".

v2.8.3 July 14, 2026

Fixed

• In-app updates now download correctly.

v2.8.2 July 14, 2026

New

• Claude Sonnet 5.
• GPT-5.6 family via OpenRouter.
• Antivirus & Performance guide.

Fixed

• Claude models via OpenRouter couldn't connect.
• Clearer provider errors.
• Removed Grok 4.5.
• Task-complete notifications now always appear.
• Installer's Windows Defender exclusions now apply.

Performance

• Smoother on machines with third-party antivirus.

v2.8.1 July 13, 2026

New

• Cortex Desktop source code is now on GitHub.
• Agentic Loop Mode is now a real switch.
• Loop budgets are enforced for real.

Fixed

• Sign-in could fail after a retry.
• Run File ran the wrong file.
• Signing in now unlocks MCP immediately.
• MCP connections retry on flaky networks.
• The AI actually uses your connected MCP tools.
• Usage & Billing now matches the website.
• Switching projects no longer mixes chats.
• Enabling Loop Mode no longer breaks editing.

Performance

• Settings no longer freezes the app.
• Faster streaming.
• Cleaner dark mode in Settings.

v2.8.0 July 12, 2026

New

• MCP Servers, connect external tools.
• Live Preview.
• Open Folder shortcut.
• Refreshed brand.
• License agreement at install.

Performance

• Large chats open dramatically faster.
• No more startup freeze.
• Reopen where you left off.
• Smooth scrolling in long chats.
• Calmer startup.
• Settings opens instantly after the first time.

Fixed

• MCP servers failing to connect after installing.
• Chat occasionally failing to respond.
• Chat from the wrong project.
• Interactive question cards.
• Hard-to-read text in Settings.
• "View plans" opened inside Settings.

v2.7.6 July 11, 2026

Fixed

• Update alerts now really appear.

v2.7.5 July 11, 2026

Fixed

• Blank panels on some computers.

v2.7.4 July 11, 2026

New

• Message timestamps.
• Smarter project memory.

Performance

• Faster streaming on long responses.
• Faster startup with large chats.
• Lower memory usage.
• Faster semantic search.
• Calmer background indexing.

Fixed

• Saved API keys survive restarts.
• Settings page rendering as unstyled text.
• Startup screen behaving like a separate app.
• Ghost "capsule" window.
• Semantic memory index self-heals.
• Quieter, faster startup.

v2.7.2 July 10, 2026

Fixed

• Update notifications now appear.

v2.7.1 July 10, 2026

New

• Anthropic (Claude) provider.
• Thinking & reasoning display.

Fixed

• Saved API keys are now always used.
• Light mode readability.
• Theme switching both directions.
• Project file search.

v2.7.0 July 9, 2026

Initial public release. Cortex AI IDE launches for Windows 10/11.

Highlights

• Agentic AI coding.
• Bring your own keys (BYOK).
• Full IDE.
• Project memory.
• Light & dark themes