diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/CHANGELOG.md b/extensions/ql-vscode/CHANGELOG.md
index 696c9924b..f481fe913 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 - Add settings `codeQL.variantAnalysis.defaultResultsFilter` and `codeQL.variantAnalysis.defaultResultsSort` for configuring how variant analysis results are filtered and sorted in the results view. The default is to show all repositories, and to sort by the number of results. [#2392](https://github.com/github/vscode-codeql/pull/2392)
 - Fix bug to ensure error messages have complete stack trace in message logs. [#2425](https://github.com/github/vscode-codeql/pull/2425)
 - Fix bug where the `CodeQL: Compare Query` command did not work for comparing quick-eval queries. [#2422](https://github.com/github/vscode-codeql/pull/2422)
+- Update text of copy and export buttons in variant analysis results view to clarify that they only copy/export the selected/filtered results. [#2427](https://github.com/github/vscode-codeql/pull/2427)
 
 ## 1.8.4 - 3 May 2023
 
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/variant-analysis/VariantAnalysisActions.tsx b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/variant-analysis/VariantAnalysisActions.tsx
index 4df2a9157..26ce0b3e7 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/variant-analysis/VariantAnalysisActions.tsx
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/variant-analysis/VariantAnalysisActions.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ export type VariantAnalysisActionsProps = {
   onExportResultsClick: () => void;
   copyRepositoryListDisabled?: boolean;
   exportResultsDisabled?: boolean;
+
+  hasSelectedRepositories?: boolean;
+  hasFilteredRepositories?: boolean;
 };
 
 const Container = styled.div`
@@ -26,6 +29,28 @@ const Button = styled(VSCodeButton)`
   white-space: nowrap;
 `;
 
+const chooseText = ({
+  hasSelectedRepositories,
+  hasFilteredRepositories,
+  normalText,
+  selectedText,
+  filteredText,
+}: {
+  hasSelectedRepositories?: boolean;
+  hasFilteredRepositories?: boolean;
+  normalText: string;
+  selectedText: string;
+  filteredText: string;
+}) => {
+  if (hasSelectedRepositories) {
+    return selectedText;
+  }
+  if (hasFilteredRepositories) {
+    return filteredText;
+  }
+  return normalText;
+};
+
 export const VariantAnalysisActions = ({
   variantAnalysisStatus,
   onStopQueryClick,
@@ -35,6 +60,8 @@ export const VariantAnalysisActions = ({
   onExportResultsClick,
   copyRepositoryListDisabled,
   exportResultsDisabled,
+  hasSelectedRepositories,
+  hasFilteredRepositories,
 }: VariantAnalysisActionsProps) => {
   return (
     <Container>
@@ -45,14 +72,26 @@ export const VariantAnalysisActions = ({
             onClick={onCopyRepositoryListClick}
             disabled={copyRepositoryListDisabled}
           >
-            Copy repository list
+            {chooseText({
+              hasSelectedRepositories,
+              hasFilteredRepositories,
+              normalText: "Copy repository list",
+              selectedText: "Copy selected repositories as a list",
+              filteredText: "Copy filtered repositories as a list",
+            })}
           </Button>
           <Button
             appearance="primary"
             onClick={onExportResultsClick}
             disabled={exportResultsDisabled}
           >
-            Export results
+            {chooseText({
+              hasSelectedRepositories,
+              hasFilteredRepositories,
+              normalText: "Export results",
+              selectedText: "Export selected results",
+              filteredText: "Export filtered results",
+            })}
           </Button>
         </>
       )}
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/variant-analysis/VariantAnalysisHeader.tsx b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/variant-analysis/VariantAnalysisHeader.tsx
index a579a4268..1c146f19f 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/variant-analysis/VariantAnalysisHeader.tsx
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/variant-analysis/VariantAnalysisHeader.tsx
@@ -131,6 +131,13 @@ export const VariantAnalysisHeader = ({
           stopQueryDisabled={!variantAnalysis.actionsWorkflowRunId}
           exportResultsDisabled={!hasDownloadedRepos}
           copyRepositoryListDisabled={!hasReposWithResults}
+          hasFilteredRepositories={
+            variantAnalysis.scannedRepos?.length !==
+            filteredRepositories?.length
+          }
+          hasSelectedRepositories={
+            selectedRepositoryIds && selectedRepositoryIds.length > 0
+          }
         />
       </Row>
       <VariantAnalysisStats
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/variant-analysis/__tests__/VariantAnalysisActions.spec.tsx b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/variant-analysis/__tests__/VariantAnalysisActions.spec.tsx
index a655f7d1c..39a4d4332 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/variant-analysis/__tests__/VariantAnalysisActions.spec.tsx
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/view/variant-analysis/__tests__/VariantAnalysisActions.spec.tsx
@@ -93,4 +93,32 @@ describe(VariantAnalysisActions.name, () => {
 
     expect(container.querySelectorAll("vscode-button").length).toEqual(0);
   });
+
+  it("changes the text on the buttons when repositories are selected", async () => {
+    render({
+      variantAnalysisStatus: VariantAnalysisStatus.Succeeded,
+      showResultActions: true,
+      hasSelectedRepositories: true,
+      hasFilteredRepositories: true,
+    });
+
+    expect(screen.getByText("Export selected results")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(
+      screen.getByText("Copy selected repositories as a list"),
+    ).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it("changes the text on the buttons when repositories are filtered", async () => {
+    render({
+      variantAnalysisStatus: VariantAnalysisStatus.Succeeded,
+      showResultActions: true,
+      hasSelectedRepositories: false,
+      hasFilteredRepositories: true,
+    });
+
+    expect(screen.getByText("Export filtered results")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(
+      screen.getByText("Copy filtered repositories as a list"),
+    ).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
 });