Clarify startup message "No copilot-instructions.md found" to specify it means the repo-scoped file

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Assessment

Difficulty
1/5
Estimated time
1-3 hours
Newbie friendliness
72/100
Issue type
Feature
Clarity
Mostly clear
Activity status
Quiet
Tech stack
shell
Domain
cli

Research direction

Start at the CLI session-start path that emits "No copilot-instructions.md found." and trace how repository-scoped instructions are checked. Update the wording to identify the missing repository-scoped file while preserving the behavior of user-scope and other instruction sources; verify the result during startup and with /env or /instructions.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Description

area:context-memory
Describe the feature or problem you'd like to solve

On session start, the CLI prints "No copilot-instructions.md found." This wording is ambiguous.

Proposed solution

On session start, the CLI prints "No copilot-instructions.md found." This wording is ambiguous — it reads as though NO custom instructions were loaded at all, when in fact it only means the repository-scoped file (.github/copilot-instructions.md in the git root/cwd) is absent.

A user-scope file at $HOME/.copilot/copilot-instructions.md (and other supported sources like AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, $HOME/.copilot/instructions/**) may still be fully loaded and active. The current message caused me to believe none of my instructions were in effect, when my user-scope instructions actually were loaded.

Requested change / proposed solution: reword the message to name the specific missing file/scope, e.g. "No repository-scoped .github/copilot-instructions.md found" — and ideally note that user-scope or other instruction sources may still be active.

Benefits to GitHub Copilot CLI and its users:

  • Removes a misleading signal that makes users think their instructions aren't loaded.
  • Reduces confusion and wasted time spent debugging a non-issue.
  • Sets accurate expectations about which instruction scope is missing vs. active.
  • Encourages correct use of layered instruction sources (repo-scoped vs. user-scoped).
Example prompts or workflows
  1. User has a populated $HOME/.copilot/copilot-instructions.md with personal workflows.
  2. User starts a session in a repo that has no .github/copilot-instructions.md.
  3. CLI prints "No copilot-instructions.md found."
  4. User reasonably concludes NONE of their instructions loaded — but the user-scope file is active.
  5. Running /env confirms the user-scope instructions ARE loaded, contradicting the startup message.

Suggested improved message:
"No repository-scoped .github/copilot-instructions.md found. (User-scope and other instruction sources, if present, are still active — see /env or /instructions.)"

Additional context
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