Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteGitHub announced that OpenAI GPT-5 and GPT-5 mini were generally available in GitHub Copilot on September 9, 2025. At launch, GPT-5 mini was available on every Copilot plan, including Free, while GPT-5 required a paid plan. That announcement is now historical: GitHub scheduled GPT-5 mini for deprecation across Copilot experiences on October 19, 2026, so check the current model picker or documentation before relying on its launch-era availability.
What GitHub announced in September 2025
GitHub’s September 9, 2025 Changelog announcement said: “OpenAI’s GPT-5 and GPT-5 mini are now generally available in GitHub Copilot.” The announcement described access through Copilot Chat; it did not provide performance benchmarks or establish a ranking between the models.
Plan eligibility at launch
| Model | Copilot plan eligibility in the September 9, 2025 announcement |
|---|---|
| GPT-5 mini | All Copilot plans, including Copilot Free |
| GPT-5 | Paid Copilot plans |
These are the launch-era terms, not a guarantee of current availability. GitHub’s September 9, 2025 announcement is the source for this original plan distinction.
How access worked at launch
Individual paid-plan users
GitHub instructed individual paid-plan users to choose a model in a supported IDE and confirm a one-time prompt. At announcement, GitHub listed Copilot Chat on github.com, VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Xcode, Eclipse, and GitHub Mobile. That was the launch-era list, not a verified list of surfaces that still offer either model.
Copilot Business and Enterprise
For Business and Enterprise, an administrator had to enable the new GPT-5 and GPT-5 mini policy in Copilot settings. The launch instructions and eligibility details are in the original GitHub Changelog post.
Is GPT-5 mini still available in GitHub Copilot?
GitHub’s September 18, 2026 update scheduled GPT-5 mini for deprecation across Copilot experiences on October 19, 2026, and suggested GPT-5.6 Luna as an alternative. Because this article is dated October 8, 2026, that scheduled date is still in the future; the update does not establish that GPT-5 mini has already been removed. Check the model picker or GitHub’s current documentation for what you can select now. See the September 18, 2026 deprecation notice.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to verify current model availability
Do not use the 2025 list of apps and plans as a current access guide. GitHub’s May 20, 2026 update noted changes to the model list on Copilot web and directs users to the model picker or documented list for up-to-date plan availability. Open the picker in your Copilot experience and consult GitHub’s May 20, 2026 web model-selection update and its linked current documentation. Availability can depend on the experience and plan, so verify both rather than assuming the launch terms still apply.
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