How to Add Personal Instructions in GitHub Copilot
In this article
Personal instructions in GitHub Copilot allow you to customize how the AI assistant interacts with you. By setting these preferences, you can guide Copilot to align with your specific coding style, communication preferences, and workflow. This ensures a more tailored and efficient experience.
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Here's how to add personal instructions in GitHub
- Access Personal Instructions
To begin, navigate to the GitHub Copilot interface. In the bottom-left sidebar, click on your profile icon. A menu will appear; select "Personal instructions" to open the settings dialog.
- Open the Instructions Text Area
Once the "Personal instructions" dialog is open, locate the text area labeled "Your instructions." Click inside this box to enable text input and prepare to enter your custom guidelines for Copilot.
- Enter Your Custom Instructions
Type your specific instructions into the text box. These natural language commands will help tailor Copilot's behavior and responses to better suit your development style and project requirements.
- Optionally Use a Template
For common instruction types, you can click the lightbulb icon to browse available templates. Select a template to automatically fill the text area, then customize any placeholder text to fit your needs.
- Save Your Personal Instructions
After you have entered or modified your instructions, click the "Save" button at the bottom of the dialog. Your new personal instructions will now be active for your GitHub Copilot conversations.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Personal instructions allow you to set preferences and guidelines for how Copilot should respond. These instructions help align Copilot with your specific workflows and communication style.
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