How to Use GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio Using the Extension

GitHub Copilot is one of the most powerful AI coding assistants available today. Whether you’re building C#, C++, or .NET applications, Copilot can help you write faster, cleaner, and more efficient code directly within Visual Studio — Microsoft’s flagship development IDE.

If you’re wondering how to install, set up, and use GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio using its official extension, this guide has you covered. We’ll walk you through every step — from installation to first use — and share tips for getting the best results.

What Is GitHub Copilot?

GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered code assistant developed by GitHub and OpenAI. It uses machine learning models trained on billions of lines of code to suggest functions, complete code snippets, and even interpret comments in natural language.

Essentially, Copilot acts like a pair-programmer that helps you write code faster while reducing repetitive work.

Key Features:

AI-powered code completions based on context.
Works across C#, C++, JavaScript, Python, and more.
Suggests entire functions or logic as you type.
Integrates directly into Visual Studio 2022 and later.
Helps generate boilerplate, unit tests, and refactoring ideas.

Requirements to Use GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio

Before installing, make sure your system meets these requirements:

Requirement	Description
Operating System	Windows 10 or Windows 11
Visual Studio Version	Visual Studio 2022 (v17.4 or later)
GitHub Account	A GitHub account with a Copilot subscription or active trial
Internet Connection	Required for AI suggestions and authentication

Step 1: Install Visual Studio 2022 (If Not Already Installed)

If you haven’t installed Visual Studio yet, do this first:

Go to https://visualstudio.microsoft.com.
Download Visual Studio 2022 Community Edition (free) or higher.
Run the installer and select the workloads you need (for example, “.NET desktop development” or “C++ development”).
Once the installation is complete, launch Visual Studio.

Step 2: Install the GitHub Copilot Extension in Visual Studio

GitHub Copilot is available as an official extension in the Visual Studio Marketplace.

Launch Visual Studio 2022.
Go to the menu bar and click Extensions → Manage Extensions.
In the search box, type: GitHub Copilot
You’ll see GitHub Copilot by GitHub listed.
Click Download next to the extension.
Close Visual Studio when prompted — the installer will complete the setup.
Once the installation finishes, reopen Visual Studio.

Tip: You can also install it directly from the marketplace page: GitHub Copilot for Visual Studio

Step 3: Sign In to Your GitHub Account

After installation, you’ll need to connect your GitHub account to activate Copilot.

Open Visual Studio.
Go to View → Other Windows → GitHub Copilot.
Click Sign in to GitHub.
A browser window will open — log in with your GitHub credentials.
Authorize the “Visual Studio GitHub Copilot” extension to access your account.

If you have an active Copilot subscription or free trial, it will automatically link and activate.

Step 4: Start Using GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio

Once you’re signed in, GitHub Copilot will start working immediately within your editor.

Open or create a new project (C#, C++, JavaScript, etc.).
Start typing code or a comment like:
// write a method to check if a number is prime
Copilot will automatically generate suggestions inline.
Press Tab or Enter to accept the suggestion.
If multiple suggestions are available, use Alt + ] and Alt + [ to cycle through them.

Tip: You can trigger Copilot manually anytime using the shortcut:
Alt + *

Step 5: Customize Copilot Settings in Visual Studio

You can adjust how Copilot behaves inside Visual Studio to fit your workflow.

Go to Tools → Options → GitHub Copilot.
You can:
- Enable or disable Copilot suggestions.
- Set whether suggestions appear automatically.
- Manage keybindings for suggestion navigation.
- Limit Copilot to specific file types or languages.

Tip: Disable Copilot for large auto-generated files to improve performance.

Step 6: Using Copilot Chat in Visual Studio

If you also install GitHub Copilot Chat, you can interact directly with the AI inside Visual Studio — asking questions, debugging, or generating documentation.

To install Copilot Chat:

Go to Extensions → Manage Extensions.
Search for GitHub Copilot Chat.
Install and restart Visual Studio.
Open View → GitHub Copilot Chat to start using it.

You can now ask questions like:

“Explain this C# method.”
“Generate a unit test for this class.”
“How can I optimize this function?”

Step 7: Troubleshooting GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio

If GitHub Copilot doesn’t work as expected:

Check your internet connection. Copilot requires online access.
Sign out and sign in again to refresh your GitHub token.
Update Visual Studio to the latest version (17.9+ recommended).
Disable conflicting extensions that control IntelliSense or autocompletion.
Clear extension cache:
Go to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\VisualStudio\<version>\Extensions and delete old Copilot folders.

If issues persist, reinstall the extension or contact GitHub Support.

Example: Using Copilot in C#

Here’s a quick example to show Copilot in action:

Type:

// Write a function that checks if a string is a palindrome

Copilot Suggests:

public static bool IsPalindrome(string input)
{
    string reversed = new string(input.Reverse().ToArray());
    return input.Equals(reversed, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
}

Press Tab to accept the suggestion — that’s it! You’ve just written a complete function using Copilot’s AI assistance.

Wrapping Up

That’s it! You’ve successfully learned how to install, activate, and use GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio using the official extension.

With Copilot, you can write code faster, minimize repetitive tasks, and get AI-powered suggestions directly in your favorite IDE. Whether you’re developing .NET applications or working with C++, GitHub Copilot turns your Visual Studio environment into an intelligent coding companion.