Yes—developers can use local AI models with GitHub Copilot, but the setup and capabilities depend on the Copilot client. As of October 2026, GitHub documents local-model options for Copilot CLI, VS Code, and the GitHub Copilot app. These are distinct from enterprise-managed BYOK, and they do not make every Copilot feature use a local model.
What “local models in Copilot” means
GitHub’s bring-your-own-key (BYOK) options let a user connect a supported Copilot client to a model running locally or hosted by an external provider. For local BYOK, users configure the model in the client, and keys are handled client-side. Enterprise BYOK is different: an administrator configures custom models for an organization or enterprise, and requests go through the Copilot API. GitHub describes enterprise BYOK as a public preview. Both approaches require a Copilot license; enterprise BYOK also requires internet access. GitHub’s BYOK documentation lists VS Code, JetBrains, Xcode, Copilot CLI, the GitHub Copilot app, and the Copilot SDK among local-BYOK client areas.
Support varies by client, so a model configured for one Copilot experience should not be assumed to power another. In particular, VS Code BYOK supports Chat but not code completions.
Which Copilot clients support local models?
| Client or pathway | Local-model options named by GitHub | What it applies to | Availability and distinctions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copilot CLI | Ollama, vLLM, and Foundry Local | CLI model routing; external providers and OpenAI-compatible endpoints are also supported. | GitHub announced the feature on April 7, 2026. GitHub sign-in is optional; signing in enables features such as /delegate, GitHub Code Search, and the GitHub MCP server. GitHub’s CLI announcement. |
| VS Code | Ollama and Foundry Local | VS Code Chat, including the built-in plan agent and custom agents; not code completions. | GitHub announced BYOK availability for Copilot Business and Enterprise users on April 22, 2026. Provider usage is billed directly and does not count against GitHub Copilot request quotas. Organization policy can disable BYOK. GitHub’s VS Code announcement. |
| GitHub Copilot app | Ollama and LM Studio | Agent sessions using BYOK. | GitHub announced support on June 23, 2026. The linked documentation identifies app BYOK as a public preview subject to change; check its current status. GitHub’s app announcement. |
| Enterprise BYOK | Custom models configured by an organization or enterprise administrator | Organization- or enterprise-managed Copilot use through the Copilot API; this is not the user-configured local-BYOK path. | GitHub documents this as a public preview. The docs do not identify it as a local-runtime setup. GitHub’s BYOK documentation. |
GitHub also documents local BYOK support areas for JetBrains, Xcode, and the Copilot SDK, but the cited client-specific announcements do not establish the same runtime list or feature coverage for those clients. Check the documentation for the exact client before configuring a model.
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What changes for VS Code users?
In VS Code, local BYOK is a Chat-model choice rather than a replacement for GitHub Copilot code completions. It can be used in VS Code Chat, including the built-in plan agent and custom agents. When using a BYOK provider, that provider bills usage directly; those requests do not count against GitHub Copilot request quotas. For Copilot Business and Enterprise, an organization policy can disable the option.
GitHub’s April 22, 2026 announcement also names hosted BYOK providers—Anthropic, Gemini, OpenAI, OpenRouter, and Azure—alongside local Ollama and Foundry Local. Those hosted choices are not local models merely because they appear in the same BYOK feature.
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How CLI sign-in affects local-model use
GitHub’s April 7, 2026 CLI announcement says Copilot CLI can use an external provider or run fully local models instead of GitHub-hosted model routing. GitHub authentication is optional for connecting a model. Signing in adds GitHub-integrated CLI features, including /delegate, GitHub Code Search, and the GitHub MCP server; it is not the same as the local model connection itself.
What to check before choosing a path
- Pick the client first. CLI, VS Code Chat, and app agent sessions expose different capabilities and model lists.
- Confirm who manages the connection. Local BYOK is configured by the user in a supported client; enterprise BYOK is administrator-configured and uses the Copilot API.
- Check organizational policy. GitHub says organizations or enterprises can disable local BYOK in IDEs for Business and Enterprise users.
- Separate model access from Copilot quotas. In VS Code, provider usage is billed directly and does not consume GitHub Copilot request quotas.
- Verify preview status and provider support. The Copilot app BYOK documentation describes a public preview that may change.
Hardware and privacy: what GitHub’s sources establish
GitHub’s cited material does not set a universal RAM, GPU, or VRAM minimum for Copilot local models, nor does it recommend a particular computer. The hardware needed depends on the selected model and runtime; do not treat a new AI PC or GPU as a Copilot requirement based on these sources.
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Likewise, the fact that a model runs locally is not, by itself, a complete statement about every part of data handling. The documented distinction is about configuration and routing: local BYOK is configured client-side, while enterprise BYOK routes administrator-configured models through the Copilot API. Avoid inferring broader privacy guarantees from the word “local.”
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