Opening Copilot Chat in Visual Studio

GitHub Copilot Chat opens in Visual Studio through the Chat window, which you access from the View menu or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+I on Windows or Cmd+Shift+I on Mac. The Chat window appears as a sidebar on the right side of your editor, ready to answer questions about your code or help you write new sections.

Before you can open Chat, you need the GitHub Copilot extension installed in Visual Studio. If you do not have it yet, go to Extensions > Manage Extensions, search for "GitHub Copilot", and install the official extension from GitHub. You will also need an active GitHub Copilot subscription or a free trial — Visual Studio will prompt you to sign in with your GitHub account the first time you use it.

Once the extension is installed and you are signed in, the Chat window stays available for the rest of your session. You can close it and reopen it without signing in again.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Ctrl+Alt+I (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+I (Mac) to open the Chat window when ready, or use View > Chat from the menu.
  • You must install the GitHub Copilot extension from the Extensions menu before Chat will work.
  • Sign in with your GitHub account when prompted; you need an active Copilot subscription or trial to use Chat.
  • The Chat window docks on the right side of your editor and stays open until you close it manually.
  • You can ask Chat questions about code you have written, request explanations of errors, or ask it to generate new code snippets.

Installing the GitHub Copilot Extension

Open Visual Studio and go to Extensions > Manage Extensions from the top menu. In the search box at the top right, type "GitHub Copilot" and look for the extension published by GitHub. Click Install and wait for the installation to finish — Visual Studio may ask you to restart.

After the extension installs, you do not need to do anything else. The next time you try to open Chat or use a Copilot feature, Visual Studio will ask you to sign in with your GitHub account. Use the same account that has an active Copilot subscription.

Using the Keyboard Shortcut vs. the Menu

The fastest way to open Chat is the keyboard shortcut. On Windows, press Ctrl+Alt+I. On Mac, press Cmd+Shift+I. The Chat window opens when ready on the right side of your editor.

If you prefer the menu, go to View > Chat. This route takes one extra click but works the same way. Many developers set the keyboard shortcut as their default because they use Chat repeatedly while writing code.

What Happens When You First Open Chat

The first time you open Chat, Visual Studio checks whether you are signed in to GitHub. If you are not, a sign-in prompt appears. Click the sign-in button and you will be taken to GitHub in your browser, where you confirm that Visual Studio can access your account. After you sign in, return to Visual Studio and Chat is ready to use.

If your GitHub account does not have an active Copilot subscription, you will see a message saying Chat is not available. You can start a free trial or purchase a subscription through your GitHub account settings. The free trial usually lasts 30 days.

Positioning and Resizing the Chat Window

By default, Chat opens as a sidebar on the right side of your editor. You can drag the edge of the Chat window to make it wider or narrower. If you want Chat in a different location, right-click the Chat tab and select options to move it to another part of your screen or float it as a separate window.

The Chat window remembers its size and position between sessions. If you close it and reopen it later, it appears in the same place you left it.

Asking Questions and Getting Code Suggestions

Once Chat is open, click in the text box at the bottom and type your question. You can ask Chat to explain code you have selected, fix an error message, write a function, or refactor existing code. Highlight the code you want Chat to look at before you ask your question — Chat will include it in the conversation automatically.

Chat responds in the window above the text box. You can copy code from Chat's response directly into your editor, or ask follow-up questions to refine the answer. The conversation stays in the Chat window until you close it or start a new chat.

Troubleshooting Chat If It Will Not Open

If Chat does not open when you press the keyboard shortcut, check that the GitHub Copilot extension is installed. Go to Extensions > Manage Extensions, search for "GitHub Copilot", and confirm it shows as Installed. If it does not, install it and restart Visual Studio.

If Chat opens but shows an error message about your subscription, sign out and sign back in. Go to File > Account Settings > All Accounts, find your GitHub account, and click Sign Out. Then try to open Chat again and sign in with your GitHub credentials. If the problem continues, check that your GitHub account has an active Copilot subscription or an active free trial.

If Chat opens but responds very slowly or not at all, check your internet connection. Chat requires a live connection to GitHub's servers. Restart Visual Studio if Chat seems stuck.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to pay for GitHub Copilot Chat?

GitHub Copilot requires a paid subscription or an active free trial. The free trial lasts 30 days. After that, you need a subscription through your GitHub account. Students and teachers may be able to use Copilot for free through GitHub's education program.

Can I use Chat if I am offline?

No. Chat requires an internet connection to communicate with GitHub's servers. If your connection drops while you are using Chat, it will stop responding until you reconnect.

What if I have multiple GitHub accounts?

Visual Studio signs in to one GitHub account at a time. If you need to switch accounts, go to File > Account Settings > All Accounts, sign out of your current account, and sign in with a different one. Chat will then use the new account.

Can I close Chat without signing out?

Yes. Closing the Chat window does not sign you out. You stay signed in for the rest of your Visual Studio session, and Chat opens again when ready the next time you use the keyboard shortcut or menu.

Does Chat work in Visual Studio Community Edition?

Yes. GitHub Copilot Chat works in Visual Studio Community, Professional, and Enterprise editions. You need the GitHub Copilot extension installed and an active subscription or trial, but the edition of Visual Studio does not matter.