What you will have at the end
You will have the GitHub Copilot app installed and signed in, a repository connected and a first agent change reviewed and, if you want, opened as a pull request. Steps follow GitHub's Copilot app documentation, read on November 4, 2026.
Before you start
Check these before installing.
- A GitHub account and Git installed on your computer.
- A Copilot plan, or your own model provider with credentials such as an API key.
- On Copilot Business or Enterprise, the Copilot app policy must stay enabled; it is on by default.
- GitHub Enterprise Server is not supported; Enterprise Cloud with data residency is.
1. Install and sign in
Download the app for macOS, Windows or Linux from GitHub's download page and open it. Click Sign in to GitHub and follow the prompts. Without a Copilot plan, choose whether to sign up or continue with your own model provider. During onboarding pick repositories from your recent activity, or skip and add them later.
2. Connect a repository or folder
Next to Sessions in the sidebar, click the plus button and choose Open local folder, Add GitHub repository or Clone repository for other Git hosts such as Azure DevOps. A connected repository lets agent sessions read code, make edits and open pull requests.
3. Start a first agent session
Click the plus button next to Sessions and select the repository. Choose a session mode under the prompt field: Interactive to work with the agent, Plan to approve its plan first, or Autopilot to let it run on its own. Start with Interactive. Each session gets its own git worktree and branch, so parallel sessions do not collide.
4. Review and open a pull request
Click Changes above the prompt box to see the diff, and keep iterating in the same session until it is right. To keep the change, click Create PR, then PR to view it in the app. You can also start sessions from an issue under Issues.
Check the result
Before merging, confirm the work.
- The diff touches only the files you expected.
- Your repository's CI checks pass on the pull request.
- The explanation matches the change.
- With a Copilot plan, agent sessions draw on GitHub AI Credits, so check usage after heavy sessions.
Common problems and fixes
The app is blocked at work: on Business or Enterprise, ask the administrator whether the Copilot app policy was disabled. You use GitHub Enterprise Server: the app does not support it, so use Copilot in your editor or the CLI instead. A session should not use your machine: GitHub documents cloud sessions that run in a cloud sandbox and can be followed from other Copilot clients.
Go to the source
Sources & further reading
Based on the official documentation below. Features and access can change; check the provider before making a decision.
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