Copilot CLI: Correct the documentation for config.json (#60962)

Author: hubwriter

content/copilot/how-tos/copilot-cli/set-up-copilot-cli/authenticate-copilot-cli.md

@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ By default, the CLI stores your OAuth token in your operating system's keychain
 | Windows | Credential Manager |
 | Linux | libsecret (GNOME Keyring, KWallet) |
 
-If the system keychain is unavailable—for example, on a headless Linux server without `libsecret` installed—the CLI prompts you to store the token in a plaintext configuration file at `~/.copilot/settings.json`.
+If the system keychain is unavailable—for example, on a headless Linux server without `libsecret` installed—the CLI prompts you to store the token in a plaintext configuration file at `~/.copilot/config.json`.
 
 When you run a command, {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %} checks for credentials in the following order:
 
@@ -176,8 +176,8 @@ If you have {% data variables.product.prodname_cli %} installed and authenticate
 
 ## Switching between accounts
 
-{% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %} supports multiple accounts. You can list available accounts and switch between them from within the CLI. 
-To list available accounts, run `/user list` from the {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %} prompt. 
+{% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %} supports multiple accounts. You can list available accounts and switch between them from within the CLI.
+To list available accounts, run `/user list` from the {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %} prompt.
 To switch to a different account, type `/user switch` on the prompt.
 
 To add another account, run `copilot login` from a new terminal session, or run the login command from within the CLI and authorize with the other account.
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ To revoke the OAuth app authorization on {% data variables.product.github %} and
 
 1. Navigate to **Settings** > **Applications** > **Authorized OAuth Apps**.
 1. Navigate to your settings page:
-   1. In the upper-right corner of any page on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}, click your profile picture. 
+   1. In the upper-right corner of any page on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}, click your profile picture.
    1. Click **Settings**.
 1. In the left sidebar, click **Applications**.
 1. Under **Authorized OAuth Apps**, click {% octicon "kebab-horizontal" aria-label="The horizontal kebab icon" %} next to **GitHub CLI** to expand the menu and select **Revoke**.

content/copilot/how-tos/copilot-cli/set-up-copilot-cli/configure-copilot-cli.md

@@ -39,16 +39,16 @@ If you choose to trust the directory for future sessions, the trusted directory
 
 ### Editing trusted directories
 
-You can edit the list of permanently trusted directories.
+You can edit the list of permanently trusted directories. Trusted directories are stored in the automatically managed `config.json` file.
 
-1. Open the CLI’s `settings.json` file. By default, it’s stored in a `.copilot` folder under your home directory:
+1. Open the CLI's `config.json` file. By default, it's stored in a `.copilot` folder under your home directory:
 
-   * **macOS/Linux**: `~/.copilot/settings.json`
-   * **Windows**: `$HOME\.copilot\settings.json`
+   * **macOS/Linux**: `~/.copilot/config.json`
+   * **Windows**: `$HOME\.copilot\config.json`
 
-  You can change the config location by setting the `COPILOT_HOME` environment variable.
+  You can change the config location by setting the `COPILOT_HOME` environment variable. This would change `~/.copilot/` and `$HOME\.copilot\` in the above paths.
 
-1. Edit the contents of the `trusted_folders` array.
+1. Edit the contents of the `trustedFolders` array.
 
 ## Setting allowed tools
 

content/copilot/reference/copilot-cli-reference/cli-command-reference.md

@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ copilot --allow-tool='MyMCP'
 For detailed information about configuration file settings—including the full list of user settings, repository settings, local settings, and how they cascade—see [AUTOTITLE](/copilot/reference/copilot-cli-reference/cli-config-dir-reference#configuration-file-settings).
 
 > [!NOTE]
-> User settings were previously stored in `~/.copilot/config.json`. Existing settings in that location are automatically migrated to `~/.copilot/settings.json` on startup.
+> User settings were previously stored in `~/.copilot/config.json`. Existing user-editable settings in that location are automatically migrated to `~/.copilot/settings.json` on startup.
 
 ## Project initialization for {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %}
 

content/copilot/reference/copilot-cli-reference/cli-config-dir-reference.md

@@ -23,21 +23,22 @@ The `~/.copilot` directory contains the following top-level items.
 
 | Path | Type | Description |
 |------|------|-------------|
-| `settings.json` | File | Your personal configuration settings |
+| `agents/` | Directory | Personal custom agent definitions |
+| `config.json` | File | Automatically managed application state (authentication, installed plugins, and other internal data) |
 | `copilot-instructions.md` | File | Personal custom instructions (applied to all sessions) |
+| `hooks/` | Directory | User-level hook scripts |
+| `ide/` | Directory | IDE integration state |
+| `installed-plugins/` | Directory | Installed plugin files |
 | `instructions/` | Directory | Additional personal `*.instructions.md` files |
-| `mcp-config.json` | File | User-level MCP server definitions |
+| `logs/` | Directory | Session log files |
 | `lsp-config.json` | File | User-level LSP server definitions |
+| `mcp-config.json` | File | User-level MCP server definitions |
 | `permissions-config.json` | File | Saved tool and directory permissions per project |
-| `agents/` | Directory | Personal custom agent definitions |
-| `skills/` | Directory | Personal custom skill definitions |
-| `hooks/` | Directory | User-level hook scripts |
-| `logs/` | Directory | Session log files |
+| `plugin-data/` | Directory | Persistent data for installed plugins |
 | `session-state/` | Directory | Session history and workspace data |
 | `session-store.db` | File | SQLite database for cross-session data |
-| `installed-plugins/` | Directory | Installed plugin files |
-| `plugin-data/` | Directory | Persistent data for installed plugins |
-| `ide/` | Directory | IDE integration state |
+| `settings.json` | File | Your personal configuration settings |
+| `skills/` | Directory | Personal custom skill definitions |
 
 > [!NOTE]
 > Not all of these items appear immediately. Some are created on demand the first time you use a particular feature—for example, `installed-plugins/` appears only after you install your first plugin.
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ The following files are designed to be edited by you directly, or managed throug
 This is the primary configuration file for {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %}. You can edit it directly in a text editor, or use interactive commands like `/model` and `/theme` to change specific values from within a session. The file supports JSON with comments (JSONC).
 
 > [!NOTE]
-> The configuration file was renamed from `config.json` to `settings.json`. Existing settings are automatically migrated from `~/.copilot/config.json` on startup.
+> User-editable settings were originally stored in `config.json`. They have been moved to `settings.json`. Any user settings present in `config.json` on startup are automatically migrated to `settings.json`.
 
 For the full list of settings and how they interact with repository-level configuration, see [Configuration file settings](#configuration-file-settings) later in this article.
 
@@ -102,6 +103,13 @@ For more information, see [AUTOTITLE](/copilot/how-tos/copilot-cli/customize-cop
 
 The following items are managed by the CLI. You generally should not edit them manually.
 
+### `config.json`
+
+Stores internal application state that is managed automatically by the CLI, including authentication data, installed plugin metadata, and other runtime information. You should not normally need to edit this file.
+
+> [!NOTE]
+> Earlier versions of {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %} stored both user settings and application state in `config.json`. User-editable settings are now located in `settings.json`. Any user settings in `config.json` at startup are automatically migrated to `settings.json`. Application state fields—such as `loggedInUsers`, `installedPlugins`, `firstLaunchAt`, and `staff`—remain in `config.json` and are not migrated.
+
 ### `permissions-config.json`
 
 Stores your saved tool and directory permission decisions, organized by project location. When you approve a tool or grant access to a directory, the CLI records the decision here so you aren't prompted again in the same project.
@@ -162,16 +170,17 @@ To override the default `~/.copilot` location, set the `COPILOT_HOME` environmen
 | Item | Safe to delete? | Effect |
 |------|-----------------|--------|
 | `agents/`, `skills/`, `hooks/` | Not recommended | You will lose your personal customizations. Back up first. |
+| `config.json` | With caution | Resets application state including authentication. You will need to re-authenticate and the CLI will re-detect internal state on next launch. |
 | `copilot-instructions.md`, `instructions/` | Not recommended | You will lose your personal custom instructions. Back up first. |
-| `installed-plugins/` | Not recommended | Use `copilot plugin uninstall` instead, to ensure plugin metadata in `settings.json` stays consistent. |
+| `installed-plugins/` | Not recommended | Use `copilot plugin uninstall` instead, to ensure plugin metadata in `config.json` remains accurate. |
 | `logs/` | Yes | Log files are re-created each session. Deleting them has no functional impact. |
 | `lsp-config.json` | Not recommended | You will lose your user-level LSP server definitions. Back up first. |
 | `mcp-config.json` | Not recommended | You will lose your user-level MCP server definitions. Back up first. |
 | `permissions-config.json` | With caution | Resets all saved permissions. The CLI will prompt you again for tool and directory approvals. |
 | `plugin-data/` | Yes | Plugin persistent data is re-created as needed. |
 | `session-state/` | With caution | Deleting removes session history. You will no longer be able to resume past sessions. |
 | `session-store.db` | With caution | Deleting removes cross-session data. The file is re-created automatically. |
-| `settings.json` | With caution | Resets all configuration to defaults. You will need to reconfigure your preferences and re-authenticate. |
+| `settings.json` | With caution | Resets all user preferences to defaults. You will need to reconfigure your settings. |
 
 ## Configuration file settings
 
@@ -226,7 +235,7 @@ These settings apply across all your sessions and repositories. You can edit thi
 | `screenReader` | `boolean` | `false` | Enable screen reader optimizations. |
 | `skillDirectories` | `string[]` | `[]` | Additional directories to search for custom skill definitions (in addition to `~/.copilot/skills/`). |
 | `statusLine` | `object` | — | Custom status line display. `type`: must be `"command"`. `command`: path to an executable script that receives session JSON on stdin and prints status content to stdout. `padding`: optional number of left-padding spaces. |
-| `storeTokenPlaintext` | `boolean` | `false` | Store authentication tokens in plain text in the configuration file when no system keychain is available. |
+| `storeTokenPlaintext` | `boolean` | `false` | Allow authentication tokens to be stored in plain text in `config.json` when no system keychain is available. |
 | `stream` | `boolean` | `true` | Enable streaming responses. |
 | `streamerMode` | `boolean` | `false` | Hide preview model names and quota details. Useful when demonstrating {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %} or screen sharing. |
 | `theme` | `"auto"` \| `"dark"` \| `"light"` | `"auto"` | Terminal color theme. `"auto"` detects the terminal background and chooses accordingly. |