What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Agent Skills are portable instruction bundles that an AI coding assistant can load for a particular kind of work. A skill is normally a directory with a SKILL.md file at its root plus optional scripts, templates or reference material. To install one, place the individual skill directory in the client’s project or user-level skills folder, or use a supported plugin or skills CLI. Then ask the assistant for a task covered by that skill and verify the result in the client’s own output.
The safest choice depends on whether you need a project-only skill, a skill available everywhere, or automatic updates. Manual copying gives the most reviewable control; plugin and CLI installers reduce setup effort but add another update and compatibility layer. The procedures below cover Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot and Gemini CLI, with checks for the common case in which a newly installed skill is not discovered.
What are Agent Skills and why do they matter?
An Agent Skill is a portable set of instructions and supporting files that teaches a compatible coding assistant how to handle a domain-specific task. The assistant can discover the skill when a request matches its declared purpose, then read the detailed instructions and any referenced resources. This keeps a general-purpose model’s behavior consistent without putting a long procedure into every prompt.
The defining layout is a directory whose root contains SKILL.md. Supporting files can include scripts, examples, schemas and reference documents. The NVIDIA skills documentation describes this as progressive disclosure: the assistant starts with the skill’s concise metadata and reads deeper material only when the task needs it. A skill is therefore a file bundle, not a separately hosted service or a model plug-in.
#1 Best Overall
- 🎙️ Hands-Free Voice Typing for Windows & Mac – Powered by iOS & Android dictation technology, AI VoiceWriter allows fast, accurate speech-to-text directly on your desktop. Simply speak, and your words appear in real time. Compatible with Windows 10 & above, macOS 13 & above.
- ✍️ AI Writing Assistant for Effortless Editing – Boost productivity with AI proofreading, rephrasing, and formatting. Perfect for emails, reports, creative writing, and professional content.
- 💻 Works Seamlessly in Any Desktop App – Type with your voice in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, PowerPoint, Teams, emails, and more. Just place your cursor in any text field and start speaking!
- 📱 Mobile App for Enhanced Voice Input – The AI VoiceWriter mobile app enhances voice recognition by using your phone’s microphone as an input device for clearer, more accurate dictation—while typing on your desktop. Supports iOS 15 & above, Android 9.0 & above.
- 🌎 Multilingual Voice Typing & AI Assistance – Supports 33 languages for dictation, plus AI-powered features in Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, French, German, Spanish, Italian and, Swedish.
What a skill can and cannot do
- It can provide repeatable instructions, project conventions, checklists and tool-specific workflows.
- It can include local scripts and static reference files that the assistant can consult.
- It does not automatically grant credentials or permissions. Microsoft’s documentation states that no authentication is required to use the skill files themselves.
- If the instructions refer to online documentation, APIs or repositories, the assistant still needs network access for those external resources. The files being installed remain static.
Availability is client-dependent. A valid skill directory may be ignored by an assistant that does not support the selected discovery location or the expected SKILL.md format, so installation and detection are separate steps.
Which installation method should you choose?
Choose the method that matches the desired scope and maintenance model rather than treating all installers as interchangeable.
| Method | Best for | Scope | Maintenance | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manual directory copy | Reviewed, reproducible setup | Project or user-level, depending on destination | Copy or pull updates yourself | More control, more file management |
| Plugin marketplace | Codex or Claude Code users who want packaged installation | Managed by the client’s plugin system | Marketplace and plugin updates | Convenient, but discovery can lag until a restart |
| Skills CLI | Repeatable installation across supported agents | Selected agent and its project or user location | update, list and check commands |
Requires a current CLI and its compatibility support |
| GitHub CLI | Installing a skill from a GitHub repository or local directory | Host-specific project or user directory | Managed through the repository and CLI workflow | Requires GitHub CLI support and a correctly named skill |
Use a project installation when the skill is part of a repository’s development process and should be visible to every contributor who opens that project. Use a user-level installation for personal workflows that should be available across projects. If both scopes contain similarly named skills, test the project copy first and remove ambiguity rather than assuming which one wins.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchHow do I install a skill by copying its directory?
Manual installation works with the client-specific directories documented by Microsoft Learn. Copy the folders inside a repository’s skills/ directory—not the parent skills directory itself—so that each installed folder has SKILL.md at its root.
1. Obtain and inspect the skill
- Download or clone the repository that contains the skill.
- Open the intended skill folder and confirm that
SKILL.mdis directly inside it. - Read the instructions and inspect any scripts or references before making them available to an assistant.
- Identify whether the skill expects network access, a particular command-line tool or a specific client.
2. Choose the destination for your assistant
| Assistant | Project location | User-level location |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot | {project}/.github/skills/ |
~/.copilot/skills/ |
| Claude Code | {project}/.claude/skills/ |
~/.claude/skills/ |
| Codex CLI | {project}/.codex/skills/ |
~/.codex/skills/ |
| Cursor | {project}/.cursor/skills/ |
Not stated in the Microsoft directory list |
| Gemini CLI | {project}/.gemini/skills/ |
Not stated in the Microsoft directory list |
Replace {project} with the root of the repository you are working in. Do not create a second nested skills directory by copying the parent folder. The expected result is, for example, {project}/.codex/skills/my-skill/SKILL.md, not {project}/.codex/skills/skills/my-skill/SKILL.md.
3. Copy the individual skill folder
Copy one or more skill directories into the selected destination. Preserve the folder name and all supporting files. If you are installing for a team, commit the project-level directory only when your repository’s contribution and security policies allow it; otherwise keep the installation in your user directory.
4. Restart the client
Close and reopen the editor, terminal session or coding assistant after copying files. Several clients load skills at startup, so a restart is the first fix when a newly added folder is not listed or used.
How do I install Agent Skills through a plugin marketplace?
Plugin installation is the most guided route for the clients that expose a marketplace. The Microsoft Agent-Skills README documents the following Codex and Claude Code commands.
Codex plugin flow
- In Codex, add the marketplace with
codex plugin marketplace add MicrosoftDocs/agent-skills. - Open the plugin browser by entering
/plugins. - From the
microsoft-agent-skillsmarketplace, installazure-agent-skills. - Restart Codex if the skill does not appear or requests are not following the installed instructions.
The plugin flow keeps installation metadata in the client’s plugin system rather than requiring you to copy each folder manually. It is still worth opening the installed package and confirming that its skills contain the expected SKILL.md files.
Claude Code plugin flow
- Add the marketplace with
/plugin marketplace add MicrosoftDocs/agent-skills. - Install the package with
/plugin install azure-agent-skills@microsoft-agent-skills. - Reload plugins using
/reload-plugins, or restart Claude Code.
Plugin commands and package names are client-specific. Do not substitute a Codex slash command in Claude Code or assume that a marketplace package can be copied into another client’s directory unchanged.
How do I install a skill with the skills CLI?
The NVIDIA Agent Skills repository documents an interactive installer that can target a particular assistant. Use a current release of the CLI; the repository recommends the explicit @latest form when you want the newest release.
Interactive installation
Run:
npx skills add nvidia/skills
The command presents available skills and installation choices. To use the newest published CLI release explicitly, run:
npx skills@latest add nvidia/skills
Non-interactive and agent-specific installation
To select one skill without prompts, add its name and confirmation flag:
npx skills add nvidia/skills --skill <name> --yes
To target a specific assistant, add the corresponding agent option. The documented values include:
--agent codex--agent claude-code--agent cursor
Other supported agent values may be available in the CLI version you install. Check the command’s own help output if a target is rejected instead of guessing a directory name.
Maintain and audit CLI-installed skills
The documented maintenance commands are:
npx skills updateupdates installed skills.npx skills listlists what the CLI knows about your installation.npx skills checkchecks the installation state.
Run the list and check commands after installation, then restart the target assistant before testing. A CLI can report a successful copy while the client is still using a previously loaded session.
How do I install a skill with GitHub CLI?
GitHub CLI provides a repository-oriented alternative. Its manual documents:
gh skill install <repository> [<skill[@version]>]
The repository argument can refer to a GitHub repository or a local directory. The optional skill selector lets you choose a named skill or version when the repository contains more than one. GitHub CLI places the result in a host-specific project or user directory and lists support for Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, Gemini CLI and other agents in its manual.
After the command completes, inspect the destination and verify that the selected skill directory contains SKILL.md at its root. If the command accepts a repository but no skill is discovered, the usual causes are a wrong skill name, an unexpected nested directory, or a client that is looking in a different scope.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsHow do I run an installed skill?
You normally do not invoke a skill with a special command. Ask the coding assistant in ordinary language for a task that clearly matches the skill’s documented purpose. Compatible assistants discover relevant skills automatically and load them when the request matches.
A reliable first test
- Open the project or user session where the skill was installed.
- Ask for a narrowly scoped task covered by the skill, using the same terminology and inputs described in
SKILL.md. - Look for evidence in the assistant’s response: required workflow steps, expected files, validation commands or conventions from the skill.
- Check the produced files and command output yourself. A plausible answer is not proof that the skill loaded.
Do not claim that a skill ran merely because it exists on disk. The client may choose not to load it when the request is outside the skill’s scope, when the location is unsupported, or when another skill has precedence.
Make the request specific enough to trigger the skill
A request such as “help with my project” gives the assistant no clear matching signal. Name the domain task and the relevant project context instead—for example, ask it to apply the repository’s documented API-migration checklist to a named module and to show the validation command. The exact wording should follow the skill’s own description; do not invent a trigger phrase that the file does not specify.
How can I verify that the assistant discovered the skill?
Verification has two parts: confirm the files are in the expected location, then confirm behavior in a fresh session.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
File and scope checks
- Confirm the project or global skills directory exists for the selected client.
- Confirm the individual skill folder is directly inside that directory.
- Confirm
SKILL.mdis at the folder root and is readable. - Check that supporting files referenced by
SKILL.mdwere copied with the folder. - Check both project and user locations if a global skill seems to be ignored; a project-level copy is often the more predictable choice.
Behavioral check
Start a new editor or terminal session and repeat the narrowly scoped task. Compare the answer with the workflow in SKILL.md. If the client exposes a skills, plugins or diagnostics view, use it, but treat the assistant’s demonstrated behavior and the files on disk as the decisive checks.
Google’s coding-agent documentation pairs restart guidance with checks for the client configuration. A restart is therefore a standard troubleshooting step, not an indication that the skill itself is broken.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why is my installed skill not being used?
Most failures are discovery, scope or compatibility problems rather than errors in the instruction text. Work through the symptoms in order.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No skill appears after copying | Session started before installation, or the folder is nested incorrectly | Restart the client and verify that SKILL.md is directly under the individual skill folder |
| Works in one repository but not another | Project-level scope or a project/global conflict | Install it in the second project, or move it to the supported user-level directory |
| CLI reports success but the assistant ignores it | Wrong agent target or unsupported client discovery path | Run npx skills list and npx skills check, inspect the destination, then confirm the selected agent value |
| Plugin is installed but behavior is unchanged | Plugin catalog has not reloaded, or the request does not match the skill | Run the client’s reload command or restart, then issue a task that is clearly within the skill’s scope |
| Instructions refer to unavailable pages or tools | The skill expects network access or a dependency not present locally | Provide network access where allowed, install the documented dependency, or use a skill that supports the available environment |
| Two skills give conflicting guidance | Overlapping project and global installations | Keep one authoritative copy for that task and remove or rename the conflicting installation |
Check the client-specific path before changing the skill
Do not immediately edit SKILL.md when behavior is wrong. First compare the actual path with the client’s documented project or user directory. A perfectly valid skill in ~/.codex/skills/ will not help a client that is currently configured to read only a project-level directory, and the reverse is also true.
Recommended Free Tools
Check compatibility and version drift
Clients can change discovery rules. Microsoft’s directory guidance should be treated as a current map rather than a permanent guarantee; recheck the client documentation when an upgrade changes behavior. The same applies to CLI versions and marketplace packages: use the installer’s list and check commands, and consult the package’s own instructions when a command or option is rejected.
How should teams manage Agent Skills safely?
Skills are executable guidance in the broad sense that they can direct an assistant to run commands or edit files. Review them like other project tooling before making them available to a team.
- Read
SKILL.mdand every script it references before installation. - Prefer a project-level copy when the workflow must be versioned with the codebase.
- Document any required network access, command-line dependencies or external services.
- Use user-level installation for personal preferences that should not alter a repository’s shared workflow.
- Keep one clearly named version when overlapping skills could produce contradictory instructions.
- After updates, rerun the skill’s validation steps in a fresh assistant session.
Because the skill files themselves do not require authentication, access control comes from the repository, local filesystem and any external systems the instructions tell the assistant to use. Treat credentials and network permissions separately from skill installation.
Which route is best for your situation?
Use manual copying when you need to inspect every file, commit a project workflow or support a client whose directory is known. Use the Codex or Claude Code marketplace when the package is published there and you want the client to manage installation. Use the skills CLI when you need repeatable, agent-targeted setup and built-in update, list and check commands. Use GitHub CLI when the source is a GitHub repository or local directory and you want the host-specific installer.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Whichever route you choose, the success criteria are the same: the individual skill directory is in the client’s supported scope, SKILL.md is at its root, the client has been restarted or reloaded, and a fresh, relevant task demonstrates the documented workflow.
Where can I find the installation references?
- Microsoft Learn: Azure Agent Skills documents the directory locations, static-file behavior and authentication note.
- Microsoft Agent-Skills README documents the Codex and Claude Code marketplace commands.
- NVIDIA Agent Skills documents the
npx skillsinstaller, agent targeting and maintenance commands. - GitHub CLI skill install manual documents repository and local-directory installation and supported agents.
- Google coding-agent documentation provides restart and project-versus-global troubleshooting guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the same Agent Skill with more than one coding assistant?
Usually, yes: the portable unit is the skill directory and its SKILL.md, so you can place copies in each client’s supported directory. Check the skill’s instructions first, because a script or tool reference may be specific to one assistant.
Do Agent Skills work without an internet connection?
The installed files are static and do not require authentication by themselves. Offline use fails when SKILL.md points to online documentation, repositories or services that the assistant cannot reach.
Should I install a skill globally or inside my project?
Install it inside the project when the workflow belongs to that repository and should be reproducible for collaborators. Install it globally for a personal workflow used across projects, while remembering that a project-level installation may take precedence or avoid global-discovery issues.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →How do I update a manually installed skill?
Replace the existing individual skill folder with a reviewed newer copy from its source repository, preserving the same client-specific path. Restart the assistant and rerun a focused task; unlike the skills CLI, a manual copy has no universal update command.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
