Copilot code review: Customization for all
Summary
Copilot code review now supports the same custom instructions used by Copilot Chat and coding agent—unlocking personalized, consistent AI reviews across your workflow.
You can now tailor Copilot code review using .github/copilot-instructions.md—the same customization file already used by Copilot Chat and Copilot coding agent. This brings a consistent way to shape how Copilot responds across your entire workflow.
✨ Support is in public preview for all paid Copilot users.
Just add a copilot-instructions.md file in your repository and add natural language instructions. A few ideas:
- 🌍 “Respond in Spanish” (for multilingual teams)
- 🧹 “Focus on readability and avoid nested ternaries” (for style-conscious reviews)
- 📦 “Prioritize feedback on our public APIs” (to flag high-risk changes)
Check out this example, now in Spanish:
Once configured, your instructions will be applied automatically—no manual setup required per pull request.
For business and enterprise customers, make sure your organization administrator opts in to Copilot preview features to access this functionality.
Coming soon: To manage this behavior, head to your repository settings under Copilot code review.
Join the discussion within GitHub Community.