Fix: Github Copilot not working in Visual Studio

Is GitHub Copilot giving you headaches because it's not responding or generating suggestions in Visual Studio? Don't worry, you're not alone. There are many developers who, suddenly or after an update, find that Copilot has stopped working for no apparent reason. Don't panic: we've prepared the most complete and up-to-date guide to help you solve this problem, whatever its origin, and get back to programming with that productivity boost that only artificial intelligence offers integrated into your favorite IDE.

In this article, we'll go over all the common reasons why Copilot might fail, from installation errors, expired credentials, network issues, or even disabling by the administrator, to lesser-known issues like content exclusion or configuration conflicts.. We offer clear solutions, explained step by step and in a user-friendly language so that any professional or amateur can follow them. We also analyze tricks to get the most out of Copilot and useful tips to prevent future errors. Let's get started with Fix: Github Copilot not working in Visual Studio.

Top reasons why GitHub Copilot doesn't work in Visual Studio

The first step to recovering GitHub Copilot is to understand why it stopped working in Visual Studio. Below are the most common causes and how to identify them, according to experts and official documentation:

• Unstable network connection: If Copilot displays messages like "Copilot is temporarily unreachable," there is most likely a network issue. Visual Studio needs constant connection for Copilot to work, so any fall or instability has an immediate impact.
• Copilot service is down: Occasionally, the Copilot servers themselves may be undergoing maintenance or experiencing issues. In these cases, the error is beyond your control and you can only wait or check the GitHub service status before continuing to search for local errors.
• Outdated credentials: For your protection, Visual Studio may prompt you to renew your GitHub credentials after a period of inactivity or if they have expired. This is typically displayed with the "Update Credentials" option on the Copilot icon.
• Copilot disabled by administrator: In businesses and organizations, your IT administrator may have restricted access to Copilot, whether for licensing reasons, security policies, or responsible AI use.
• File or folder exclusion settings: Repository owners or organization leaders can specify that certain files not be scanned by Copilot, leaving them without suggestions, even though the rest of the editor works correctly.
• Copilot Extension Outdated: GitHub frequently updates the Visual Studio extension. If you have an older version, you may encounter incompatibilities and Copilot may become unresponsive.
• You are not logged in or do not have an active subscription: If you're not using a GitHub account with a subscription enabled for Copilot, the system will prompt you and require you to validate your access.

How to diagnose the error: identify your specific case

Visual Studio displays the status of GitHub Copilot using a icon in the upper right corner of the environmentDepending on the message or icon color, you can determine the main reason for the crash:

• If you see “Copilot is not accessible" or "inactive”, check your network and credentials.
• If it says “disabled”, go to your administrator or check your account permissions.
• If it suggests refreshing, clicking it will allow you to validate your GitHub session again.
• In cases of accidental uninstallation, the icon will remain visible but will offer to reinstall the extension.

The Copilot menu allows you to manage your status, access the chat window, subscription, installation or uninstallation, and other options to quickly diagnose a specific issue.

Practical step-by-step solutions for each type of failure

1. Network and connectivity problems

The simplest and most common cause is a poor internet connection. To solve it:

• Check that you have stable internet access and restart your router if necessary.
• Avoid using VPNs or proxies that may block access to GitHub services.
• If you're working on a corporate network, check to see if there's a firewall filtering traffic to GitHub.
• Try accessing with a different connection (mobile data, different Wi-Fi) to avoid local restrictions.

2. Copilot service down

Before you complicate your life, check out the official GitHub status page. If an incident is reported, all you have to do is be patient and wait for things to return to normal, as the problem is not your fault.

3. Renew or update GitHub credentials

Copilot can stay inactive if credentials have expired or if you have recently changed your GitHub password.

1. Click the Copilot icon in Visual Studio and select “Update Credentials.”
2. A login window will open. Enter your GitHub credentials and validate your access permissions.
3. Once authentication is complete, the status should change to “active.”

If you have multiple GitHub accounts added to the environmentMake sure the active account is the one with the Copilot subscription. Switch accounts if necessary from the corresponding menu.

4. Check or activate your Copilot subscription

If your account doesn't have an active subscription, Copilot will appear as "inactive" or "unavailable."

• From Visual Studio settings or by accessing your GitHub settings, verify that you have a valid subscription (either free or paid).
• You can subscribe to Copilot Free or switch accounts from the Copilot menu in Visual Studio.

Remember that administrators can restrict access to the service, so check with your IT department if you work on a corporate team and don't see the option to subscribe.

5. Install or update the Copilot extension

Many errors appear by old extensions or corrupt installations. In order to solve it:

1. Open the Visual Studio Installer and select “Modify” for the desired installation.
2. In the list of components, select “GitHub Copilot” and confirm to install the extension.
3. Restart Visual Studio, log in with your GitHub account (remember you must have an active subscription).
4. From the Copilot icon, manage your account, access subscription options, advanced settings, or uninstall if needed.
5. To hide the Copilot badge, go to Tools → Options → Environment → Hide Badge from the Copilot menu.
6. Uninstallation is done from the Visual Studio installer: find the component, deactivate it, and confirm the changes.

6. Diagnosing file and content exclusions

Copilot doesn't suggest code in some files but does in others? The repository maintainer may have configured specific exclusions to protect sensitive data or comply with internal policies.

• Check if the Copilot icon shows a diagonal line: this indicates that the file is excluded from AI suggestions.
• Hover over the icon to see a notice with more details about the applied restriction.
• The exclusion can be applied at the repository or organization level. Only administrators can modify this setting.
• After changing exclusion rules, it may take up to 30 minutes for them to be reflected in your environment.

7. State management and boards of directors

Visual Studio 2022 (since version 17.10) offers badges and status icons very clear:

• Active: Copilot fully operational.
• Inactive: Requires login or credential renewal.
• Unavailable: Due to network issues, service expiration, or temporary restrictions on GitHub servers.
• Not installed: The icon is still visible, but it offers you to install the missing component.
• Disabled: Access restricted by the administrator.

You can customize the Copilot badge by going to Tools → Options → Environment → Hide Badge in the Copilot menu, according to your preferences.

Copilot Chat: Usage and Troubleshooting

With the rise of AI applied to development, Copilot Chat has become an essential tool within Visual Studio. It allows you to ask questions in natural language, receive code explanations, contextual suggestions, generate unit tests, assist with debugging, and optimize performance.

There are two ways to ask Copilot:

• Through the traditional chat window (See → GitHub Copilot Chat).
• From the editor, right-click and choose “Ask Copilot” to open the online chat linked to your code.

To resolve errors in Copilot Chat:

• Make sure you have the supported version of Visual Studio (17.10 or later).
• Make sure the Copilot Chat extension is installed and up to date.
• If you receive errors when submitting questions, please check your network connection or GitHub account permissions.
• If the chat isn't responding, try signing out and back in to GitHub from within your environment.
• For more advanced queries, you can report errors or request technical support directly through GitHub Support.

Guide to getting the most out of GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio

Once the technical problems are resolved, it is a good time to learn about several Tricks and shortcuts that will help you get the most out of Copilot:

• Alternative suggestions: Usa Alt+] and Alt+

In any case and as always in Tecnobits, we have a multitude of tutorials on the subject in question. We'll leave you one here about How to upload a project to Github as a beginnerIn case all this is new to you, see you in the next article!