Copilot Memory
Persistent user preferences and repository knowledge that follow you across sessions and projects
title: "Copilot Memory" description: "Persistent user preferences and repository knowledge that follow you across sessions and projects" section: "Copilot" readTime: "5 min" badge: "NEW"
Copilot Memory
Copilot Memory lets GitHub Copilot remember things about you and your repositories across sessions. Instead of re-explaining your preferences every time, Copilot learns them and applies them automatically.
Copilot Memory with user-level preferences is in early access for Copilot Pro and Pro+ users (May 2026). Repository-level memory is available more broadly.
Two Memory Scopes
User-level preferences
Preferences tied to you, not a specific repository. They follow you across all your repos and Copilot agents.
Examples of what Copilot remembers at the user level:
- Your preferred commit message style
- How you like pull requests structured
- Your communication and tone preferences
- Preferred test framework or naming conventions
- Whether you prefer verbose or terse explanations
Repository-level knowledge
Facts tied to a specific repository. Stored once, applied whenever anyone with the appropriate access works in that repo.
Examples:
- Build and test commands
- Deployment procedures
- Architectural decisions
- Team coding conventions
How It Works
Copilot captures preferences in two ways:
- Stated preferences — you tell it directly: "Always use conventional commits format" or "I prefer functional components over class components"
- Inferred preferences — Copilot notices patterns in how you work and saves them
Over time, Copilot adapts to your style and delivers results that fit how you work without you repeating yourself.
Manage Your Memories
Review and delete your user-level preferences at:
github.com/settings/copilot/memory
You can:
- See everything Copilot has remembered about you
- Delete individual memories
- Clear all user memories
Enable Copilot Memory
- Go to github.com/settings/copilot
- Find the Copilot Memory toggle
- Turn it on
Copilot Memory vs Claude Code Auto Memory
Both tools have persistent memory systems, but they work differently:
| Copilot Memory | Claude Code Auto Memory | |
|---|---|---|
| Scopes | User + repository | Repository (per git root) |
| Storage | GitHub cloud | Local machine |
| Syncs across devices | Yes | No |
| User editable | Via GitHub settings UI | Plain markdown files |
| How it learns | Stated + inferred | From corrections in sessions |
| Access | Any Copilot surface | Claude Code only |
Copilot Memory travels with you across devices and Copilot experiences. Claude Code auto memory stays on your machine but is fully transparent — plain markdown you can read and edit directly.
Related
- Customization — Custom instructions and agents
- Agents — How agents use memory during sessions
- Copilot App — Sessions that carry memory context from GitHub