# GitHub Copilot (in VS Code)

Source: https://useronboarding.ai/companies/github-copilot

- Category: Onboarding for AI products
- Type: Dev tools
- Product: https://github.com/features/copilot

Copilot onboards inside an editor the developer already uses: VS Code ships with a Copilot icon in the status bar, and signing in with GitHub from there silently enrolls anyone without a subscription in Copilot Free. There is no separate signup, trial or credit card step.

## Notes

- VS Code docs: hover the Copilot icon in the Status Bar and select "Use AI Features", then "choose a sign-in method and follow the prompts"; "If you don't have a Copilot subscription yet, you'll be signed up for the Copilot Free plan."
- The signed-out status-bar popover already shows working settings (Workspace Index: Locally indexed; Code Completions and Next Edit Suggestions checked) above a single "Sign in to use Copilot" button — features are presented as on, waiting only for auth.
- The Accounts menu carries a badge count and a "Sign in with GitHub to use GitHub Copilot (1)" item, so the prompt is repeated in a second standard location.
- GitHub's Dec 18, 2024 launch post framed the free tier as zero-friction: "2,000 code completions and 50 chat messages per month, simply by signing in with your personal GitHub account" — no trial or credit card.
- After sign-in the docs route newcomers to an "agents quickstart", and usage is tracked in a Copilot status dashboard showing "the percentage of your monthly allowance that you used."

## Patterns

onboard inside host tool, auto-enroll free tier, status bar entry point, existing account SSO, no credit card, usage meter

## Screens

- ![Signed-out Copilot status-bar popover: pre-checked completion settings and a "Sign in to use Copilot" button](https://useronboarding.ai/images/github-copilot-1.jpg) Signed-out Copilot status-bar popover: pre-checked completion settings and a "Sign in to use Copilot" button (source: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/setup)
- ![VS Code Accounts menu with badge and "Sign in with GitHub to use GitHub Copilot (1)"](https://useronboarding.ai/images/github-copilot-2.jpg) VS Code Accounts menu with badge and "Sign in with GitHub to use GitHub Copilot (1)" (source: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/setup)

## Articles

- [Set up GitHub Copilot in VS Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/copilot/setup): Visual Studio Code docs (Microsoft) (by the product team)
- [Announcing 150M developers and a new free tier for GitHub Copilot in VS Code](https://github.blog/news-insights/product-news/github-copilot-in-vscode-free/): GitHub Blog (by the product team)

## Cited in

- [Can you skip the questionnaire by reading context the user already has?](https://useronboarding.ai/questions#context-not-questions)
- [Signup first, or value first?](https://useronboarding.ai/questions#signup-timing)