Copilot Chat sends full active file even when implicit context is disabled

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#321,103 2 comments 0 reactions 1 assignee View on GitHub

@roblourens is already working on this.

Since Jul 6, 2026.

Assessment

This issue has not been assessed yet.

Description

I am trying to understand whether this is intended behavior or a bug.

I asked Copilot Chat a small Python question and intentionally provided only a tiny function snippet, because the full file is around 2000 lines and not needed for the question.

However, the debug logs show that the request payload still included the active file content as an additional attachment, not just my selected snippet. My relevant settings are:

github.copilot.chat.agent.currentEditorContext.enabled = false
chat.implicitContext.suggestedContext = false
    "chat.implicitContext.enabled": {
        "panel": "never"
    },

and the request in the chat debug logs:

What would be considered better: Having the default as "" or having Optional[str] = None in this case and adding a guard against none?
<attachments>
<attachment id="my_file.py">
Excerpt from my_file.py, lines 687 to 691:

def _resolve_path(my_path: str = None) -> Path:
        path = Path(my_path)
        if path.exists():
            return path
        else:
            raise FileNotFoundError(f"Path {my_path} does not exist.")

</attachment>
<attachment filePath="./my_file.py">
User's active file for additional context:
The full 2000 line python file.

Am I missing a setting to disable this? I have my file open, but the settings above should prevent it from being sent.

VS Code version: Code 1.124.2 (6928394f91b684055b873eecb8bc281365131f1c, 2026-06-12T00:12:36Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26200
Modes:

System Info
Item Value
CPUs Intel(R) Core(TM) Ultra 9 275HX (24 x 3072)
GPU Status 2d_canvas: enabled
GPU0: VENDOR= 0x8086, DEVICE=0x7d67 [Intel(R) Graphics], DRIVER_VENDOR=Intel, DRIVER_VERSION=32.0.101.8132 ACTIVE
GPU1: VENDOR= 0x10de, DEVICE=0x2d39 [NVIDIA RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell Generation Laptop GPU], DRIVER_VERSION=32.0.15.8183
GPU2: VENDOR= 0x1414, DEVICE=0x008c [Microsoft Basic Render Driver], DRIVER_VERSION=10.0.26100.8246
Machine model name:
Machine model version:
direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok
gpu_compositing: enabled
multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on
opengl: enabled_on
rasterization: enabled
raw_draw: disabled_off_ok
skia_graphite: disabled_off
trees_in_viz: disabled_off
video_decode: enabled
video_encode: enabled
webgl: enabled
webgpu: enabled
webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg) undefined
Memory (System) 95.43GB (74.37GB free)
Process Argv --crash-reporter-id 0339c5e8-f118-4ef1-9f0b-d07fd826a682
Screen Reader no
VM 0%
Extensions (21)
Name Identifier Author Version
ty astral-sh.ty astral-sh 2026.56.0
Ruff charliermarsh.ruff charliermarsh 2026.48.0
Docker DX docker.docker docker 0.18.0
GitLab gitlab.gitlab-workflow GitLab 6.83.2
Pyrefly - Python Language Tooling meta.pyrefly meta 1.0.0
Container Tools ms-azuretools.vscode-containers ms-azuretools 2.4.5
Docker ms-azuretools.vscode-docker ms-azuretools 2.0.0
autopep8 ms-python.autopep8 ms-python 2026.4.0
Python Debugger ms-python.debugpy ms-python 2026.6.0
Python ms-python.python ms-python 2026.4.0
Pylance ms-python.vscode-pylance ms-python 2026.2.1
Python Environments ms-python.vscode-python-envs ms-python 1.34.0
Jupyter ms-toolsai.jupyter ms-toolsai 2025.9.1
Jupyter Keymap ms-toolsai.jupyter-keymap ms-toolsai 1.1.2
Jupyter Notebook Renderers ms-toolsai.jupyter-renderers ms-toolsai 1.3.0
Jupyter Cell Tags ms-toolsai.vscode-jupyter-cell-tags ms-toolsai 0.1.9
Jupyter Slide Show ms-toolsai.vscode-jupyter-slideshow ms-toolsai 0.1.6
Remote - SSH ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh ms-vscode-remote 0.124.0
Remote - SSH: Editing Configuration Files ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-edit ms-vscode-remote 0.87.0
WSL ms-vscode-remote.remote-wsl ms-vscode-remote 0.104.3
Remote Explorer ms-vscode.remote-explorer ms-vscode 0.5.0
A/B Experiments 
vsliv368cf:30146710
binariesv615:30325510
nativeloc1:31344060
dwcopilot:31170013
dwoutputs:31242946
copilot_t_ci:31333650
e5gg6876:31282496
pythonrdcb7:31342333
6518g693:31463988
aj953862:31281341
4f60g487:31327383
63221493:31336333
envsdeactivate2:31505458
gh487529:31521844
cloudbuttont:31379625
42190218_ostrepl:31403339
ec5jj548:31422691
cp_cls_t_966_ss:31526232
4je02754:31466945
8hhj4413:31478653
ge8j1254_inline_auto_hint_haiku:31490510
38bie571_auto:31478677
cp_cls_c_1081:31454833
conptydll_true:31498968
ia-use-proxy-models-svc:31452481
e9c30283:31461165
test_control1:31471004
46204921:31447328
rl_a_098a3278:31529124
idci7584:31464702
e3e4d672:31494082
ei9d7968:31496641
nes-extended-on:31455476
chat:31457767
8hig5102:31480529
89g7j272:31518289
7e187181:31503455
i2gc6536:31499202
52612955:31516516
ghj88844:31499326
ddid_c:31478207
hmra_i5g22:31518061
7df3h592:31512476
pro_large_t:31499376
cp_cls_t_1082:31516087
logging_enabled_new:31498466
db5d2638:31499441
jb_cp_cls_c_632:31524806
56dj4588:31512888
32d76977:31512328
ha629193:31508444
cdk-lw-on:31524445
nes-charagree-0:31521369
2cfga817_c:31522397
api_cot_off:31513532
g4a0e106:31529594
prpt_srch:31518468
61138546:31518536
d7b18187:31526828
Dominant language
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