Does VS Code Settings Sync sync ~/.copilot/skills custom skills?
I use custom skills in ~/.copilot/skills on Windows 11 and expect them to follow me to another machine via VS Code Settings Sync, like mcp.json and prompt files. With Copilot Chat Extension v0.38.2026021905 and VS Code 1.98.0-insider, the skill folder never appears on the second machine even though Settings Sync is enabled with Extensions and UI State checked. Is this supported, and is there a workaround?
Originally asked on GitHub: https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/296414
2 answers
Still open: as of the last comment in the thread (August 2026), VS Code Settings Sync does not include ~/.copilot/skills, and no maintainer has replied with a fix or workaround.
The reporter reproduced this on Windows 11 with Copilot Chat Extension v0.38.2026021905 and VS Code 1.98.0-insider: they created ~/.copilot/skills/my-skill on machine A, enabled Settings Sync with "Extensions" and "UI State" checked, signed in on machine B, and checked ~/.copilot/skills — the skill folder was not synced. The issue body notes this forces manual copying of skills between machines. Subsequent comments (April–August 2026) only confirm that other users need the same feature; no one reported a successful sync method.
Until this is implemented, the thread offers no workaround. General advice: treat the skills folder like other dotfiles — keep it in a Git repo or symlink ~/.copilot/skills to a directory already synced by your own tooling, then verify Copilot Chat picks it up after a reload. Since custom skills can contain scripts, only sync them from sources you trust.
Did this work for you?What @wmmc88 tried on GitHub (Didn't work)
Created a custom skill in ~/.copilot/skills/my-skill on machine A, enabled Settings Sync with Extensions and UI State checked, signed in on machine B, and checked ~/.copilot/skills for the skill.
Source: https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/296414 (opens external site)
Did this work for you?