Question

An administrator configures a content exclusion in the repository settings to block a directory named `secrets/` from being used by Copilot. A developer on the team reports that Copilot code completions correctly stop referencing files in that directory, but they are worried that Copilot Chat can still surface content from those files through prior indexed context. What should the administrator understand about how content exclusions apply here?

Accepted Answer

Content exclusions apply to both code completions and Copilot Chat, though changes can take some time to propagate and only affect future requests, not any already-returned suggestions.

Answer

Content exclusions apply only to code completions; Copilot Chat is never subject to content exclusion rules and must be disabled entirely to protect the files.

Answer

Content exclusions permanently delete the excluded files from GitHub servers, so no Copilot feature can ever access them again.

Answer

Content exclusions are enforced solely on the developer's local machine, so each developer must configure their own exclusions in the IDE settings.