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GitHub Copilot assisted permissions are generally available in the CLI, the Copilot app and VS Code

Release Ruler for this brief: marked at its publication date, Oct 27, 2026, among the AI models we track.

GitHub Copilot assisted permissions became generally available on October 26, 2026 in Copilot CLI, the Copilot app and Visual Studio Code; a language model evaluates each permission request, clearly safe ones proceed automatically and the rest still need approval.

By Agentic Weekly · Evidence: Reported · How we work

First seen
(via GitHub changelog: Copilot)
Source published
(we saw it 4.5 hours later)
Brief published

What changed

  • Assisted permissions are now generally available in GitHub Copilot CLI, the GitHub Copilot app and Visual Studio Code, according to GitHub's changelog of October 26, 2026.
  • When Copilot asks to run a command, access a file system path or open a URL, a large language model evaluates the request; requests it classifies as clearly safe proceed automatically and all others still require approval.
  • How to turn it on: in Copilot CLI run /permissions and select assisted; in the Copilot app open the mode picker, click Tool permissions and select Assisted; in VS Code choose Assisted permissions in the permissions picker.
  • Enterprise administrators can use enterprise-managed settings to block Allow All while keeping Assisted available, disable Assisted separately, and choose the default permission mode for new sessions.
  • If the default mode is unavailable or prohibited by policy, a session starts with manual approval; developers can still pick any other mode their policy permits.

In the source’s words

“Requests classified as clearly safe automatically proceed. Other requests require your approval.”

Early verdict

Teams that already let Copilot run tools can try Assisted as a middle ground between manual approval and Allow All, with admins able to keep Allow All blocked.

Basis: Based only on the modes and enterprise controls the changelog describes; we have not run assisted permissions or measured how it classifies requests.

What we have not verified

  • We did not run assisted permissions or test which requests it classifies as clearly safe.
  • The changelog does not say which model does the classification or whether it changes premium request usage.
  • Plan availability (which Copilot tiers get it) is not stated in the changelog.

This brief is Reported: written from the sources below, not from running the release ourselves.

Sources

Spotted an error? See our corrections policy or email the address on the contact page. Markdown version for agents: /news/github-copilot-assisted-permissions-ga.md

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