Disable Copilot in three steps

GitHub Copilot appears as a small icon in the bottom right corner of Visual Studio Code. To turn it off, click that icon — it looks like a circle with a slash through it when disabled — or press Ctrl+Shift+Alt+C on Windows and Linux, or Cmd+Shift+Alt+C on Mac. The icon will change appearance to show Copilot is now off for your current session.

This method disables Copilot only while you have VS Code open. When you close and reopen the editor, Copilot will be active again. If you want to keep it off permanently, you need to uninstall the extension or disable it in your extensions list.

To disable Copilot permanently, open the Extensions panel by pressing Ctrl+Shift+X (Windows and Linux) or Cmd+Shift+X (Mac). Search for "GitHub Copilot" in the search box. Click the gear icon next to the extension and select "Disable" — this turns it off for all your projects. You can re-enable it the same way if you change your mind later.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Ctrl+Shift+Alt+C (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+Alt+C (Mac) to toggle Copilot off for your current session.
  • Click the Copilot icon in the bottom right corner of the editor as an alternative to using the keyboard shortcut.
  • Disabling Copilot this way only lasts until you close VS Code; the extension will be active again when you reopen it.
  • To keep Copilot off permanently, open Extensions, find GitHub Copilot, click the gear icon, and select Disable.
  • You can uninstall the Copilot extension entirely from the Extensions panel if you do not want it installed at all.

Turn off Copilot for a single file or project

If you want Copilot active in some projects but not others, you can disable it at the workspace level. Open the Command Palette by pressing Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows and Linux) or Cmd+Shift+P (Mac). Type "Copilot: Disable" and select the option that appears. This disables Copilot only in the current folder or project you have open.

When you open a different project folder, Copilot will be active again unless you disable it there too. This approach is useful if you work on some projects where you want AI suggestions and others where you prefer to code without them.

Uninstall the Copilot extension completely

If you do not want Copilot installed at all, you can remove the extension entirely. Open the Extensions panel with Ctrl+Shift+X (Windows and Linux) or Cmd+Shift+X (Mac). Search for "GitHub Copilot" and click the trash icon next to it. VS Code will uninstall the extension when ready.

Uninstalling removes Copilot from your editor completely, so you will not see the icon or any suggestions. You can reinstall it later from the Extensions marketplace if you decide you want it back. Uninstalling does not affect any of your code or project files.

Why you might want to disable Copilot

Copilot can slow down your editor on older machines or when you have many other extensions running. Disabling it frees up system memory and can make VS Code feel more responsive. If your computer has limited RAM or a slower processor, turning off Copilot may noticeably improve performance.

Some developers disable Copilot while learning a language or framework because they want to write code from memory rather than accept suggestions. Others turn it off during code reviews or when working with sensitive code that should not be sent to GitHub's servers. You might also disable it temporarily while troubleshooting a bug, since suggestions can be distracting when you need to focus on a specific problem.

Re-enable Copilot when you need it again

If you disabled Copilot with the keyboard shortcut, press the same keys again to turn it back on. The icon in the bottom right will change to show Copilot is active. If you disabled it in the Extensions panel, open Extensions, search for "GitHub Copilot", click the gear icon, and select "Enable".

If you uninstalled the extension, you can reinstall it by opening the Extensions panel, searching for "GitHub Copilot", and clicking the Install button. VS Code will read and install it from the marketplace, and it will be ready to use when ready.

Copilot settings you can adjust instead of disabling

Before you turn off Copilot entirely, you might want to adjust its behavior. Open VS Code settings by pressing Ctrl+, (Windows and Linux) or Cmd+, (Mac). Search for "Copilot" to see the available options. You can disable inline suggestions while keeping the Copilot Chat panel active, or you can change when Copilot shows suggestions — for example, only when you press a specific key combination rather than automatically as you type.

You can also disable Copilot for specific file types. In settings, search for "Copilot: Disable Languages" and add the language you want to exclude — for instance, you might keep Copilot on for Python but turn it off for Markdown files. These adjustments let you keep the extension installed while controlling exactly when and where it appears.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does disabling Copilot delete my code or settings?

No. Disabling or uninstalling Copilot does not affect your code, projects, or any other VS Code settings. Your files remain exactly as they are, and you can re-enable Copilot at any time without losing anything.

Will Copilot turn back on automatically after I disable it?

Only if you use the keyboard shortcut or icon toggle. That disables Copilot for your current session only. When you close and reopen VS Code, Copilot will be active again. If you disable it in the Extensions panel, it stays off until you enable it again.

Can I disable Copilot for just one programming language?

Yes. Open settings, search for "Copilot: Disable Languages", and add the language code — for example, "markdown" or "python". Copilot will be off for that language but active for all others.

What is the difference between disabling and uninstalling Copilot?

Disabling keeps the extension installed but turns it off, so it uses no system resources. Uninstalling removes it completely from VS Code. Disabling is faster if you think you might want Copilot back soon; uninstalling is better if you do not plan to use it.

Does disabling Copilot stop it from sending data to GitHub?

Yes. When Copilot is disabled, it does not send any code or data to GitHub's servers. If you have privacy concerns about the extension, disabling or uninstalling it is the most direct way to prevent any data transmission.