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GitHub Copilot in VS Code: Universe 2026 releases

Author
GitHub
Published
28 October 2026
Added
29 October 2026
Original
https://github.blog/changelog/2026-10-28-github-copilot-in-vs-code-universe-releases

Summary

GitHub's Universe 2026 update for Copilot in VS Code (2026-10-28) is about sessions that outlive the editor. A background Agent Host keeps sessions running after the window closes, sessions can run on remote machines or in GitHub's cloud and be continued from other clients, and an open Agent Host Protocol lets other apps share them. It also adds experimental desktop computer use and a customizations marketplace.

Key points

  • Agent Host: code agent host keeps Copilot sessions running after you close the folder or window. Run code agent host --github-environment in a project to check on, steer, or start tasks from GitHub Mobile.
  • Remote and cloud sessions: run agents on another machine over Remote SSH or dev tunnels (Remote menu in the Agents window), or start a cloud session from the Agents window. Sessions continue across VS Code, the Copilot app, GitHub Mobile, github.com, Copilot CLI, and Slack or Teams DMs.
  • Computer use (experimental, macOS and Windows): enable chat.agentHost.computerUse.enabled, restart, then type /computer on in a session. Each app needs your approval, and organizations can disable it by policy.
  • Customizations browser and marketplace (preview): Chat: Open Customizations gathers skills, MCP servers, plugins, and connectors in one place. A repo can register plugin marketplaces and default plugins in .github/copilot/settings.json (contributors can turn them off unless policy requires them).
  • Agent Host Protocol (AHP): an open protocol, with client libraries for TypeScript, Rust, Go, Kotlin, and Swift, for custom clients that share live sessions with VS Code and catch up after reconnecting.
  • The Copilot harness, built on the Copilot SDK, stays the default. GitHub also said the same day that the GitHub Copilot SDK is becoming the Microsoft Copilot SDK; no action is required from existing users.

Why it matters

Coding agents are moving from "a chat panel in the editor" to long-running sessions that live on a host and can be reached from anywhere, as Claude Code already does with background sessions and Remote Control. AHP is a bid to make that session layer open.