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To install GitHub Copilot in IntelliJ IDEA, use the official plugin published by GitHub: open Settings/Preferences > Plugins > Marketplace, search for GitHub Copilot, install it, restart IntelliJ IDEA, and authorize it through GitHub’s browser-based device login.
The official plugin is the best choice if you want the broadest feature set: inline code completion, next-edit suggestions, Copilot Chat, inline Chat, code review, commit-message generation, model selection, and agent workflows. JetBrains AI Assistant and Copilot CLI can also expose parts of Copilot, but neither is a complete substitute for the official plugin.
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Before you install GitHub Copilot
Check these requirements first:
- GitHub access: you need access through Copilot Free or a paid Copilot plan. Available features, limits, models, and organization policies can change, so check your account’s current entitlement if a feature is missing.
- A compatible JetBrains IDE: GitHub lists IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate, Community, and Educational editions as compatible. The same plugin also supports several other JetBrains products, including Android Studio, CLion, DataGrip, GoLand, PhpStorm, PyCharm, Rider, RubyMine, RustRover, and WebStorm.
- A current plugin build: check the GitHub Copilot listing in the JetBrains Marketplace for the current IntelliJ IDEA compatibility information. There is no single IntelliJ IDEA version number that applies permanently to every plugin release.
- Browser access: the sign-in process uses GitHub device authorization. You will copy a code from IntelliJ IDEA and enter it on a GitHub activation page.
If your GitHub account is managed by an organization or enterprise, the organization may need to assign Copilot access or allow particular features such as Chat. Installing the plugin cannot override those policies.
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For readers who need the host IDE first, use the official IntelliJ IDEA page rather than downloading an unofficial repackaged installer. The IDE itself is not required to be purchased separately for every use case: IntelliJ IDEA editions and licensing options differ, so check JetBrains’ current terms for your situation.
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Install the official GitHub Copilot plugin
- Open IntelliJ IDEA.
- Open Settings on Windows or Linux. On macOS, open Preferences.
- Select Plugins.
- Choose the Marketplace tab.
- Search for GitHub Copilot.
- Select GitHub Copilot – Your AI Pair Programmer, published by GitHub.
- Click Install.
- Restart IntelliJ IDEA when prompted.
Use the publisher name to distinguish the official plugin from similarly named third-party plugins. You can also open the GitHub Copilot listing in the JetBrains Marketplace and verify that GitHub is shown as the publisher.
If the Marketplace is unavailable
A missing Marketplace result does not necessarily mean that Copilot is unsupported. A corporate network, IDE policy, proxy, or restricted software repository may block Marketplace access. In a managed environment, ask your administrator to distribute or approve the official GitHub plugin. Do not choose an unrelated plugin merely because its name contains “Copilot.”
Sign in to GitHub from IntelliJ IDEA
After restarting the IDE:
- Open the Tools menu.
- Select GitHub Copilot.
- Choose Login to GitHub.
- In the sign-in dialog, select Copy and Open. IntelliJ IDEA copies a device code and opens GitHub’s activation page in your browser.
- If GitHub asks you to sign in, use the account that has Copilot access.
- Paste the device code into the browser page and continue.
- Review the requested permissions, then select Authorize GitHub Copilot Plugin.
- Return to IntelliJ IDEA and select OK after the confirmation appears.
Be careful when several GitHub accounts are signed in to the same browser. A successful authorization can still be attached to the wrong account if you approve it while another account is active. If that happens, repeat the login flow using the account that owns or receives the Copilot entitlement.
For GitHub Enterprise Cloud users, an enterprise or organization administrator may have to configure access before authorization completes. That is an account-policy issue, not a different IntelliJ installation procedure.
Verify that Copilot is working
Use both completion and Chat tests so you can tell whether the entire integration works or only one feature is available.
- Open a source file in a language used by your project.
- Confirm that the Copilot status icon in the bottom panel is enabled rather than grayed out.
- Type a short method or function signature, or add a comment describing intended behavior.
- Wait for an inline suggestion to appear.
- Use the editor command shown by IntelliJ IDEA to accept or dismiss it.
- Open the GitHub Copilot Chat tool window from the right side of the IDE.
- Ask Copilot to explain the current file or selected code.
For example, try:
Explain this class, identify its responsibilities, and list any obvious error-handling risks.If an inline suggestion appears, Copilot is providing code completion. If Chat also responds, the conversational integration is working as well. Chat working while completions do not usually points to a language-specific completion setting, not an authentication failure.
Use inline code suggestions
Copilot generates suggestions from the method signature, nearby code, comments, imports, and the structure of the current file. A useful prompt can be as simple as a descriptive comment or an unfinished method declaration.
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// Return validation errors for an empty username and an invalid email addressCopilot may propose an implementation or test setup. Review the suggestion before accepting it. Generated code can contain incorrect assumptions about your project, outdated APIs, unsafe handling, missing edge cases, or dependencies that are not appropriate for your build.
Do not rely on a shortcut copied from an old tutorial. Copilot commands can differ by operating system, IntelliJ version, keymap, and user customization. To find or change them, open Settings/Preferences > Keymap, search for “Copilot,” and assign the command you want.
Next-edit suggestions
The official plugin can also suggest related edits as you work, rather than limiting suggestions to the exact cursor position. Review these proposed changes with the same care as inline completions, especially when they affect multiple files or alter existing behavior.
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Open Chat by clicking the GitHub Copilot Chat icon on the right side of the JetBrains IDE. Select or open relevant code before asking a question so the request has useful project context.
Useful prompts include:
Explain this class and identify its responsibilities.Generate JUnit tests for the selected method, including edge cases.Suggest a safer way to validate this input.Find likely causes of this stack trace in the current project.Refactor this method without changing its public behavior.Review the selected code for nullability, concurrency, and error-handling risks.
Chat can expose several agent choices, including Ask, Plan, Agent, and, in supported releases, Copilot CLI. The exact choices and behavior can change with plugin releases and account entitlements.
- Ask
- Use for explanations, questions, and proposed changes without asking the assistant to modify the project.
- Plan
- Use when you want a structured implementation approach before editing files. Review the plan for missing requirements and risky assumptions.
- Agent
- Use for multi-step work only after reviewing the requested scope, commands, and file changes. Inspect every proposed modification before accepting it.
A good workflow is to begin with Ask, request a Plan when the task is substantial, and use Agent only for a clearly bounded task. This reduces the chance of approving a broad change when you only wanted an explanation.
Configure GitHub Copilot in IntelliJ IDEA
The main configuration page is:
Settings/Preferences > Tools > GitHub Copilot
Depending on the installed plugin version, the page can include general behavior, completion behavior, automatic update checks, and language controls.
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Enable or disable Copilot
Click the Copilot status icon in the bottom panel. A highlighted icon indicates that Copilot is enabled; a gray icon indicates that it is disabled.
When disabling Copilot, IntelliJ IDEA may let you apply the change globally or only to the language currently being edited. This is useful if you want suggestions in application code but not in documentation, configuration, or a language where suggestions are distracting.
Enable or disable languages
- Open Settings/Preferences.
- Go to Tools > GitHub Copilot.
- Open Completions.
- Select or clear the languages that should use Copilot.
- Click Apply, then OK.
- Restart the JetBrains IDE so the change takes effect.
Copilot is generally activated for all supported languages by default after installation, but a language can be disabled in the graphical settings or by an organization policy.
Advanced language configuration with XML
GitHub documents an optional github-copilot.xml configuration file. Typical locations are:
- macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/JetBrains/<product><version>/options/github-copilot.xml - Windows:
%APPDATA%JetBrains<product><version>optionsgithub-copilot.xml - Linux:
~/.config/JetBrains/<product><version>/options/github-copilot.xml
The file may not exist until you change language settings in the IDE. Its languageAllowList can contain individual languages or a wildcard. A value of true enables Copilot for a language and false disables it.
For example, a managed workstation could use a policy that allows suggestions only for selected languages. Because the exact XML structure is version-sensitive, use the IDE’s graphical settings whenever possible and back up the file before editing it manually. XML is most useful when a team needs repeatable workstation configuration or a centrally maintained language policy.
Choose the right JetBrains Copilot entry point
GitHub currently describes three ways to use Copilot with JetBrains IDEs:
| Entry point | Best for | What it provides |
|---|---|---|
| Official GitHub Copilot plugin | Users who want the fullest Copilot workflow | Code completion, next-edit suggestions, Chat, inline Chat, code review, commit-message generation, model selection, IDE tools, and agent experiences |
| Copilot in JetBrains AI Assistant | Users who already use AI Assistant and mainly want chat or agent access | Chat and agent capabilities, but GitHub documents that code completion, next-edit suggestions, inline Chat, code review, and commit-message generation are not included |
| Copilot CLI in the integrated terminal | Terminal-first workflows | Copilot CLI from the IDE terminal; it is not a replacement for inline editor completion |
Therefore, install the official GitHub plugin for the title’s full IntelliJ IDEA workflow. Choose AI Assistant integration if conversational or agent access is enough and you do not need inline completion. Choose CLI if your work is primarily terminal-based.
Older tutorials may show different agent defaults, menus, icons, or shortcuts. GitHub’s current JetBrains documentation describes changes to the default agent harness toward Copilot CLI, while Marketplace releases continue to evolve. Always compare an older guide with the current plugin listing and GitHub documentation before treating a UI difference as an installation failure.
Troubleshoot common problems
The plugin does not appear in the Marketplace
Search for the exact name GitHub Copilot and verify that the publisher is GitHub. If the Marketplace is blocked, check your company’s proxy, network, IDE policy, or approved software repository. Do not install a similarly named third-party plugin as a substitute without verifying its publisher and capabilities.
The plugin installed, but Copilot is missing
Restart IntelliJ IDEA. The documented installation flow requires a restart before the Tools > GitHub Copilot login commands become available. If the commands remain absent, confirm that the plugin is enabled under Settings/Preferences > Plugins > Installed.
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Repeat Tools > GitHub Copilot > Login to GitHub. Verify the account shown in the browser before authorizing the plugin. For managed accounts, ask the organization administrator to confirm Copilot assignment, enterprise policy, and any restrictions on Chat or agent features.
Chat is unavailable
Check your Copilot access and organization policies. A plugin can be installed and authenticated while Chat remains unavailable because an organization owner has disabled Chat or because the account does not have the required entitlement. If the organization provides your Copilot access, its policy takes precedence.
Completions do not appear in one language
Open Settings/Preferences > Tools > GitHub Copilot > Completions and verify that the language is enabled. If the IDE uses github-copilot.xml, look for a wildcard rule that disables every language or a language-specific entry that overrides the setting. Restart IntelliJ IDEA after changing the configuration.
Suggestions are distracting
Use the completion settings to adjust how suggestions are displayed, disable Copilot for selected languages, or disable completions globally while retaining other Copilot workflows where the current plugin supports them. Disabling completions is often preferable to uninstalling the plugin when you still want Chat or code-review features.
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Features differ from an older guide
Plugin menus, shortcuts, agent choices, supported models, and default behavior can change. Check the current Marketplace release and GitHub’s current JetBrains documentation. Do not assume that an old screenshot or shortcut applies to your operating system, keymap, IntelliJ build, or plugin version.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Review generated code before using it
Copilot is an assistance tool, not a correctness guarantee. Before merging or deploying generated code:
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- Read the entire change, not just the lines Copilot inserted.
- Run the project’s compiler, formatter, linter, and automated tests.
- Add tests for normal cases, boundary conditions, failures, authorization, and concurrency where relevant.
- Check dependencies, licenses, security assumptions, input validation, logging, and error handling.
- Confirm that the code matches the project’s architecture and public API.
- Use human review for production changes, especially authentication, payments, cryptography, data access, infrastructure, and privacy-sensitive code.
Neither installation documentation nor the plugin interface should be read as an independent guarantee that generated code is secure, original, correctly licensed for every use, or suitable for production without review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GitHub Copilot free in IntelliJ IDEA?
GitHub documents limited access through Copilot Free as well as full access through paid plans. The available models, limits, and features can change, and an organization’s policy may further restrict access.
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Yes. GitHub lists IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate, Community, and Educational editions among the compatible environments. Check the current JetBrains Marketplace listing for plugin and IDE compatibility rather than relying on an old version number.
Why does Copilot Chat work while inline completions do not?
The most likely cause is a language-specific completion setting. Check Settings/Preferences > Tools > GitHub Copilot > Completions and confirm that the language is enabled. Also check whether a github-copilot.xml policy disables it.
Can I use Copilot through JetBrains AI Assistant instead of installing the plugin?
You can use Copilot as an agent inside JetBrains AI Assistant, but GitHub documents that this route does not provide the official plugin’s code completion, next-edit suggestions, inline Chat, code review, or commit-message generation. Install the official plugin if you want the broadest feature set.
Do GitHub Copilot keyboard shortcuts always match online tutorials?
No. Shortcuts vary by operating system, IntelliJ keymap, IDE version, and customization. Open Settings/Preferences > Keymap and search for Copilot commands to see or change the active bindings.
The Bottom Line
For IntelliJ IDEA users who want inline suggestions as well as Chat and agent features, install the Marketplace plugin titled GitHub Copilot – Your AI Pair Programmer and verify that GitHub is the publisher. Authenticate through the browser device code, test both completions and Chat, then configure languages under Settings/Preferences > Tools > GitHub Copilot. Keep AI Assistant and Copilot CLI in mind as narrower alternatives, and review all generated code before committing it.
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