diff --git a/docs/HELP.md b/docs/HELP.md
index 6c81514..825b980 100644
--- a/docs/HELP.md
+++ b/docs/HELP.md
@@ -487,12 +487,16 @@ List recent scans for a repository
 
 Install Detail skills (default: detail-bugs)
 
-**Usage:** `detail skill [COMMAND]`
+**Usage:** `detail skill [OPTIONS] [COMMAND]`
 
 ###### **Subcommands:**
 
 * `rules` — Install the detail-create-rules skill
 
+###### **Options:**
+
+* `--user` — Install to user-level ~/.claude/skills instead of the current repo
+
 
 
 ## `detail skill rules`
diff --git a/src/commands/skill.rs b/src/commands/skill.rs
index a49e9ac..9505a8b 100644
--- a/src/commands/skill.rs
+++ b/src/commands/skill.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use std::str;
 
 use anyhow::{Context, Result};
 use clap::Subcommand;
+use homedir::my_home;
 
 const BUGS_SKILL_CONTENT: &str = include_str!("../../.claude/skills/detail-bugs/SKILL.md");
 const RULES_SKILL_CONTENT: &str = include_str!("../../.claude/skills/detail-create-rules/SKILL.md");
@@ -22,14 +23,19 @@ fn parse_git_root_output(success: bool, stdout: &[u8]) -> Result<PathBuf> {
     Ok(PathBuf::from(root.trim()))
 }
 
-fn skill_install_path(repo_root: &Path, skill_name: &str) -> PathBuf {
-    repo_root
-        .join(".claude")
+fn skill_install_path(base: &Path, skill_name: &str) -> PathBuf {
+    base.join(".claude")
         .join("skills")
         .join(skill_name)
         .join("SKILL.md")
 }
 
+fn user_home() -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    my_home()
+        .context("failed to determine home directory")?
+        .context("home directory not found")
+}
+
 fn git_root() -> Result<PathBuf> {
     let output = Command::new("git")
         .args(["rev-parse", "--show-toplevel"])
@@ -52,12 +58,12 @@ fn install_skill(repo_root: &Path, skill_name: &str, content: &str) -> Result<()
     Ok(())
 }
 
-pub fn handle(command: Option<&SkillCommands>) -> Result<()> {
-    let root = git_root()?;
+pub fn handle(command: Option<&SkillCommands>, user: bool) -> Result<()> {
+    let base = if user { user_home()? } else { git_root()? };
     match command {
-        None => install_skill(&root, "detail-bugs", BUGS_SKILL_CONTENT),
+        None => install_skill(&base, "detail-bugs", BUGS_SKILL_CONTENT),
         Some(SkillCommands::Rules) => {
-            install_skill(&root, "detail-create-rules", RULES_SKILL_CONTENT)
+            install_skill(&base, "detail-create-rules", RULES_SKILL_CONTENT)
         }
     }
 }
@@ -101,4 +107,13 @@ mod tests {
             PathBuf::from("/work/repo/.claude/skills/detail-create-rules/SKILL.md")
         );
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn skill_install_path_user_level() {
+        let path = skill_install_path(Path::new("/home/alice"), "detail-bugs");
+        assert_eq!(
+            path,
+            PathBuf::from("/home/alice/.claude/skills/detail-bugs/SKILL.md")
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 4d9daa6..6e4c0d0 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ impl Cli {
             Commands::SatisfyingSort => commands::satisfying_sort::handle().await,
             Commands::Repos { command } => commands::repos::handle(command, &self).await,
             Commands::Scans { command } => commands::scans::handle(command, &self).await,
-            Commands::Skill { command } => commands::skill::handle(command.as_ref()),
+            Commands::Skill { user, command } => commands::skill::handle(command.as_ref(), *user),
             Commands::Update => commands::update::handle().await,
             Commands::Version => {
                 console::Term::stdout().write_line(&format!("detail-cli v{VERSION}"))?;
@@ -209,6 +209,10 @@ enum Commands {
 
     /// Install Detail skills (default: detail-bugs)
     Skill {
+        /// Install to user-level ~/.claude/skills instead of the current repo
+        #[arg(long, global = true)]
+        user: bool,
+
         #[command(subcommand)]
         command: Option<commands::skill::SkillCommands>,
     },