You can also store custom instructions in your workspace or repository in a .github/copilot-instructions.md file and have VS Code automatically pick up this file. If you define custom instructions in both the .github/copilot-instructions.md file and in settings, Copilot tries to combine instructions from both sources.

Writing effective repository custom instructions. The instructions you add to the .github/copilot-instructions.md file should be short, self-contained statements that add context or relevant information to supplement users' chat questions.. You should also consider the size and complexity of your repository.

Adding personal custom instructions. You can add personal custom instructions either in the Chat panel or in immersive mode. The same instructions will be applied in both modes. In the top right of any page on GitHub, either: Click the icon to open the Copilot Chat panel.

Mar 6, 2025 · Custom instructions are generally available with .github/copilot-instructions.md. Make sure that the github.copilot.chat.codeGeneration.useInstructionFiles setting is enabled to have Copilot use these instructions when generating responses. Learn more about custom instructions in Copilot. Smoother authentication flows in chat

Jan 21, 2025 · Now, you can use repository-specific custom instructions when chatting with Copilot in Visual Studio, VS Code and on GitHub.com Getting Started. Create a .github/copilot-instructions.md file in your repository (if .github doesn’t exist yet, go ahead and create it). Add your custom instructions to the file. That’s it!

Aug 15, 2024 · UPDATES. As part of the August update to VSCode, the github.copilot.chat.customUserInstructions setting has been removed. This was replaced by a setting named github.copilot.chat.experimental.codeGeneration.instructions which takes a slightly different format, but also allows for passing in additional customizations. I’ve updated this blog …

Mar 26, 2025 · Custom instructions are how you give Copilot specific context about your team's workflow, your particular style preferences, libraries the model may not know about, etc. In this post we'll dive into what custom instructions are, how you can use them today to drastically improve your results with GitHub Copilot, and even a brand new preview ...

To find out whether repository custom instructions were used, expand the list of references at the top of a chat response in the Chat panel and check whether the .github/copilot-instructions.md file is listed. You can click the reference to open the file. {% data reusables.copilot.custom-instructions-interactions-note %} {% endwebui %} {% vscode %}

Apr 3, 2025 · Create a .github/copilot-instructions.md file at the root of your workspace. If needed, create a .github directory first. [!TIP] In the Explorer view in VS Code, you can create the folder and directly in one operation by typing the full path as the file name. ... You can define custom instructions to help Copilot generate a title and ...

Nov 11, 2024 · If you are using GitHub Copilot, there is an exciting feature you should try: GitHub Copilot custom instructions. With custom instructions, GitHub Copilot can better align with your coding style and workflow, making code generation even faster and more seamless. In this blog, you will learn about custom instructions and how to use them with…