diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1b27b530..35478afb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -327,13 +327,39 @@ Once users have generated their desired commit message, they can proceed to comm
 
 ### Ignore files
 
-You can remove files from being sent to OpenAI by creating a `.opencommitignore` file. For example:
+You can remove files from being sent to OpenAI by creating ignore files. OpenCommit supports both local and global ignore files:
+
+#### Local ignore file
+
+Create a `.opencommitignore` file in your project root:
 
 ```ignorelang
 path/to/large-asset.zip
 **/*.jpg
+docs/generated/
+*.generated.ts
 ```
 
+#### Global ignore file
+
+Create a global `.opencommitignore` file in your home directory (`~/.opencommitignore`) to ignore files across all projects:
+
+```ignorelang
+*.log
+*.tmp
+.DS_Store
+node_modules/
+.env
+.env.local
+dist/
+build/
+coverage/
+.vscode/
+.idea/
+```
+
+**Priority:** Local ignore rules are applied after global rules. Both files use [gitignore syntax](https://git-scm.com/docs/gitignore#_pattern_format).
+
 This helps prevent opencommit from uploading artifacts and large files.
 
 By default, opencommit ignores files matching: `*-lock.*` and `*.lock`
diff --git a/src/utils/git.ts b/src/utils/git.ts
index 902d61a8..df95f192 100644
--- a/src/utils/git.ts
+++ b/src/utils/git.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import { execa } from 'execa';
-import { readFileSync } from 'fs';
+import { readFileSync, existsSync } from 'fs';
 import ignore, { Ignore } from 'ignore';
 import { join } from 'path';
+import { homedir } from 'os';
 import { outro, spinner } from '@clack/prompts';
 
 export const assertGitRepo = async () => {
@@ -18,14 +19,27 @@ export const assertGitRepo = async () => {
 
 export const getOpenCommitIgnore = async (): Promise<Ignore> => {
   const gitDir = await getGitDir();
-
   const ig = ignore();
 
-  try {
-    ig.add(
-      readFileSync(join(gitDir, '.opencommitignore')).toString().split('\n')
-    );
-  } catch (e) {}
+  const globalIgnorePath = join(homedir(), '.opencommitignore');
+  if (existsSync(globalIgnorePath)) {
+    try {
+      const globalIgnoreContent = readFileSync(globalIgnorePath, 'utf8');
+      ig.add(globalIgnoreContent.split('\n'));
+    } catch (e) {
+      // do nothing
+    }
+  }
+
+  const localIgnorePath = join(gitDir, '.opencommitignore');
+  if (existsSync(localIgnorePath)) {
+    try {
+      const localIgnoreContent = readFileSync(localIgnorePath, 'utf8');
+      ig.add(localIgnoreContent.split('\n'));
+    } catch (e) {
+      // do nothing
+    }
+  }
 
   return ig;
 };