The outcome

Get into the official GitHub Copilot experience with the right account and a setup you understand.

GitHub Copilot is a AI coding agent. Making scoped changes in a connected repository while reviewing the diff and carrying the work into a pull request. This guide narrows that broad capability into one repeatable outcome, with checkpoints that keep the source material and your judgment in the loop.

Before you begin

Set the boundary before the tool starts.

Choose one real task, identify who will use the result, and decide what evidence or test will make the result acceptable. Gather only the source material needed for that task. If the work contains confidential, personal, regulated, or client-owned information, confirm that the platform and account are approved before sharing it.

Troiana principle

AI should make the work easier to inspect. If the workflow removes the source, the owner, or the review step, redesign the workflow.

Step by step

A workflow you can repeat.

  1. 01

    Start at https://github.com/features/copilot and confirm the domain before entering account or payment information.

  2. 02

    For desktop use, follow the official download link. Current availability: GitHub documents a desktop Copilot app, and Copilot is also available in supported developer environments..

  3. 03

    You need a GitHub account and either Copilot access or a configured model provider. GitHub's desktop-app guide also requires Git for local project work.

  4. 04

    Sign in with the account you intend to keep using, then review plan, data, notification, and permission settings.

  5. 05

    Run one low-risk test task before connecting sensitive files, repositories, or workspace data.

Working standard

What good use looks like.

  • Use official download pages.
  • Review permissions during setup.
  • Keep installers and applications updated.

Connecting a repository grants the tool context about that codebase. Review organisation policy, model-provider credentials, and the generated diff before you accept or publish a change.

Official references

Check the current product documentation.

Features, plan limits, availability, and data controls change. These official pages are the starting points used for this collection.