Save separate Chat preferences and Work agent rules, including coding style and testing instructions.
Open Settings → Personalization and find Custom instructions. Enter your preferences in Chat instructions or Work agent instructions, then choose Save changes. Each box allows up to 3,000 characters. Discard changes restores your saved text.
Use this box for preferences about Chat replies, such as using metric units, explaining unfamiliar terms, or including practical examples. Your earlier custom instructions are kept in this box. To use the same rule in Work, add it to the Work agent instructions box too.
Use Work agent instructions for recurring rules about research, coding, files, or how the agent should carry out tasks. For example: “Keep code lines under 90 characters.” Or: “Do not run tests or specs; provide the commands so I can run them manually.” The Work agent receives these rules without depending on saved Memory or automatic learning.
Saved Chat instructions apply to your next Chat message. Saved Work instructions apply when a Work task launches and when you next send a follow-up or resume it. Saving does not interrupt a task already running. Clear a box and save to remove those account rules from subsequent requests. About you and Response style remain shared between Chat and Work.
Instructions in the current conversation take priority over these account defaults. Custom instructions guide the agent; they do not change tool permissions or access grants. Temporary chats exclude account personalization unless you enable personalization for that chat. Ordinary developer API requests do not receive these settings.