about-remote-access.md

title	About remote access to {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli %} sessions
shortTitle	About remote access
intro	Access a running {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %} session from {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %} or {% data variables.product.prodname_mobile %} to monitor and steer the session when you are away from the machine where the session is running.
versions	feature copilot
contentType	concepts
category	Learn about Copilot Learn about Copilot CLI
docsTeamMetrics	copilot-cli

This article explains the concepts around remote access to {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %} sessions. For instructions on how to enable remote access, see AUTOTITLE.

Introduction

When you start a {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli %} session on your local machine, the session is normally only accessible from the terminal where you started it. However, you can enable remote access to the session from {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %} and {% data variables.product.prodname_mobile %}, allowing you to view the progress of a task that {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} is working on, and respond to prompts for more information, or requests for permissions.

This is useful in scenarios such as:

• Leaving your workstation: You started a session on your laptop and were then called away, or you finished work for the day, but you want to continue interacting with {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} without having to return to the machine.

• Monitoring a long-running task: You started a complex task that will take time to complete, but didn't give {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} full permission to carry out every action. You need to periodically assess and respond to permission requests to allow a task to continue.

  To ensure the stability of the remote access feature there is a 60 MB limit on size of session output that is passed to the remote interface. As a result, very long-running sessions that generate large amounts of output may experience reduced performance in the remote interface. The local terminal session is unaffected.

• Quick access from a mobile device: You're working on something else now but you're using {% data variables.product.prodname_mobile %} to provide an at-a-glance view of progress on a task you started in {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %}.

{% data reusables.cli.public-preview-remote-access %}

Prerequisites

Remote access requires:

• Policy enablement: For users who have a {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} seat from an organization, remote access access is governed by policies set at the organization and enterprise level. The "Remote Control" policy is off by default but can be enabled by an enterprise or organization owner. See Administering remote access.
• A {% data variables.product.github %} repository: The working directory where you started the CLI must contain a Git repository hosted on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %}. If you attempt to enable remote access outside of a {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} repository, the CLI displays the message: "Remote session disabled: not in a {% data variables.product.github %} repository"
• The machine must be online: The CLI session must be actively running in a terminal on a machine with an internet connection. If the machine goes to sleep or loses its connection, remote access is unavailable until the machine is back online. See Reconnection later in this article.
• An interactive session: Remote access is only available for interactive sessions. It is not available when you use the CLI programmatically with the --prompt command-line option, for example when you use the CLI in a script.

Accessing a session remotely

When you enable remote access for a {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %} session, you can go to {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %} or {% data variables.product.prodname_mobile %} and find the session in the list of your recent agent sessions. The remote interface is updated in real time, allowing you to monitor ongoing output from the session and respond to prompts and permission requests as they come in.

Both the local terminal and the remote interface are active at the same time. You can enter commands in either interface. {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %} uses the first response it receives to any prompt or permission request.

Your session continues to run on your local machine. The remote interface provides a way to interact with the session, but the CLI itself—and all the tools, shell commands, and file operations it runs—remain on the machine where you started the session.

What you can do remotely

When connected to a session remotely from {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %} or {% data variables.product.prodname_mobile %}, you can:

• Respond to permission requests: Approve or deny tool, file path, and URL permission requests.
• Respond to questions: Answer when {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} asks you to supply more information or make a decision.
• Approve or reject plans: Respond to plan approval prompts when {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} is in plan mode.
• Submit new prompts: Enter questions or instructions, just as you would in the terminal.
• Switch modes: Change the session mode—for example, between interactive and plan mode.
• End the current operation: Cancel the agent's current work.

{% data reusables.cli.remote-access-slash-commands %}

Reconnection

If the connection between your local machine and {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} is temporarily lost—for example, due to a network interruption—you can continue using the session remotely as soon as the connection is restored.

You can use the /keep-alive slash command to prevent your machine from going to sleep. See Preventing your machine from going to sleep.

If you closed a session that had remote access enabled, when you resume the session—either using copilot --continue or copilot --resume=ID—you must re-enable remote access. For more information, see AUTOTITLE.

Visibility of remote access sessions

Remote access is only available to you—the person who is signed in to {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} with the same account that started the CLI session. No one else can view or interact with your session remotely.

Points to note

When you enable remote access:

• Session events are sent from your local machine to {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}. This includes conversation messages, tool execution events, and permission requests.
• Remote commands are polled by {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %} from {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} and injected into your local session.
• The CLI itself continues to run locally. All shell commands, file operations, and tool executions happen on your machine—remote access does not grant any direct access to your local machine beyond what the CLI agent can do within the session.

The remote session link (displayed in the CLI when you enable remote access) points to a session-specific URL on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %}. Only authenticated users with the correct account can access this URL.

Administering remote access

The ability for users enable remote access to their {% data variables.copilot.copilot_cli_short %} sessions can be controlled by policies in the enterprise or organization settings. Users who get {% data variables.product.prodname_copilot_short %} from an organization will not be able to use remote access if it has been disabled at the organization or enterprise level.

The "Remote Control" policy is off by default, so it must be enabled by an enterprise or organization owner before users can start monitoring and steering their CLI sessions remotely.

For more information about setting policies for your enterprise or organization, see AUTOTITLE and AUTOTITLE.