For a portable record of a VS Code conversation, use Chat: Export Chat… to save its prompts and responses as JSON; use Copy All for a readable Markdown copy. For supported Copilot agent sessions, account-based session sync can make history available on another device. These are different routes: VS Code does not document the conversation JSON export as a way to restore a live chat. If local session files are restored but entries are missing, rebuild the index with /chronicle:reindex.
Choose the right kind of backup
VS Code offers several ways to preserve or find agent-session information, but they do not all do the same thing. An exported chat is a portable transcript; session sync makes supported sessions available through an account; and reindexing helps VS Code find local session files. Agent Debug Logs are a separate diagnostic feature.
| Method | What it does | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Chat: Export Chat… | Saves a JSON file containing the conversation’s prompts and responses. | VS Code’s documentation does not describe importing this export as an active chat. |
| Copy All | Copies the conversation as readable Markdown. | A transcript is not a restorable session. |
| Copilot session sync | Makes supported sessions available across devices and supported surfaces through a GitHub account. | Availability depends on feature support, account settings, repository exclusions, and organization policy. Turning sync off does not itself remove existing cloud copies. |
| Restore local files and reindex | Rebuilds the local session index after a restore or other missing-history situation. | Reindexing is not documented as a tool for importing an exported conversation JSON file. |
| Agent Debug Logs export/import | Exports or opens OpenTelemetry JSON for diagnostic inspection. | This is a different format and purpose from conversation-history export. |
Export a conversation to keep a portable copy
- Open the conversation in VS Code’s Chat view.
- Open the Command Palette and run Chat: Export Chat….
- Choose where to save the JSON file.
Microsoft’s Manage agent sessions in VS Code documentation says the export contains all prompts and responses from the session. It does not promise that the file includes worktree state or that it can recreate the active chat. Keep the JSON in a location covered by your normal backup routine.
For a human-readable companion, open the chat context menu and select Copy All, then save the copied Markdown in a document or text file. This preserves a readable transcript, not a live session.
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Use Copilot session sync when you want supported sessions on another device
VS Code’s Sync and query session history guide says local Copilot sessions sync to a GitHub account by default, so they can be accessed across devices and supported GitHub and Copilot surfaces. This is account-based access, not the same as keeping a JSON export under your own backup control. Do not assume sync applies to every agent harness.
Control sync and exclusions
- To keep sessions on the machine, set
chat.sessionSync.enabledtofalse. - To exclude repositories, use
chat.sessionSync.excludeRepositories. - For Copilot Business and Enterprise accounts, an organization’s GitHub policy or the VS Code
CopilotSessionSyncgroup policy may govern availability or settings. Check your organization’s policy if the setting is unavailable or behaves differently.
The guide says synced sessions are private unless you explicitly share them. It also says tokens, API keys, credentials, and other secrets are filtered before sync. If you opt out, existing cloud copies remain until deleted. The Delete Session Sync Data command offers separate local-and-cloud and cloud-only choices; deleting both local and cloud data cannot be undone.
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Restore local session files and rebuild the index
If you have restored local session files from a backup but sessions do not appear in history, VS Code’s session-history guide recommends reindexing. It also lists unexpected crashes, manually deleted session directories, and opting back into session sync as situations where reindexing may help.
- Open a chat and enter
/chronicle:reindex, or run the Reindex Sessions command. - Allow VS Code to rebuild the local session index and sync session data as described in the guide.
- Check the session history again. Reindexing addresses the local index; it is not documented as importing a Chat: Export Chat JSON file into an active conversation.
Keep Agent Debug Logs separate from chat backups
The Agent Debug Logs panel has its own export and import workflow. It exports a session as OpenTelemetry JSON and can import an Agent Debug Log JSON file for inspection in the Summary and Logs views. That diagnostic record is distinct from the prompts-and-responses JSON created by Chat: Export Chat…; importing a debug log does not restore a conversation as a live chat.
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- ALWAYS MAKE THE SAVE: Compact design with massive capacity; With capacities up to 4TB, save exactly what you need to your drive – from large working files to game data and everything in between
- ADAPTS TO EVERY NEED: Whether using a PC or mobile phone, count on the T7 for extensive compatibility²; It’s a true team player when it comes to heavy-duty application usage or file-saving
- HI RESOLUTION VIDEO RECORDING: Record Ultra High Resolution (4K 60fs) videos directly onto the T7 Portable SSD with your favorite camera or mobile devices; Supports iPhone 15 Pro Res 4K at 60fps video and more³
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