Troubleshooting
Diagnose and fix issues with GitHub Copilot in VS Code
Read time: 4 min
title: "Troubleshooting" description: "Diagnose and fix issues with GitHub Copilot in VS Code" section: "Copilot" readTime: "4 min"
Troubleshooting Copilot
View Extension Logs
- Open Command Palette (
Ctrl+Shift+P) - Run
Developer: Set Log Level→ set to Trace for GitHub Copilot and GitHub Copilot Chat - Run
Output: Show Output Channels→ select GitHub Copilot or GitHub Copilot Chat - Review logs in the Output panel
Collect Network Diagnostics
If you cannot connect to Copilot:
- Command Palette →
GitHub Copilot: Collect Diagnostics - An editor tab opens with diagnostic info to share when reporting issues
Common causes: corporate firewalls, VPNs, proxy servers. See the network configuration FAQ.
Debug Chat Interactions
/troubleshoot command
Type /troubleshoot followed by your question in chat:
/troubleshoot how many tokens did I use?/troubleshoot list all paths you tried to load customizations
Requires github.copilot.chat.agentDebugLog.enabled to be enabled.
Agent Debug Log Panel (Primary Tool)
Shows a chronological event log: tool call sequences, LLM requests, token usage, prompt file discovery, errors.
Open: Chat view ... menu → Show Agent Debug Logs
You can attach a snapshot to ask the AI to diagnose a specific interaction.
Chat Debug View
Shows raw LLM request/response data: full system prompt, user prompt, context, and tool payloads.
Open: Chat view ... menu → Show Chat Debug View
Troubleshoot MCP Servers
- Command Palette →
MCP: List Servers - Select a server → view status and actions
- Show Output — view server logs
- Restart Server — fix a misbehaving server
Common Issues
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Inline suggestions not appearing | Check: Copilot not disabled globally/per-language; subscription active; network accessible; monthly limit not reached |
| Chat not working | Update VS Code and both Copilot extensions; verify active subscription; check monthly limit |
| Agents not available | Enable chat.agent.enabled; contact org admin if managed setting |
| Customizations not applied | Check Agent Debug Log for which files were loaded; verify file location and frontmatter |
| Subscription not detected | Sign out and sign in with correct account; verify subscription at github.com/settings/copilot |
Provide Feedback
- Ghost text: Hover over suggestion → select Send Copilot Completion Feedback
- NES: Gutter arrow → select Feedback
- General issues: Help menu → Report Issue → VS Code Extension → GitHub Copilot Chat