Install and Configure GitHub Copilot CLI

About GitHub Copilot CLI

GitHub Copilot CLI is GitHub’s terminal-native AI assistant, allowing you to use Copilot directly from the command line.

Note: GitHub Copilot CLI is currently in Public Preview and may change over time.

Scope and Verification Date

• Target: GitHub Copilot CLI (command-line version, not IDE plugin)
• Last Verified: 2026-03-09
• Official install guide: Installing GitHub Copilot CLI

Prerequisites

Check Item	Minimum Requirement	How to Verify
Copilot access	Active Copilot subscription or assigned org seat	Sign in to GitHub and confirm Copilot availability
Windows environment	PowerShell 6+ (if on Windows)	pwsh --version
Node.js (npm method)	Node.js 22+	node --version
npm (npm method)	npm 10+	npm --version
Network access	Reachable GitHub and Copilot services	Open github.com in browser

If you use Copilot through an organization/enterprise, admins may disable Copilot CLI by policy.

Installation Steps

Use any one method below.

Method A: npm (Cross-platform, recommended)

npm install -g @github/copilot

Verify installation:

copilot --version

Method B: WinGet (Windows)

winget install GitHub.Copilot

Method C: Homebrew (macOS / Linux)

brew install copilot-cli

Method D: Install script (macOS / Linux)

curl -fsSL https://gh.io/copilot-install | bash

Post-install Configuration

1) First-time authentication

Start the CLI:

copilot

In your first session, run /login and complete authentication in your browser.

2) Optional token-based authentication

You can also use a fine-grained token with Copilot Requests permission via:

• GH_TOKEN
• GITHUB_TOKEN

3) First availability check

copilot

Ask a simple prompt (for example, “explain this project’s structure”) to verify end-to-end functionality.

Tip

Copilot CLI asks whether you trust the current directory. Continue only if you trust files in that location.

Common Troubleshooting

Symptom	Possible Cause	Resolution
copilot command not found	Global install path missing from PATH	Restart terminal; verify npm global bin is in PATH
Login fails or hangs	Browser session issue or restricted network	Run /login again; check proxy/network; retry on stable network
Copilot CLI not available	Subscription missing or org policy disabled	Verify plan status; ask org admin to enable Copilot CLI
npm install script error	ignore-scripts=true in npm config	Run npm_config_ignore_scripts=false npm install -g @github/copilot

Quick recovery flow

1. Run copilot --version.
2. Run copilot and retry /login.
3. Retry from a network that can reach GitHub services.
4. If needed, reinstall using another method (npm vs brew/winget).

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See official docs: Installing GitHub Copilot CLI