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How to set up GitHub Copilot

Add Copilot to the editor your team already uses, then validate inline suggestions, IDE agent mode, and the cloud agent on small tested changes before broader rollout. Neovim is completions-only; Chat and Agent mode require another supported surface.

GitHub Copilot

editor plugin · checked October 2, 2026

~7 minBeginner
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Before you begin

  • A supported IDE such as VS Code, JetBrains, Visual Studio, Xcode, Eclipse, or Neovim.
  • Copilot access through Copilot Free or a paid plan.
  • A GitHub account governed by the right personal or organisation policy.
  • For cloud-agent work, a repository with the required permissions and organisation policy. Optional CLI npm installation needs Node.js 22+; Windows CLI needs PowerShell 6+.

Authentication

GitHub sign-in inside the IDE

Account: GitHub account with Copilot access

Managed organisations administer access and model policy. For the optional CLI, launch copilot and use /login when prompted; verify the selected account before repository access. App and CLI policies are separate.

Install or open it

1. Get the harness ready

These steps are written for beginners. On Mac, Terminal is the black/white text window where you type commands. On Windows, use PowerShell or Terminal. Use the OS tabs to hide steps that are not for your computer, then copy one command at a time.

  1. 01

    Open your editor

    Start your supported editor for this walkthrough. Copilot also has a standalone CLI and desktop app; installing the editor integration does not install those separate surfaces.

  2. 02

    Use VS Code’s automatic Copilot setup

    Hover over the Copilot icon in the Status Bar, choose Use AI Features, then sign in with the GitHub account whose plan/policy you intend to use. An eligible account without a subscription is enrolled in Copilot Free. Follow the built-in setup flow; Marketplace steps depend on the editor/version.

    VS Code Copilot setup
  3. 03

    Other editor paths

    JetBrains: Settings → Plugins → Marketplace → GitHub Copilot. Visual Studio 17.10+ includes Copilot setup in the IDE; Xcode and Eclipse use their documented extension flows. Neovim uses copilot.vim for completions only — it does not provide Copilot Chat or Agent mode.

    GitHub Copilot extension setup
  4. 04

    Optional: install Copilot CLI (Mac, via Homebrew)

    Mac

    Every Copilot plan includes Copilot CLI, a terminal agent. It installs standalone — the old gh-extension path is no longer documented. On Linux, use the npm package below or GitHub’s install script.

    bash
    brew install --cask copilot-cli

    You should see: The installer finishes without an error. Open a new terminal before the verify step so PATH updates apply.

    If this fails
    • The install command errors, or the next verify step says “command not found”. Re-run the official install command with network access, then open a brand-new terminal window before verifying.
    Install Copilot CLI
  5. 05

    Optional: install Copilot CLI (Windows, via WinGet)

    Windows

    WinGet package for Copilot CLI. Open a new terminal afterwards and sign in with GitHub on first launch.

    powershell
    winget install GitHub.Copilot

    You should see: The installer finishes without an error. Open a new terminal before the verify step so PATH updates apply.

    If this fails
    • The install command errors, or the next verify step says “command not found”. Re-run the official install command with network access, then open a brand-new terminal window before verifying.
    Install Copilot CLI
  6. 06

    Optional: install Copilot CLI with npm (any OS)

    Cross-platform alternative. Needs Node.js 22 or later. Use the scoped @github/copilot package only.

    bash
    npm install -g @github/copilot

    You should see: The installer finishes without an error. Open a new terminal before the verify step so PATH updates apply.

    If this fails
    • The install command errors, or the next verify step says “command not found”. Re-run the official install command with network access, then open a brand-new terminal window before verifying.
    Install Copilot CLI
  7. 07

    Optional: the Copilot app (desktop)

    The desktop app is built on Copilot CLI and supports macOS, Linux and Windows on all Copilot plans. Managed organisations must allow its separate app policy; enabling CLI alone does not enable the app. Download it from https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/agents/github-copilot-app.

    GitHub Copilot app
  8. 08

    Check network requirements

    Enterprise networks may need the Copilot allowlist or a custom certificate before sign-in and suggestions work.

    GitHub Copilot setup

Repository or project

2. Start in the right place

Keep the first repository small, clean, and easy to roll back while you learn the harness’s permissions and context model.

  1. 01

    Open a tracked repository

    Open a project in the supported IDE and confirm the active GitHub account before accepting suggestions.

  2. 02

    Set repository instructions

    Add the project’s conventions and test command to the supported instruction mechanism used by your IDE and organisation.

    GitHub Copilot quickstart

First run

Use a small, tested suggestion

Use this task to test the workflow before handing over a larger repository or production responsibility.

  1. 01Ask Copilot to explain one existing function and its edge cases.
  2. 02Request a unit test for one missing case.
  3. 03Review and run the test yourself before accepting the suggestion.
  4. 04For an eligible plan, try IDE agent mode or a cloud-agent task on a disposable branch and review the resulting diff and checks.

Why this is safe: A narrow test change gives the team a visible diff and a quick correctness signal without delegating repository-wide changes.

Stop and review if

  • The suggestion includes code copied from an unrelated context or an unexplained dependency.
  • The organisation’s policy does not permit the repository to be indexed.
  • The generated test passes without exercising the intended edge case.

The operating boundary

Privacy, data, and cost

The setup is incomplete until you know what the harness can see, what account pays for it, and who approves a risky action.

Privacy

Since April 24, 2026, Free/Pro/Pro+/Max interaction data may be used for training unless opted out in personal Copilot settings. Business/Enterprise data is not used for training without customer authorisation. Provider retention is model-specific: Fable 5/5.1 retains data by default; separately approved enterprise ZDR exemptions run through the end of 2026. See https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/reference/ai-models/model-hosting.

Training on code: tier dependent

Check both GitHub’s organisation controls and the selected model host’s retention/residency terms. A no-training policy is not a promise that every feature or provider retains no data.

Sensitive repos: Content exclusion does not apply to IDE Edit or Agent mode, and symlinks/indirect semantic context can bypass its intended scope. Use a sanitized repository and confirm the specific surface’s policy; do not treat content exclusion as filesystem access control: https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/context/content-exclusion.

Pricing

Monthly plans: Pro $10 includes 1,500 AI Credits, Pro+ $39 includes 7,000, Max $100 includes 20,000; base plus variable flex allowances are respectively 1,000+500, 3,900+3,100 and 10,000+10,000. Business $19/user includes 1,900 pooled credits and Enterprise $39 includes 3,900. Credits cost $0.01 each and model/token usage determines consumption. Paid completions and next-edit suggestions do not consume credits. Free/Student use automatic model selection; all plans include CLI and app subject to managed policy.

Model: hybrid

Watch out: Individual included credits reset on the first of the month UTC without rollover; flex allotments can change. Check existing annual-plan exceptions and additional-usage budgets in your account. Current supported models include Sonnet 5.5 and GPT-6.1 Sol, with plan/surface restrictions. The October 2, 2026 retirement notice covers Opus 4.7, Gemini 3.5/3.6 Flash and Kimi K2.7 Code; it does not prove removal has reached every account: https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/reference/ai-models/supported-models.

Estimate a seat stack

When setup goes wrong

  • The extension is installed but suggestions are unavailable.

    Check GitHub account access, IDE compatibility, network allowlists, and whether the current file type is supported.

  • A managed repository is excluded.

    Ask the organisation administrator to review content exclusions and the applicable Copilot policy.

  • Suggestions are too broad or generic.

    Add the repository’s conventions and tests to the prompt context, then ask for a smaller change with explicit acceptance criteria.

Next steps

After the first successful run

Keep the pilot small, then compare surfaces and budget before a team rollout.

Compare harnessesBuyer guideOpen-source agents hubAI stack cost calculatorGPU inference (rent)Local GPU sizingBuyer guidesLocal open-source AI guide

Setup details change quickly. The page was checked October 2, 2026; use the official source below before installing in a managed or production environment.

Setting up GitHub CopilotCompare all harnesses