Introduction

You can ask Copilot to work on a task from:

• GitHub Issues, byassigning an issue to Copilot
• Theagents panel or page on GitHub
• Copilot Chat inVisual Studio Code andother IDEs
• Copilot Chat onGitHub.com
• TheGitHub CLI
• Your preferred IDE or agentic coding tool withModel Context Protocol (MCP) support
• TheRaycast launcher on macOS

Copilot will start working on the task, raise a pull request, then request a review from you when it's finished working. For more information, seeAbout GitHub Copilot coding agent.

Assigning an issue to Copilot

You can ask Copilot to start working on an issue by assigning the issue to Copilot.

You can assign an issue to Copilot:

• On GitHub.com (see thenext section)
• OnGitHub Mobile
• Via the GitHub API (seelater in this article)
• Using GitHub CLI (seegh issue edit)

Assigning an issue to Copilot on GitHub.com

1. On GitHub, navigate to the main page of the repository.

2. Under your repository name, click Issues.

   

3. Open the issue that you want to assign to Copilot.

4. In the right side menu, clickAssignees.

   

5. ClickCopilot from assignees list.

   

   Additional options are displayed.

   

6. In theOptional prompt field you can add specific guidance for Copilot. Add any context, constraints, or specific requirements that will help Copilot to understand and complete the task.

   For example, you might include instructions about specific coding patterns or frameworks to use, testing requirements, code style preferences, files or directories that should or shouldn't be modified.

   In addition to the details you supply here, Copilot will use any custom instructions that have been configured for the target repository. SeeAdding repository custom instructions for GitHub Copilot.

7. You can use the dropdown menus in the dialog to change the repository that Copilot will work in and the branch that it will branch off from.

   Note

   If you don't specify a repository, Copilot will work in the same repository as the issue. If you don't specify a branch, Copilot will work from the default branch of the selected repository.

   Tip

   When you assign an issue to Copilot, it gets sent the issue title, description, any comments that currently exist, and any additional instructions you provide. After assigning the issue, Copilot will not be aware of, and therefore won't react to, any further comments that are added to the issue. If you have more information, or changes to the original requirement, add this as a comment in the pull request that Copilot raises.

You can also assign issues to Copilot from other places on GitHub.com:

• From the list of issues on a repository's Issues page.
• When viewing an issue in GitHub Projects.

Assigning an issue to Copilot on GitHub Mobile

1. In GitHub Mobile, navigate to the repository that contains the issue you want to assign to Copilot.
2. ClickIssues.
3. Open the issue that you want to assign to Copilot.
4. Tap the icon.
5. Beside "Assignees", tapEdit.
6. Beside "Copilot", click the plus sign.
7. ClickDone.

Assigning an issue to Copilot via the GitHub API

You can assign issues to Copilot using the GraphQL API.

Creating and assigning a new issue

1. Make sure you're authenticating with the API using a user token, for example a personal access token or a GitHub App user-to-server token.

2. Verify that Copilot coding agent is enabled in the repository by checking if the repository'ssuggestedActors in the GraphQL API includes Copilot. Replaceocto-org with the repository owner, andocto-repo with the repository name.

   GraphQL

   query{  repository(owner:"octo-org",name:"octo-repo"){    suggestedActors(capabilities:[CAN_BE_ASSIGNED],first:100){      nodes{        login        __typename...on Bot{          id}...on User{          id}}}}}

   If Copilot coding agent is enabled for the user and in the repository, the first node returned from the query will have thelogin valuecopilot-swe-agent.

3. Make a note of theid value of this login.

4. Fetch the GraphQL global ID of the repository you want to create the issue in, replacingocto-org with the repository owner, andocto-repo with the repository name.

   GraphQL

   query{  repository(owner:"octo-org",name:"octo-repo"){    id}}

5. Create the issue with thecreateIssue mutation. ReplaceREPOSITORY_ID with the ID returned from the previous step, andBOT_ID with the ID returned from the step before that.

   GraphQL

   mutation{  createIssue(input:{repositoryId:"REPOSITORY_ID",title:"Implement comprehensive unit tests",body:"DETAILS",assigneeIds:["BOT_ID"]}){    issue{      id      title      assignees(first:10){        nodes{          login}}}}}

Assigning an existing issue

1. Make sure you're authenticating with the API using a user token, for example a personal access token or a GitHub App user-to-server token.

2. Verify that Copilot coding agent is enabled in the repository by checking if the repository'ssuggestedActors in the GraphQL API includes Copilot. Replaceocto-org with the repository owner, andocto-repo with the repository name.

   GraphQL

   query{  repository(owner:"monalisa",name:"octocat"){    suggestedActors(capabilities:[CAN_BE_ASSIGNED],first:100){      nodes{        login        __typename...on Bot{          id}...on User{          id}}}}}

   If Copilot coding agent is enabled for the user and in the repository, the first node returned from the query will have thelogin valuecopilot-swe-agent.

3. Fetch the GraphQL global ID of the issue you want to assign to Copilot, replacingmonalisa with the repository owner,octocat with the name and9000 with the issue number.

   GraphQL

   query{  repository(owner:"monalisa",name:"octocat"){    issue(number:9000){      id      title}}}

4. Assign the existing issue to Copilot using thereplaceActorsForAssignable mutation. ReplaceISSUE_ID with the ID returned from the previous step, andBOT_ID with the ID returned from the step before that.

   GraphQL

   mutation{  replaceActorsForAssignable(input:{assignableId:"ISSUE_ID",actorIds:["BOT_ID"]}){    assignable{...on Issue{        id        title        assignees(first:10){          nodes{            login}}}}}}

Asking Copilot to create a pull request from the agents panel or page

You can ask Copilot to open a pull request from either the agents panel or the agents page. The only difference is the entry point - once you see the "New agent task" form, the steps are the same.

1. Open the agents panel or page:

   • Open the agents panel: Click in the navigation bar at the top right of GitHub.
   • Navigate to the agents page: Go togithub.com/copilot/agents. You can also get here by opening the agents panel, then clickingView all.

2. Using the dropdown menu in the prompt field, select the repository you want Copilot to work in.

3. Type a prompt describing your request.

   For example,Implement a user friendly message for common errors.

4. Optionally, select a base branch for Copilot's pull request. Copilot will create a new branch based on this branch, then push the changes to a pull request targeting that branch.

5. Click Start task or pressReturn.

   Copilot will start a new session, which will appear in the list below the prompt box. Copilot will work on the task and push changes to its pull request, then add you as a reviewer when it has finished, triggering a notification.

Asking Copilot to create a pull request from Copilot Chat in Visual Studio Code

1. Install theGitHub Pull Requests extension for Visual Studio Code.

2. Open GitHub Copilot Chat in Visual Studio Code.

3. Type a prompt explaining what you want Copilot to do, and add#copilotCodingAgent to the prompt.

   For example,Put backticks around file names and variables in output #copilotCodingAgent

   Tip

   • To help Copilot, you can select the relevant line(s) of code before submitting your prompt.

4. Submit your prompt.

   Copilot will typically do some research and context-gathering in Visual Studio Code, and then will ask you to confirm that you want to use the coding agent to create a pull request.

5. ClickContinue.

   Copilot will push up any local changes, start a new session and respond with a link to the pull request it creates. It will work on the task and push changes to the pull request, and then add you as a reviewer when it has finished, triggering a notification.

Asking Copilot to create a pull request from Copilot Chat in other IDEs

1. Open GitHub Copilot Chat in Visual Studio or JetBrains IDEs.

2. Type a prompt, starting with@github, asking Copilot to create a pull request, and giving details of what you want Copilot to change.

   For example,@github Create a PR to put backticks around file names and variables in output.

   Tip

   • To help Copilot, you can select the relevant line(s) of code before submitting your prompt.
   • From Copilot Chat, you can ask Copilot to open a pull request using a specific branch as the base branch by including it in your prompt.

3. Submit your prompt.

   Copilot asks you to confirm that you want to use the coding agent to create a pull request.

4. ClickAllow.

   Copilot will start a new session and respond with a link to the pull request it creates. It will work on the task and push changes to the pull request, and then add you as a reviewer when it has finished, triggering a notification.

Asking Copilot to create a pull request from Copilot Chat in GitHub.com

1. Open GitHub Copilot Chat on GitHub.com.

2. Type a prompt asking Copilot to create a pull request, and giving details of what you want Copilot to change.

   For example,Create a PR in monalisa/bookstore to put backticks around file names and variables in output.

   Tip

   • You can ask Copilot to open a pull request using a specific branch as the base branch by including it in your prompt.

3. Submit your prompt.

   Copilot asks you to confirm that you want to use the coding agent to create a pull request.

4. ClickAllow.

   Copilot will start a new session and respond with a link to the pull request it creates. It will work on the task and push changes to the pull request, and then add you as a reviewer when it has finished, triggering a notification.

Asking Copilot to create a pull request from GitHub Mobile

1. In GitHub Mobile, navigate to the repository where you want to create a pull request.

2. Tap the icon in the bottom right corner of the screen.

3. Enter a prompt to ask Copilot to create a pull request.

   For example:Create a pull request to ....

   Copilot responds with a brief summary of the task it will perform, asking for your confirmation before it proceeds.

4. Check that Copilot has interpreted your prompt correctly, then tapAccept orDismiss.

   Copilot creates a pull request and gives you a link to it. It will work on the task and push changes to the pull request, and then add you as a reviewer when it has finished, triggering a notification.

Asking Copilot to create a pull request from the GitHub CLI

You can start a new Copilot coding agent session with thegh agent-task create command in the GitHub CLI.

When you run the command without any arguments, you are asked to enter a prompt. Copilot coding agent acts on the prompt and opens a pull request in the current repository.

You can use command line options to:

• Provide the prompt (gh agent-task create "Example prompt")
• Choose a base branch, instead of using the repository's default branch (--base)
• Select a repository, instead of targeting the current repository (--repo)
• Follow the session log in real time (--follow)

To see all of the available options, rungh agent-task create --help.

Asking Copilot to create a pull request from the GitHub MCP server

1. Install the GitHub MCP server in your preferred IDE or agentic coding tool. SeeUsing the GitHub MCP Server.

2. Ensure thecreate_pull_request_with_copilot tool is enabled.

3. Open chat.

4. Type a prompt asking Copilot to create a pull request, with the details of what you want to change.

   For example,Open a PR in my repository to expand unit test coverage.

   Tip

   • You can ask Copilot to open a pull request using a specific branch as the base branch by including it in your prompt.

5. Submit your prompt.

   Copilot will start a new session, open a draft pull request and work on the task in the background. As it works, it will push changes to the pull request, and once it has finished, it will add you as a reviewer. In most cases, the MCP host will show you the URL of the created pull request.

Asking Copilot to create a pull request from Raycast

Raycast is an extensible launcher for macOS. With the GitHub Copilot extension for Raycast, you can start and track Copilot coding agent tasks wherever you are on your computer.

1. Install Raycast from theRaycast website.

2. Install the GitHub Copilot extension for Raycast by clicking theInstall Extension button on theextension's page.

3. Open Raycast, search for "Copilot," find theCreate Task command, then pressEnter.

4. ClickSign in with GitHub, then complete the authentication flow. Raycast will re-open.

5. Type a prompt describing what you want Copilot to do.

   For example,Implement a user friendly message for common errors.

6. Select the repository you want Copilot to work in.

7. Optionally, select a base branch for Copilot's pull request. Copilot will create a new branch based on this branch, then push the changes to a pull request targeting that branch.

8. PressCommand+Enter to start the task.

   Copilot will start a new session. Copilot will work on the task and push changes to its pull request, then add you as a reviewer when it has finished, triggering a notification.

Monitoring progress

You can view your current and past Copilot sessions from the agents panel,agents page and Visual Studio Code. SeeTracking GitHub Copilot's sessions.

Further reading

• About GitHub Copilot coding agent
• Best practices for using GitHub Copilot to work on tasks
• Troubleshooting GitHub Copilot coding agent