How to Use SKILL.md Skills in VS Code (2026 Setup Guide)

Microsoft added SKILL.md support to VS Code in April 2026 through GitHub Copilot's agent mode. If you use VS Code with Copilot, you can now install the same SKILL.md skills that work in Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex CLI. Here's how to set it up.

Quick Answer: VS Code reads SKILL.md skills through GitHub Copilot's agent mode. Place your SKILL.md files in .github/skills/ in your project root or in ~/.config/github-copilot/skills/ for global skills. Copilot's agent detects them automatically and loads the right skill based on your request. The same skills that work in Claude Code and Cursor work in VS Code without modification.

How does VS Code support SKILL.md?

VS Code doesn't read SKILL.md files natively. The support comes through GitHub Copilot's agent mode, which Microsoft shipped with SKILL.md compatibility in April 2026. When you use Copilot Chat in agent mode (the @workspace or slash commands), Copilot reads installed skills and follows their instructions for matching tasks.

This means you need an active GitHub Copilot subscription (Individual, Business, or Enterprise) to use SKILL.md skills in VS Code. The free tier of Copilot does not include agent mode.

Where do skills go in VS Code?

There are two locations depending on whether you want project-specific or global skills.

Project-specific skills go in .github/skills/ at the root of your repository. These are version-controlled and shared with your team. Every team member who opens the project gets the same skills automatically.

your-project/
├── .github/
│   └── skills/
│       ├── code-reviewer/
│       │   └── SKILL.md
│       └── test-generator/
│           └── SKILL.md
├── src/
└── package.json

Global skills go in your user config directory. On macOS and Linux this is ~/.config/github-copilot/skills/. On Windows it's %APPDATA%\github-copilot\skills\. Global skills are available in every project.

How do I install a skill?

Download the skill (from Agensi, GitHub, or anywhere else). Unzip it into the appropriate skills directory. Make sure the SKILL.md file is at the root of the skill folder, not nested inside an extra directory.

For project-specific installation:

mkdir -p .github/skills
cd .github/skills
# unzip your skill here

For global installation:

mkdir -p ~/.config/github-copilot/skills
cd ~/.config/github-copilot/skills
# unzip your skill here

Restart VS Code or reload the window (Cmd+Shift+P → "Developer: Reload Window") after installing a new skill. Copilot scans the skills directories on startup.

Does every SKILL.md work in VS Code?

The core instructions in any SKILL.md file work across VS Code, Claude Code, Cursor, Codex CLI, and every other agent that supports the format. The instructions are plain English markdown, so there's nothing agent-specific about them.

However, some skills use agent-specific metadata fields in their YAML frontmatter. Fields like context: fork (Claude Code) or agent-specific globs patterns may be ignored by Copilot. The instructions themselves still work — only the metadata differs.

Skills on Agensi show a compatibility badge indicating which agents they've been tested with. Look for the VS Code or GitHub Copilot badge when browsing.

How do I use a skill once it's installed?

Open Copilot Chat in VS Code (Cmd+I or Ctrl+I). Ask it to do something that matches the skill's description. For example, if you installed a code review skill, ask "review this file for security issues" and Copilot will load and follow the skill's instructions.

You don't need to explicitly reference the skill name. Copilot reads all installed skill descriptions and picks the most relevant one based on what you ask. This works the same way skill selection works in Claude Code and Cursor.

VS Code vs Cursor for SKILL.md skills

Both VS Code (with Copilot) and Cursor support SKILL.md, but there are differences.

Cursor has had SKILL.md support longer and also supports .cursorrules for always-on project context. VS Code relies entirely on Copilot's agent mode for skill loading. Cursor's skill detection tends to be faster because it's more deeply integrated into the editor.

For a detailed comparison, read Cursor Rules vs SKILL.md.

If you're choosing between the two, the SKILL.md files you build will work in both. You're not locked into either editor.

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Browse security-scanned skills for VS Code and every other agent at agensi.io/skills.