Granular Granular

Use GitHub Copilot

In short

Use your GitHub Copilot plan in Granular through GitHub's official Copilot CLI. Install it in one click, sign in with GitHub, and pick Auto or a model.

Updated 2026-10-20

If you have GitHub Copilot, Granular can use it as the engine behind a chat through GitHub's official Copilot CLI (Copilot's command-line agent). You sign in with your GitHub account once, then pick Auto or one of your plan's models in the model button under the message box. Any Copilot plan works, including the free one.

Before you start

  • A GitHub account with a Copilot plan. Copilot Free works: it includes the Copilot CLI with a monthly allowance and Auto model choice only. Paid plans (Pro, Pro+, Max) give more usage and more models. See GitHub's Copilot plans.
  • If your Copilot comes from an organisation, its owner may have turned the Copilot CLI off.

Set it up

  1. In the row of controls under the message box, click the button that shows your current connection's name.
  2. Click Add your AI agent.
  3. Under Coding agents, click GitHub Copilot. Its tag says Install, Sign in or Ready.
  4. If it isn't installed yet, a panel says "GitHub Copilot CLI needs a one-time install". Click Install for me. Granular runs GitHub's installer in the chat's Terminal tool and carries on by itself once it's found. On a Mac the installer may ask whether to add Copilot to your shell's settings; Granular answers No for you, because it finds Copilot anyway.
  5. A Finish signing in panel appears and your browser opens GitHub's device page. Enter the code the panel shows (there's a Copy button), then approve. If the page didn't open, click Open sign-in page again.
  6. A GitHub Copilot row appears in your Accounts list and the chat switches to it.

What you'll see

  • The model button under the message box starts with Auto (Copilot picks the model), followed by the models your plan offers. You can search it and pin favourites. See Pick and pin models.
  • When Copilot needs to run a command or change a file, it uses Granular's terminal and file tools, so every command shows in the Terminal tool and every change shows in the chat. Copilot can still read and search files itself.
  • Settings → AI accounts shows a GitHub Copilot card ("CLI on this computer") with links to GitHub's guide and your Copilot usage page.

Change or undo it

  • Stop using it in a chat: pick another account from the connection button.
  • Hide it: the GitHub Copilot row mirrors the Copilot CLI's own sign-in on this computer, so it can be hidden but not removed. Open Settings → AI accounts and click Hide from picker on its card. See Manage your AI accounts.
  • Sign out for good: start copilot in a terminal and type /logout.

Once you have a GitHub Copilot account in Granular, the GitHub Copilot row no longer shows under Add your AI agent.

Limits

  • Uses your Copilot plan. On Copilot Free you get a monthly allowance and Auto only. When the allowance runs out, Copilot stops until it renews or you upgrade.
  • Copilot's own command and file-editing tools are off. Granular keeps every command and change in view, for every engine.
  • New in 0.6.0. GitHub calls the way Granular talks to the CLI a public preview, so GitHub may change it. Full replies from a signed-in Copilot account haven't been through Granular's complete testing yet. If something looks wrong, switch the chat to another account.
  • Windows: the install uses WinGet. Without WinGet, run npm install -g @github/copilot (needs Node.js 22 or newer).

Other ways to use your Copilot plan

Your Copilot plan also works inside OpenCode (run /connect and choose GitHub Copilot) and Pi (type /login and choose GitHub Copilot).

Troubleshooting

If Granular says GitHub Copilot isn't signed in on this computer
The Copilot CLI's sign-in on this computer has ended, so Copilot can't answer. Switch the chat to another account from the connection button for now.

If you see "This GitHub account can't use Copilot here"
The account needs a Copilot plan (Copilot Free works), and an organisation may have turned the CLI off. Check github.com/settings/copilot.

If you see "Your GitHub Copilot plan has used up its allowance for now"
Pick Auto, wait for the allowance to renew, or upgrade your plan.

If you see "This version of the GitHub Copilot CLI doesn't understand how Granular starts it"
Run copilot update in the terminal, then try again.

If the install finished but Granular can't see the Copilot CLI
Click I've installed it - check again in the install panel. If that doesn't find it, quit Granular completely and open it again.

Questions

Can I use GitHub Copilot outside VS Code?
Yes. In Granular it runs through GitHub's official Copilot CLI, signed in with your GitHub account.
Does Copilot Free work?
Yes. Copilot Free includes the Copilot CLI with a monthly allowance and Auto model choice.
Do I need to install anything myself?
No. Install for me runs GitHub's installer for you.
Does Granular store my GitHub sign-in?
No. The Copilot CLI keeps it in your computer's secure credential store, the same as when you use it on its own.
Why does Copilot ask Granular to run commands?
Granular keeps every command in the visible Terminal tool, for every engine.

Related

Guides
Pick and pin models
Choose the AI model for a chat from the model button under the message box. Search every account, read the badges, and pin favourites with Cmd+D or Ctrl+D.
Guides
Connect OpenCode
Use your own OpenCode agent as a Granular chat engine. Install it in one click, connect a provider such as OpenRouter or Anthropic (or reuse one you added in Granular), then pick its models.
Guides
Connect Pi
Use the Pi coding agent as a Granular chat engine. Install it in one click, then reuse a provider you added in Granular or connect OpenRouter, Anthropic, OpenAI or xAI with /login.
Guides
Connect an AI model
All the ways to connect an AI model to Granular: sign in with Claude or Codex, plug in a coding agent like Cursor or GitHub Copilot, add a key, sign in to OpenRouter, run local models, or use the AI Add-on.