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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →If AGENTS.md seems ineffective in Codex, first check whether it is in scope for the session’s working directory. Then check for conflicting prompt instructions and more specific instruction files. If Codex has loaded the file but misses a rule, treat that as an adherence issue rather than a discovery problem, and test a concrete instruction in a fresh session opened at the intended directory.
First distinguish a discovery problem from an adherence problem
There are two different ways an instruction can appear not to work: Codex may not have discovered the file, or it may have discovered it but failed to apply a rule consistently. The checks are different, so establish which case you have before changing the file.
| What you observe | What to check |
|---|---|
AGENTS.md does not appear in the active context or available instruction diagnostics |
Check the repository and working-directory path, then whether the file is on the applicable directory path. |
| The file appears to be loaded, but the agent misses a rule | Check for conflicting prompt instructions and more specific files; then test a direct, observable rule in a fresh session. |
Codex guidance describes repository instructions as collected from the repository root through the session’s working directory. Opening a nested file in an editor does not, by itself, change the session’s working directory. OpenAI’s Codex AGENTS.md guidance explains the scope and precedence model.
Check that the file is in scope
- Confirm the active repository and working directory. The file must be at the repository root or in a directory on the path from that root to the active working directory for it to be collected under the documented model.
- Look at the directory where the work happens. If the task is inside a nested folder, inspect the instruction files applicable to that location. AGENTS.md files can exist at multiple repository levels, so a more specific file may affect work in its directory.
- Start a fresh session at the target folder to test nested instructions. Merely navigating to or opening a nested file in an editor is not the same as starting the agent with that folder as its working directory. Microsoft’s VS Code Copilot customization guide describes this test for Codex instruction discovery; it is Microsoft documentation, not a Codex diagnostic interface.
Check precedence before assuming Codex missed the file
A file can be discovered and still not determine the response. Codex’s guidance says direct prompt instructions take precedence over AGENTS.md. Review the current task prompt for a conflicting direction, and check for more specific AGENTS.md files that apply to the requested work. A conflict or narrower scope may explain the outcome without a loading failure.
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If the file is loaded, make the rule testable
OpenAI recommends using AGENTS.md for project context such as conventions, business logic, known quirks, and dependencies. For a rule that an agent keeps missing, phrase it as a concrete action or constraint with an observable result. Then use a small task that exercises the rule and start a fresh session at the intended working directory.
This is a practical diagnostic, not a guarantee that changing the wording will eliminate inconsistent application. Keep the test narrow enough that you can tell whether the rule was followed, and check the active context or available instruction diagnostics to distinguish a missing file from a missed instruction.
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If the behavior is intermittent, capture a minimal reproduction
When a rule sometimes applies and sometimes does not, record the details needed to reproduce the behavior:
- The Codex product surface and version.
- The repository and session working directory.
- The relevant instruction text and the directory where each applicable AGENTS.md file lives.
- The task prompt and the specific result that did not follow the rule.
OpenAI Codex issue reports include user accounts of instructions being read but applied inconsistently, and of files reportedly loaded but not reliably followed. Those reports are anecdotal examples, not controlled measurements or proof of a product-wide failure rate. No representative statistic establishes how often this happens.
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Use this order when troubleshooting
- Verify the active repository and working directory.
- Check whether the file is in scope and whether it appears in available context or diagnostics.
- Review direct prompt instructions and more specific AGENTS.md files for conflicts.
- If the file is loaded, test a concrete rule in a fresh session rooted at the target directory.
- If the result remains inconsistent, preserve the minimal reproduction details and consult the current Codex documentation.
OpenAI’s AGENTS.md best-practices guidance recommends keeping repository instructions focused on useful project context. Product behavior and documentation can change, so check current official Codex guidance when investigating a version-specific case.
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