copilot-instructions

Instructions files are deterministic and always sent. AGENTS.md sits at the bottom of the documented repository precedence list. Copilot Memory is a separate store Copilot writes for itself, read by only three surfaces, and it is not in the precedence list at all. Here is the support matrix and the rule for deciding where each convention belongs.

Copilot Chat reads your .github/copilot-instructions.md fine, but Agent mode and *.instructions.md files often look ignored. Here is the actual checklist: settings, file locations, applyTo globs, and how to prove the file made it into context.