customization-cheat-sheet.md

title	Copilot customization cheat sheet
shortTitle	Customization cheat sheet
intro	Compare the different customization options for {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %}.
versions	feature copilot
category	Author and optimize with Copilot
contentType	reference

{% data variables.product.prodname_copilot %} offers several customization features that let you tailor its behavior to your workflow, your team's standards, and your project's needs. Use the tables below to find the right one for your use case.

Feature overview

This table shows what each customization feature is and where it lives.

Feature	What it is	Filename and location
Custom instructions	Always-on context that automatically applies to every interaction within its defined scope	.github/copilot-instructions.md (repo-wide), .github/instructions/*.instructions.md (path-specific), AGENTS.md (third-party agents), or personal/org settings via UI on {% data variables.product.github %}
Prompt files	Reusable, standalone prompt template with input variables	.github/prompts/*.prompt.md
{% data variables.copilot.custom_agents_caps_short %}	Specialist persona with its own instructions, tool restrictions, and context	.github/agents/AGENT-NAME.md (repo), agents/AGENT-NAME.md in .github-private repo (org/enterprise), or user profile
{% data variables.copilot.subagents_caps_short %}	Separate agent spawned by the main agent to handle delegated work in an isolated context	N/A (runtime process, not a user-configured file)
Agent skills	Folder of instructions, scripts, and resources that {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} loads when relevant to a task	.github/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md (project) or ~/.copilot/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md (personal)
MCP servers	Connection to external systems, APIs, and databases	mcp.json (path varies by IDE), repo settings on {% data variables.product.github %} ({% data variables.copilot.copilot_coding_agent_short %}), or mcp-servers property in {% data variables.copilot.copilot_custom_agent_short %} configurations

Usage comparison

This table helps you decide which customization feature to use.

Feature	How to trigger	Best for	Example use cases
Custom instructions	Automatic	Standards, guidelines, or expectations that apply broadly across a context	Enforce coding standards, accessibility rules, review checklists
Prompt files	Manual: reference directly in chat or use the prompt file picker	Focused single tasks you run once with different inputs each time	Generate unit tests, run a code review checklist
{% data variables.copilot.custom_agents_caps_short %}	Manual: select from the agent dropdown in your IDE, on {% data variables.product.github %}, or in {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %}	Projects or processes with distinct stages that need specialized capabilities or strict handoffs	React reviewer agent, read-only auditing agent
{% data variables.copilot.subagents_caps_short %}	Automatic, or reference a {% data variables.copilot.subagent_short %} directly in your prompt	Complex subtasks that should run in isolation from the main agent	Codebase research, running test suites
Agent skills	Automatic: chosen by {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} when relevant to your prompt	Multi-step workflows with bundled assets that should be loaded as needed	{% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} failure debugging, deployment procedures, release note drafting
MCP servers	Automatic, or ask for a specific tool by name	Tasks that require access to external tools or real-time data	Manage issues and PRs ({% data variables.product.github %} MCP server), automate browser testing (Playwright MCP server)

IDE and surface support

This table shows which customization features are supported in each IDE and surface. For the full {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} feature matrix, see AUTOTITLE.

{% data variables.product.company_short %} recommends using the latest stable IDE, {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %}, and {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} extension versions to get the best {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} experience.

Key:

• ✓ = supported
• ✗ = not supported
• P = under preview

Feature	{% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_shortname %}	{% data variables.product.prodname_vs %}	JetBrains IDEs	Eclipse	Xcode	{% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} .com	{% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %}
Custom instructions	✓	✓	P	P	P	✓	✓
Prompt files	✓	✓	P	✗	P	✗	✓
{% data variables.copilot.custom_agents_caps_short %}	✓	✗	P	P	P	✓	✓
{% data variables.copilot.subagents_caps_short %}	✓	✗	P	P	P	✗	✓
Agent skills	✓	✗	P	✗	✗	✓	✓
MCP servers	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

For a detailed breakdown of which types of custom instructions are supported in each IDE and surface, see AUTOTITLE.

Further reading

• AUTOTITLE—a curated collection of examples