Is the .github/copilot-instructions.md used by Copilot Code Review in Github pull request?

[trietbui85]

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Copilot in GitHub

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According to https://github.blog/changelog/2025-06-13-copilot-code-review-customization-for-all/ , my understanding is .github/copilot-instructions.md is used for Copilot Ask/Edit/Agent mode in IDE (local).

But is it used for Copilot Code Review on Github Pull Request too? As per my testing, the Copilot Code Review doesn't respect the .github/copilot-instructions.md, however I would like to know the confirmation.

[markjameslyons]

According to this doc, it is used.
https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/using-github-copilot/code-review/using-copilot-code-review#example

I haven't tested it myself yet.

[trietbui85]

Yeah, I suppose Copilot Code Review would use .github/copilot-instructions.md, but in fact it doesn't seem like this :(

[trietbui-zalora]

Any official confirmation?

[iamsuneeth]

It is official https://github.blog/changelog/2025-06-13-copilot-code-review-customization-for-all/

[trietbui-zalora]

Uhm, although there is official announcement, but as I said in the original post, it seems doesn't apply to Github PR (web):

But is it used for Copilot Code Review on Github Pull Request too? As per my testing, the Copilot Code Review doesn't respect the .github/copilot-instructions.md, however I would like to know the confirmation.

[duylam-katalon]

The same issue occurs in our private repos. We have the .github/copilot-instructions.md file with content as below

[truncated]

## Development Workflow

### When performing a code review:

....

[truncated]

But the comment from Copilot on the PR (most of time) doesn't say that it respects the instruction

[noorbhatia]

We're facing the same issue in our private repo. CoPilot Code Review never references .github/copilot-instructions.md