Skip to main content
GitHub Copilot is GitHub’s AI coding assistant. It provides access to Copilot models for your GitHub account and plan. OpenClaw can use Copilot as a model provider or agent runtime in three different ways.

​
Three ways to use Copilot in OpenClaw

Use the native device-login flow to obtain a GitHub token, then exchange it for Copilot API tokens when OpenClaw runs. This is the default and simplest path because it does not require VS Code.
1

Run the login command

openclaw models auth login-github-copilot
You will be prompted to visit a URL and enter a one-time code. Keep the terminal open until it completes.
2

Set a default model

openclaw models set github-copilot/claude-opus-4.7
Or in config:
{
  agents: {
    defaults: { model: { primary: "github-copilot/claude-opus-4.7" } },
  },
}

​
Optional flags

CommandFlagDescription
openclaw models auth login-github-copilot--yesOverwrite an existing auth profile without prompting
openclaw models auth login --provider github-copilot --method device--set-defaultAlso apply the provider’s recommended default model
# Skip the re-login confirmation
openclaw models auth login-github-copilot --yes

# Login and set the default model in one step
openclaw models auth login --provider github-copilot --method device --set-default

​
Non-interactive onboarding

The device-login flow requires an interactive TTY. For headless setup, import an existing GitHub OAuth access token with openclaw onboard --non-interactive: 
openclaw onboard --non-interactive --accept-risk \
  --auth-choice github-copilot \
  --github-copilot-token "$COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN" \
  --skip-channels --skip-health
You can also omit --auth-choice; passing --github-copilot-token infers the GitHub Copilot provider auth choice. If the flag is omitted, onboarding falls back to COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN, GH_TOKEN, then GITHUB_TOKEN. Use --secret-input-mode ref with COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKEN set to store an env-backed tokenRef instead of plaintext in auth-profiles.json.
The device-login flow requires an interactive TTY. Run it directly in a terminal, not in a non-interactive script or CI pipeline.
Copilot model availability depends on your GitHub plan. If a model is rejected, try another ID (for example github-copilot/gpt-5.5). See GitHub’s supported models per Copilot plan for the current model list.
Once the device-login (or env-var) auth path has resolved a GitHub token, OpenClaw refreshes the model catalog on demand from ${baseUrl}/models (the same endpoint VS Code Copilot uses) so the runtime tracks per-account entitlement and accurate context windows without manifest churn. Newly published Copilot models become visible without an OpenClaw upgrade, and context windows reflect the real per-model limits (e.g. 400k for the gpt-5.x series, 1M for the internal claude-opus-*-1m variants).The bundled static catalog stays as the visible fallback when discovery is disabled, the user has no GitHub auth profile, the token-exchange fails, or the /models HTTPS call errors. To opt out and rely entirely on the static manifest catalog (offline / air-gapped scenarios):
{
  plugins: {
    entries: {
      "github-copilot": {
        config: { discovery: { enabled: false } },
      },
    },
  },
}
Claude model IDs use the Anthropic Messages transport automatically. Gemini models use the OpenAI Chat Completions transport; GPT and o-series models keep the OpenAI Responses transport. OpenClaw selects the correct transport based on the model ref.
OpenClaw sends Copilot IDE-style request headers on Copilot transports (VS Code editor/plugin versions and the vscode-chat integration id), marks tool-result follow-up turns as agent-initiated, and sets the Copilot vision header when a turn carries image input.
OpenClaw resolves Copilot auth from environment variables in the following priority order:
PriorityVariableNotes
1COPILOT_GITHUB_TOKENHighest priority, Copilot-specific
2GH_TOKENGitHub CLI token (fallback)
3GITHUB_TOKENStandard GitHub token (lowest)
When multiple variables are set, OpenClaw uses the highest-priority one. The device-login flow (openclaw models auth login-github-copilot) stores its token in the auth profile store and takes precedence over all environment variables.
The login stores a GitHub token in the auth profile store (profile id github-copilot:github) and exchanges it for a short-lived Copilot API token when OpenClaw runs. You do not need to manage the token manually.

​
Memory search embeddings

GitHub Copilot can also serve as an embedding provider for memory search. If you have a Copilot subscription and have logged in, OpenClaw can use it for embeddings without a separate API key.

​
Config

Set memorySearch.provider explicitly to use GitHub Copilot embeddings. If a GitHub token is available, OpenClaw discovers available embedding models from the Copilot API and picks the best one automatically. 
{
  agents: {
    defaults: {
      memorySearch: {
        provider: "github-copilot",
        // Optional: override the auto-discovered model
        model: "text-embedding-3-small",
      },
    },
  },
}

​
How it works

  1. OpenClaw resolves your GitHub token (from env vars or auth profile).
  2. Exchanges it for a short-lived Copilot API token.
  3. Queries the Copilot /models endpoint to discover available embedding models.
  4. Picks the best model (preference order: text-embedding-3-small, text-embedding-3-large, text-embedding-ada-002).
  5. Sends embedding requests to the Copilot /embeddings endpoint.
Model availability depends on your GitHub plan. If no embedding models are available, OpenClaw skips Copilot and tries the next provider.

Model selection

Choosing providers, model refs, and failover behavior.

OAuth and auth

Auth details and credential reuse rules.