Based on GitHub / Microsoft’s official docs, checked October 30, 2026

GitHub Copilot coding agent (now cloud agent): how to use it

GitHub’s docs now call the Copilot coding agent Copilot cloud agent. It researches a repository, plans changes, edits files and runs tests and linters in a cloud environment instead of your local IDE, then hands you the result to review, often as a pull request. From October 28, 2026, paid Copilot plans get the new Copilot in the cloud experience on GitHub.com and GitHub Mobile, where one session can move between the web, mobile, the Copilot app, VS Code and Copilot CLI. This guide covers where to start a session, the three environment choices, the GitHub CLI commands and how to review the work, based on GitHub’s documentation checked October 30, 2026. For the agent that works inside your editor, see our Copilot agent mode guide.

1. 1. Check access

   You need a paid Copilot plan; Copilot Free users keep the older Copilot Chat experience. Organization and enterprise policies still apply, repository admins can disable Copilot for a repository, and without write access your session is read-only.

2. 2. Start a session on GitHub

   Open github.com/copilot, your GitHub dashboard, or the Agents tab in a repository. Describe the outcome you want and any constraints in the prompt box. Slash commands such as /security-review and /usage also work there.

3. 3. Or start it from another client

   GitHub lists GitHub Mobile, VS Code, JetBrains, Eclipse, Visual Studio 2026, the REST API, the GitHub CLI, the GitHub MCP Server, Jira, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Azure Boards, Linear and Raycast as entry points.

4. 4. Start it from the GitHub CLI

   The agent-task commands need GitHub CLI 2.80.0 or later and are a public preview. Run without arguments to be asked for a prompt; Copilot opens a pull request in the current repository. Use --base for another base branch, --repo for another repository and --follow to stream the log.

   gh agent-task create "Add tests for the auth module" --follow

5. 5. Track and review it

   List your sessions and open one to read its logs. Some entry points open a pull request automatically; otherwise ask Copilot for one or create it from the session logs. Then review the changes as you would any pull request.

   gh agent-task list
   gh agent-task view --repo monalisa/bookstore 123 --log

Choosing an environment

Copilot in the cloud offers three environments: Cloud (a cloud sandbox), GitHub Actions-based, and Remote (a connection to a custom environment).

Cloud sandbox sessions can be resumed on other clients, can span repositories in one organization, honor repository and organization firewall allowlists, and keep chat data for the life of the account. They don’t support custom compute, GitHub Actions setup steps or self-hosted runners.

GitHub Actions-based sessions are only available on the GitHub website, work in a single repository, keep data for 28 days, and support custom compute, network and setup configuration and self-hosted runners. GitHub says sessions in cloud sandboxes finished faster on average in its initial testing.

Cloud and GitHub Actions compute draw on the same monthly GitHub account allowance, separate from AI credits.

What else it can do on GitHub

From security campaigns you can assign code scanning alerts to Copilot for fixes.

Agent Merge watches a pull request and works on failed GitHub Actions workflows, merge conflicts or both; turn it on with Watch and fix in the merge box.

Automations run a task on a schedule or on repository events, such as triaging issues or writing weekly release notes. You create them from the Agents tab, in eligible private and internal repositories.

Steering and session history

Session logs show the work and the tools used, and teammates with repository access can follow shared sessions and pull requests. GitHub notes that logs do not replace your own review and testing.

You can ask Copilot about your synced session history across Copilot surfaces, but only for sessions you started, and only where syncing is enabled and allowed by your organization.

Customizing it

Custom instructions, MCP servers and content exclusions work in both environments. Cloud sandboxes add dotfiles personalization, personal MCP servers and connectors, with one configuration across all cloud sandboxes.

Tips

• Put the outcome and constraints in the first prompt; Copilot works in the background, so a vague task wastes a session.
• Pick the GitHub Actions environment when a task needs self-hosted runners or your own setup steps, and a cloud sandbox when you want to continue the session in your IDE or CLI.
• Keep branch protection and required reviews on: the agent’s pull request should go through the same checks as anyone else’s.

Next steps

Sources

• https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/agents/cloud-agent/about-cloud-agent · checked 2026-10-30
• https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/use-copilot-agents/cloud-agent/start-copilot-sessions · checked 2026-10-30
• https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/use-copilot-agents/cloud-agent/use-cloud-agent-on-github · checked 2026-10-30
• https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/use-copilot-agents/cloud-agent/use-cloud-agent-from-cli · checked 2026-10-30