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visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states.md

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title Manage GitHub Copilot installation and state
description Learn how to install and manage Copilot in Visual Studio. Use the Copilot badge in the IDE to access options to manage or troubleshoot your Copilot state.
ms.date 11/20/2025
ms.update-cycle 180-days
ms.topic install-set-up-deploy
author anandmeg
ms.author meghaanand
ms.manager mijacobs
ms.subservice ai-tools
ms.collection ce-skilling-ai-copilot
ms.custom copilot-learning-hub

Manage GitHub Copilot installation and state

In this article, you learn how to manage your GitHub Copilot installation and state in Visual Studio 2022 version 17.10 or later.

Install Copilot using the Visual Studio Installer

  1. Launch the Visual Studio Installer.
  2. Select the installation of Visual Studio you want to modify, and then select Modify.
  3. Select any workload, for example, .NET desktop development.
  4. In the list of Optional components, make sure GitHub Copilot is selected, then choose Modify to install the extension.

:::moniker range="visualstudio"

:::image type="content" source="media/visualstudio/github-copilot-installer-component.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows how to use the Visual Studio Installer to install the GitHub Copilot component." lightbox="media/visualstudio/github-copilot-installer-component.png":::

:::moniker-end

:::moniker range="<=vs-2022"

:::image type="content" source="media/vs-2022/visual-studio-github-copilot-extension/github-copilot-installer-component.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows using the Visual Studio Installer to install the GitHub Copilot component." lightbox="media/vs-2022/visual-studio-github-copilot-extension/github-copilot-installer-component.png":::

:::moniker-end

Note

In versions 17.9 or earlier, you'll use the Manage Extensions dialog to manage updates to the GitHub Copilot extension.

Manage your Copilot state

With Visual Studio 2022 version 17.10 or later, there's a Copilot status icon in the upper-right corner of the Visual Studio environment that indicates if Copilot is active, inactive, unavailable, or not installed. Using the dropdown menu from the status icon, you can easily access options that help manage or troubleshoot your Copilot state. The availability of some options depends on your Copilot state.

Note

Note that the status icon is moving from the bottom panel of the Visual Studio editor.

Copilot is active

Copilot is in an active state and fully functional if you signed into Visual Studio using a GitHub account with Copilot access. Using the dropdown menu, you can easily open the Chat window, access Copilot settings, and manage Copilot subscription.

:::moniker range="visualstudio"

:::image type="content" source="media/visualstudio/copilot-state-active.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows the Copilot badge when Copilot is in active state.":::

:::moniker-end

:::moniker range="<=vs-2022"

:::image type="content" source="media/vs-2022/visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states/copilot-state-active.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Copilot badge when Copilot is in active state.":::

:::moniker-end

Copilot is inactive

If Copilot is installed but in an inactive state, it might be because:

  • You're not yet signed into Visual Studio with a GitHub account

    Select Sign in to use Copilot in the dropdown from the status icon and sign in with a GitHub account that has an active subscription to use Copilot.

:::moniker range="visualstudio"

Or

Select Open Chat Window to Sign In and then select Sign up for Copilot Free to sign up for Copilot Free or Sign in if you already have a Copilot enabled account.

When you're signed in, the Copilot status icon updates to active.

:::image type="content" source="media/visualstudio/copilot-state-inactive-sign-in-copilot-free.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Copilot badge when Copilot is in an inactive state.":::

:::moniker-end

:::moniker range="<=vs-2022"

Or

Select Open Chat Window and then select Sign up for Copilot Free to sign up for Copilot Free or Sign in if you already have a Copilot enabled account.

When you're signed in, the Copilot status icon updates to active.

:::image type="content" source="media/vs-2022/visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states/copilot-state-inactive-sign-in-copilot-free.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Copilot badge when Copilot is in an inactive state.":::

:::moniker-end

  • Your signed in GitHub account doesn't have an active Copilot subscription

    Sign in with a GitHub account with an active Copilot subscription, or select Get Copilot for Free from the status icon dropdown to sign up for Copilot Free.

:::moniker range="visualstudio"

:::image type="content" source="media/visualstudio/copilot-state-inactive-copilot-free.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows the Copilot badge when the user is signed in but Copilot is inactive.":::

:::moniker-end

:::moniker range="<=vs-2022"

:::image type="content" source="media/vs-2022/visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states/copilot-state-inactive-copilot-free.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Copilot badge when user is signed in but Copilot is inactive.":::

:::moniker-end

  • Your active GitHub account doesn't have a Copilot subscription

    If you added multiple GitHub accounts in Visual Studio, ensure the active account is the one with the active Copilot subscription.

:::moniker range="visualstudio"

:::image type="content" source="media/visualstudio/set-active-github-account.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows an active GitHub account in account settings.":::

:::moniker-end

:::moniker range="<=vs-2022"

:::image type="content" source="media/vs-2022/visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states/set-active-github-account.png" alt-text="Screenshot of active GitHub account in Account Settings.":::

:::moniker-end

If Copilot is inactive as the signed in GitHub account credentials need to be refreshed, select Refresh your GitHub credentials from the dropdown to refresh your GitHub account and sign in again.

If Copilot is disabled by your administrator, contact your IT administrator to learn more.

Copilot is unavailable

If Copilot is installed but unavailable for use, it might be due to network connectivity issues, server-side technical problems, or an expired service plan. In this state, Copilot doesn't provide its usual services until the external issues are resolved.

:::moniker range="visualstudio"

Select Check Troubleshooting Page in the dropdown menu to open the troubleshooting page on diagnosing and resolving common network errors with GitHub Copilot. When the issue is resolved and you're signed in with an active subscription, the Copilot status icon updates to active.

:::image type="content" source="media/visualstudio/copilot-state-unavailable.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows the Check Troubleshooting Page menu item.":::

:::moniker-end

:::moniker range="<=vs-2022"

Select Copilot is unreachable in the dropdown menu to open the Troubleshooting page on diagnosing and resolving common network errors with GitHub Copilot. When the issue is resolved and you're signed in with an active subscription, the Copilot status icon updates to active.

:::image type="content" source="media/vs-2022/visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states/copilot-state-unavailable.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Copilot badge when Copilot is unavailable.":::

:::moniker-end

Copilot not installed

If you chose to opt out of the default recommended install by unchecking the GitHub Copilot component in the installer, the status icon is still available in the IDE.

Select Install Copilot from the dropdown to install Copilot. If you choose to not install Copilot, you can select Hide Copilot from the dropdown to hide the Copilot status icon from the IDE.

:::moniker range="visualstudio"

:::image type="content" source="media/visualstudio/copilot-state-not-installed.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows the Copilot badge when Copilot isn't installed.":::

:::moniker-end

:::moniker range="<=vs-2022"

:::image type="content" source="media/vs-2022/visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states/copilot-state-not-installed.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Copilot badge when Copilot isn't installed.":::

:::moniker-end

Disable Copilot

Hide Copilot badge

:::moniker range="visualstudio"

You can hide the GitHub Copilot badge in the Visual Studio IDE by selecting Tools > Options > Environment > Hide Copilot Badge.

:::image type="content" source="media/visualstudio/hide-copilot-badge.png" alt-text="Screenshot of option to hide copilot badge in Tools > Options.":::

:::moniker-end

:::moniker range="vs-2022"

You can hide the GitHub Copilot badge in the Visual Studio IDE by selecting Tools > Options > Environment > Hide Copilot menu badge.

  1. Open the Tools > Options pane and expand the All Settings > Environment > Visual Experience section.

  2. Select the Hide Copilot Badge checkbox.

    :::image type="content" source="media/vs-2022/visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states/hide-copilot-badge.png" border="false" alt-text="Screenshot that shows how to clear the Hide Copilot menu badge option in Visual Studio.":::

:::moniker-end

:::moniker range="vs-2019"

You can hide the GitHub Copilot badge in the Visual Studio IDE.

  1. Open the Tools > Options dialog and expand the Environment > General section.

  2. In the Visual Experience group, select the Hide Copilot menu badge checkbox.

    :::image type="content" source="media/vs-2022/visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states/hide-copilot-badge.png" border="false" alt-text="Screenshot shows how to clear the Hide Copilot menu badge option.":::

  3. Select OK.

:::moniker-end

Uninstall Copilot

You can remove the GitHub Copilot component from your Visual Studio instance by using the Visual Studio Installer.

  1. Launch the Visual Studio Installer by selecting Tools > Get Tools and Features.
  2. Select Individual components.
  3. Type "copilot" in the search box.
  4. Uncheck GitHub Copilot and select Modify.
  5. Restart Visual Studio, and select Hide Copilot from the Copilot status icon dropdown to hide the badge.

Support

Support for GitHub Copilot Chat will be provided by GitHub and can be reached at https://support.github.com.

To learn more about Copilot’s security, privacy, compliance, and transparency, see the GitHub Copilot Trust Center FAQ.

Next steps

To learn more, consider exploring the following resources: