Chat Agent can remember how you like replies to be written. Set a preference once and Chat Agent applies it to every conversation that follows. You don't need to repeat instructions each time you start a new chat.
Preferences are per-user and private. They don't affect other users in your organization.
Available preferences
You can set any combination of the five preferences below.
| Preference | What it controls | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|
primary_language | The language Chat Agent replies in | Any human language name, for example, French, Italian, Japanese |
response_length | How long or short replies are | brief, exhaustive |
tone | Formality of the reply | formal, casual |
structure | How the reply is organized | bullet_points, step_by_step, narrative |
technical_depth | Level of technical detail | beginner, expert |
Note
Language quality depends on the configured model. Not every model supports every language. Confirm your model covers the language you need before setting this preference.
You don't have to set all five. Set only the ones you care about. Chat Agent uses its default behavior for anything you leave unset.
Enabling preference memory
Before you can save preferences, you need to turn on preference memory. Ask Chat Agent to enable it:
Try:
- From now on, always reply to me in French. Please remember this permanently.
- Enable my preference memory and set my tone to casual.
Chat Agent shows a confirmation prompt because enabling preference memory is a protected action. Select Yes to confirm. If you select No, nothing changes.
When you enable preference memory, you can optionally set initial preferences in the same request. Chat Agent handles both in a single step.
Setting and updating preferences
Once preference memory is on, ask Chat Agent to save a preference in plain language:
Try:
- Please permanently remember my preference: structure your answers as bullet points.
- Please change my language preference to Italian.
- Please permanently remember my preferences: exhaustive answers with expert-level technical depth.
Updates take effect immediately. The current reply and every conversation after it follows the new setting. Updating a preference doesn't require a confirmation prompt.
How preferences are applied
Chat Agent loads your saved preferences at the start of every request and follows them automatically. You don't need to mention your preferences. They're applied whether you're asking about cluster monitoring, running a SQL translation, or browsing the documentation.
Preferences apply across conversations. Set a preference in one conversation and start a new one. The new conversation follows the same preferences without any additional instructions.
Overriding a preference for one reply
You can override a saved preference for a single reply without changing the saved value. State what you want in the current message:
Try:
- Answer in English this time. What is CAMO?
- Give me the long version. How does PGD achieve high availability?
The override applies to that one reply only. The next reply reverts to your saved preferences.
Disabling preference memory
When you disable preference memory, Chat Agent stops applying your preferences. Your saved values are kept. If you re-enable later, they're still there.
Try:
- Turn off my preference memory.
Chat Agent shows a confirmation prompt, for example, "Turn off durable preference memory so saved preferences no longer affect replies." Select Yes to confirm, or No to cancel.
Clearing preferences
You can remove a single preference or clear all of them.
Try:
- Clear my language preference.
- Clear all my saved preferences.
Chat Agent shows a confirmation prompt describing what will be removed, for example, "Clearing your saved language preference so future replies will no longer default to a specific language." Select Yes to confirm, or No to cancel.
Clearing doesn't disable preference memory. Chat Agent still remembers any remaining preferences. To stop all preference behavior, disable preference memory after clearing.
Confirmation prompts
Some preference actions are protected and require you to approve a confirmation card before they execute:
| Action | Requires confirmation |
|---|---|
| Enable preference memory | Yes |
| Set or update a preference | No |
| Disable preference memory | Yes |
| Clear a preference | Yes |
If you select No on a confirmation, the action doesn't execute and nothing changes.
See also
- What the Chat Agent can do — full capability catalog with example prompts.
- Security and data handling — authorization model, audit, and how your data is treated.
- Troubleshooting — common issues and how to resolve them.