Description
The user-level custom instructions file at $HOME/.copilot/copilot-instructions.md is not injected into the agent's context, even though it is documented as a supported path.
Steps to Reproduce
- Create
$HOME/.copilot/copilot-instructions.md with custom instructions.
- Start a new Copilot CLI session.
- Run
/instructions — the file is listed but shown as not loaded.
- The agent does not receive or act on the instructions in that file.
Expected Behavior
Per the help output and documentation:
Copilot respects instructions from these locations:
…
$HOME/.copilot/copilot-instructions.md
…
The file should be automatically loaded into the agent's context at session start, alongside repo-level instructions (.github/copilot-instructions.md), which do load correctly.
Actual Behavior
- Repo-level
.github/copilot-instructions.md → ✅ loaded
- User-level
$HOME/.copilot/copilot-instructions.md → ❌ not loaded
The agent has no awareness of the user-level instructions unless the user manually reads the file during the session.
Environment
- CLI version: 1.0.9
- OS: Windows 11 (PowerShell 7)
- File exists:
C:\Users\<user>\.copilot\copilot-instructions.md (confirmed)
Description
The user-level custom instructions file at
$HOME/.copilot/copilot-instructions.mdis not injected into the agent's context, even though it is documented as a supported path.Steps to Reproduce
$HOME/.copilot/copilot-instructions.mdwith custom instructions./instructions— the file is listed but shown as not loaded.Expected Behavior
Per the help output and documentation:
The file should be automatically loaded into the agent's context at session start, alongside repo-level instructions (
.github/copilot-instructions.md), which do load correctly.Actual Behavior
.github/copilot-instructions.md→ ✅ loaded$HOME/.copilot/copilot-instructions.md→ ❌ not loadedThe agent has no awareness of the user-level instructions unless the user manually reads the file during the session.
Environment
C:\Users\<user>\.copilot\copilot-instructions.md(confirmed)