One Tip a Week: Beast Mode in VS Code

This week’s tip of the week is “Beast Mode” for VS Code.

“Beast Mode” isn’t a built-in feature of VS Code. You create it yourself via a custom chat mode in VS Code.

Custom chat modes let you set a stronger system prompt and settings so your Agent behaves exactly how you want. Make one called “Beast Mode” for heavy tasks and a lighter “Beast Mode gpt-5-mini” for speed.

How to set it up

1. Open the Copilot Chat panel in VS Code.

2. Click the mode picker at the bottom (typically has Agent, Ask or Edit set for the current value)

3. Select Configure Modes… → Create new custom chat mode file…

4. Choose User Data Folder then give it the name Beast Mode

5. Copy the markdown from Burke’s gists and paste it into your new custom mode, e.g. Beast Mode.chatmode.md:

   • Beast Mode for VS Code: https://gist.github.com/burkeholland/88af0249c4b6aff3820bf37898c8bacf

   • Beast Mode for GPT-5 Alpha: https://gist.github.com/burkeholland/902b5833383d8e7384dc553de405d846

6. Back in the mode picker, select Beast Mode .
   

   

   Selecting Beast Mode in the Modes picker in GitHub Copilot in VS Code

Big shoutout to Burke Holland for this one!

That’s it! Short and sweet. Until the next one!