Copilot Commands and Quick Ask
Copilot commands are prompts you save once and reuse. They are best for repeatable jobs such as fixing grammar, summarizing a note, or rewriting selected text.
For a fast question or rewrite while you are editing, use Quick Ask instead.
Commands or skills?
Commands and Skills can both appear when you type / in Agent Chat. Outside Agent Chat, run saved commands from the editor or command palette. They serve different purposes:
| Use | Best for | Managed in |
|---|---|---|
| Copilot command | A short, repeatable prompt with optional note variables | Settings → Copilot → Command |
| Skill | A reusable agent workflow that can include instructions and supporting files | Settings → Copilot → Skills |
Skills can be shared with opencode, Claude, and Codex. Commands stay inside Copilot and also work from the editor and Obsidian command palette. If a command and skill have the same name, the skill takes the slash-menu spot.
Create a command
- Open Settings → Copilot → Command.
- Click Add Cmd.
- Enter a Name and Prompt.
- Optionally choose Model (Optional), Show in context menu, and Show in slash menu.
- Click Save.
Choose Inherit from chat model when the command should use your current Quick Chat model. A command-specific model applies to editor and command-palette runs. A slash run in Agent Chat uses the model selected for that Agent Chat.
Use Generate Default for a starter set. You can edit, duplicate, delete, or drag commands to reorder them. Custom Prompts Sort Strategy controls their order in the slash menu.
Add note context to a prompt
With Custom Prompt Templating enabled, these variables add vault context:
| Variable | Adds |
|---|---|
{} | Selected text, or the active note when nothing is selected |
{activeNote} | The active note |
{[[Note Title]]} | A specific note |
{Folder/Path} | Notes in a folder path |
{#tag1, #tag2} | Notes with any listed property tag |
For example:
Rewrite {} as a concise project update. Match the style of {[[Writing Guide]]}.Tags must be in note properties, not only written inline in the note body. When you run a command from Agent Chat, the active agent resolves note, folder, and tag references with its vault tools.
Run a command
- From the editor: select text if needed, then right-click and choose Copilot → command name. The command must have Show in context menu enabled.
- From the command palette: run Apply custom command, then choose any command. Each saved command is also registered by name in the palette.
- From Agent Chat: type
/, choose a command, add any extra instruction, and send. Choosing an item inserts it without sending, so you can review it first.
Editor and command-palette runs open a result panel. You can refine the result, copy it, insert it at the cursor, or replace the original selection.
Quick Ask
Quick Ask is the fastest inline flow for a question, explanation, or rewrite.
- Select text, or place the cursor where you are working.
- Run Quick Ask from the command palette, or choose Copilot → Quick Ask from the editor menu. You can assign a hotkey under Obsidian Settings → Hotkeys.
- Ask your question. Use the model picker if needed, and enable Note to include the full active note.
- Use Copy to clipboard, Insert at cursor, or Replace selection on the answer. You can continue with follow-up questions in the same panel.
Quick Ask is an inline panel, not an Agent Chat session or the full Quick Chat view. It uses a Copilot-hosted or BYOK Quick Chat model, not the model selected in Agent Chat. Its model and Note choices are remembered and shared with Trigger quick command.
Quick Ask is unavailable in Source mode. Replace selection appears only when text was selected and stays available only while Copilot can safely identify the original text in the same note and editor pane.
Quick Command
Run Trigger quick command when you want a one-off instruction for selected text without saving a command. A selection is required. The panel uses the same model and Note preference as Quick Ask and offers the same copy, insert, and replace actions.
Quick Command is also unavailable in Source mode.
Where commands are stored
Each command is a Markdown file in <Copilot folder>/copilot-custom-prompts/. The filename is the command name, and Copilot keeps file changes and the Command settings tab in sync. Change the root under Settings → Copilot → Basic → Copilot folder location.
When upgrading from older command settings, Copilot migrates supported commands to these files. If a name cannot be migrated, Copilot keeps it under the unsupported/ subfolder and shows a startup notice.