---
title: Create a personal skill
slug: agent-platform/docs/create-a-personal-skill
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-08-12T15:37:08.000Z
---

Personal skills let you define how Agent Platform behaves specifically for you and apply only to your interactions. Use them to capture your preferences, working style, and custom behaviors so Agent Platform consistently matches how you work.

Personal skills apply only to you.

## Access skills

To access skills in Agent Platform, complete the following steps:

1. Log in to [Optimizely](https://home.optimizely.com/).
2. Select your organization.
3. Click **Opal**.

::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/CaFcFgRnVHnymozOdoTUN_access-opal-app.png" size="100" width="2190" height="1378" isUploading="false" darkWidth="2190" darkHeight="1378" showCaption="false" indent="1"}

4. Go to **Context > Skills**.

::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/vaPk9p7-uBzDik0RO-4iH_skills-page.png" size="100" isUploading="false" position="center" width="2490" height="1196" darkWidth="2490" darkHeight="1196" showCaption="false" indent="1"}

:::Heading{depth="1" indent="2"}

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## Create a personal skill

To add a personal skill that applies only to your Agent Platform interactions, complete one of the following options:

### From Mark chat

Create a skill from [Mark chat](../../use-opal/opal-chat/access-and-explore-opal-chat.mdx) using the **Create Skill** action card Mark generates with the skill details. Review and edit the fields on the action card, then click **Save** to create your skill without leaving the conversation.

The `create_or_edit_skill` tool must be **Active** and **Enabled in Chat** to use the skill builder.

To configure these settings, see [Manage tools](../../tools/manage-tools.mdx).

To generate an action card to create a skill, you can prompt Mark to do so or click **Create skills**.

Example prompts:

- *Help me create a skill.*
- *Save this as a skill.*
- *I want to create a skill.*

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/cff0ie0UDVPqj1s0i1SqX_create-personal-skill-from-opal-chat.png)

### From the skills tab

Complete the steps in the [Access skills](docId\:us7iZ6Rvo_03yXtLw_vdr) section and then complete the following:

1. Click **Add Skill**.
2. Select **Personal Skills**.

::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/Oqtckf-YcKFCU01T7zMk__add-personal-skill.png" size="100" isUploading="false" width="2228" height="860" darkWidth="2228" darkHeight="860" showCaption="false" indent="1"}

3. Enter a **Name** for your skill.
4. (Optional) Toggle **Active** on or off.
   - Toggle **Active** on to let Mark use your skill.
   - Toggle **Active** off if you do not want Mark to use your skill. Use this setting while developing the skill.
5. (Optional) Enter a **Shortcut**, which is a keyword you can invoke by entering / to call this skill directly from [Mark chat](docId\:dtNBEttEGVvkhNkwNypLM). If you leave it empty, the skill does not display in the **/** menu.
6. Keep **Personal** selected for **Who is this for?**
7. Select an option for **When to use**.
   - **Keywords or phrases** – Enter your intent, keywords, or phrases that trigger this skill when used.
   - **Tools** – Click **Add tool** and select the tools that apply this skill automatically when they run.
8. Enter a **Core Skill**, which is information and context Mark uses to tailor its output. Include details such as guidelines, response formats, and constraints. Double-click text to add styling. See [Core skill](docId:1HTjxW2J-ZOkYEZMwnasU).
9. (Optional) Click **Add File** to upload files Mark can use when using this skill.
10. (Optional) Click **Add Product** in the **Where to use** section. If you do not add products, the skill is available for all products.
    1. Select an Optimizely product from the **Select Product** drop-down list.
    2. Select an instance from the **Select Instance** drop-down list.
    3. Click **+** to add another product and instance.
    4. Click **Delete** to remove the product and instance.
11. (Optional) Click **Add Tool** and select tools that must always be available for this skill.
12. Click **Save** to create your skill.

### From an existing skill

To import a skill instead of building one, see [Import and export skills](docId\:fz5lUg7NrQV5klh9G9I57).

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**

If you use Opti ID, administrators can turn off generative AI in the Opti ID Admin Center. See [Turn generative AI off across Optimizely applications](docId\:X5U0kKD2azV5cIdNqwGNj).
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