GitHub Copilot Not Suggesting Code? How to Fix in 2026

Quick Answer

GitHub Copilot usually stops working due to authentication, subscription, network, or editor extension issues. 90% of cases fix with sign-out/sign-in and extension reload.

• Confirm subscription active at github.com/settings/copilot
• Sign out of Copilot in editor, sign back in
• Disable conflicting extensions (other AI autocompletes)

Why This Happens

Copilot requires: active Copilot subscription (Free, Pro, Business, or Enterprise), signed-in GitHub account, Copilot extension installed, network access to api.githubcopilot.com (port 443), and no org policy blocking it. Common breakages: expired token, revoked seat (Business/Enterprise), conflicting extension, firewall blocking the API.

Step-by-Step Fixes

Step 1: Check subscription status

github.com/settings/copilot — confirm active plan. Free: 2K completions/mo. Pro: unlimited.

Step 2: Check Copilot status

githubstatus.com — look for "Copilot" row.

Step 3: Sign out and back in (VS Code)

Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P → GitHub Copilot: Sign Out → then Sign In.

Step 4: Reload the editor

Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P → Developer: Reload Window.

Step 5: Verify extension is enabled

Extensions sidebar → GitHub Copilot → ensure Enabled. Update if outdated.

Step 6: Check for conflicting extensions

Disable: Tabnine, Codeium, IntelliCode, AWS CodeWhisperer, AI Genie. Only one AI autocomplete should be active.

Step 7: Check file type support

Copilot supports 30+ languages. If you're in a niche language or plain text, suggestions may not appear.

Step 8: Check "Inline Suggestions" setting

Settings → Editor → Inline Suggestions → Enabled. In VS Code: editor.inlineSuggest.enabled: true.

Step 9: Network / firewall

Copilot needs HTTPS to *.githubcopilot.com, copilot-proxy.githubusercontent.com. Corporate firewalls often block — request allowlist.

Step 10: For JetBrains IDEs

Settings → Tools → GitHub Copilot → Log out / Log in. Restart IDE.

Step 11: Check org policy (Business/Enterprise)

If your org revoked your seat or restricted repo/languages, Copilot silently disables. Contact admin.

Step 12: Reset extension

Uninstall Copilot extension → restart editor → reinstall → sign in.

When to Contact Support

• Paid Pro subscription but no suggestions after 24 hours of troubleshooting
• Enterprise seat assigned but "not eligible" error
• Persistent 403 errors despite active subscription

Support: support.github.com or github.com/copilot/support.

Prevention Tips

• Keep Copilot extension auto-updated
• Don't install competing AI autocompletes
• For Business: maintain clear seat assignment process
• Monitor githubstatus.com via RSS for outages

FAQs

Why are suggestions slow? Peak hours + complex context. Usually improves within minutes.

Does Copilot work offline? No — it's cloud-based.

Is Copilot Free in 2026? Yes — limited tier with 2K completions/month and 50 chat requests.

Why doesn't Copilot work in some repos? Check .github/copilot.yml and org policies — repo may be excluded.

How do I exclude my code from Copilot? github.com/settings/copilot → Content exclusions.

Why does chat work but inline suggestions don't? They're separate — inline suggestions may need editor.inlineSuggest.enabled.

Does Copilot train on my code? Not on suggestions (since 2023 policy). Only on telemetry if opted in.

Conclusion

Copilot issues are usually auth, subscription, or extension conflicts — all quickly fixable. For a multi-model coding assistant with Copilot-like inline suggestions plus Claude/GPT chat, try Assisters AI.

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