Why Can’t I Get GitHub Copilot CLI to Work? How Do I Download and Use It?

[arrais-company]

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Copilot Coding Agent

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Hi everyone,
I’m trying to install the GitHub Copilot CLI so I can use it in my terminal, but I keep getting messages saying it’s not available for my account.

I already installed the GitHub CLI and tried the Copilot extension, but the commands won’t work. I’m not sure if I’m missing a step or doing something wrong.

Can someone explain how to properly download and use GitHub Copilot CLI, and why it might not be working for me?
Thanks!

[Victorvhn]

Hi! Let’s walk through what you need to know to get GitHub Copilot CLI working:

1. ✅ Prerequisites

Before installing, you need:

• An active GitHub Copilot subscription (Pro, Business, or Enterprise), Copilot CLI only works with paid plans.
• Node.js v22 or newer
• npm v10 or newer
• (On Windows) PowerShell v6 or higher
• If you're in an organization: make sure your Copilot CLI is enabled by your org admin, because the feature may be disabled by policy.
  GitHub

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2. 📥 Installing the CLI

You will need to run

npm install -g @github/copilot

This installs the copilot command globally.

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3. 🚀 Launching and Authenticating

• Run

  copilot

• If you're not logged in yet, Copilot CLI will prompt you to run:

  /login

  and then follow the interactive process to authenticate.

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4. ⚠️ Important Notes & Limitations

• Public Preview: Copilot CLI is still in public preview, so features may change, and usage may not be totally stable.
• Quota: Because each prompt reduces your “premium requests” allowance, be mindful of how often you use it.
• Organization Policies: If you’re under a GitHub Enterprise or Business plan, your admin must enable Copilot CLI access.

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🔍 Why It Might Not Be Working for You

Based on your original issue (getting errors saying it’s not available), here are a few likely causes:

• No Copilot Paid Subscription: As mentioned, Copilot CLI requires a paid plan. Free plan users cannot use it.
• Node / npm Version Too Old: If your Node or npm is below the required version, the install will likely fail.
• Organization Policy Restriction: Your company’s GitHub admin may have explicitly disabled Copilot CLI.

Hope this helps you get everything up and running!

[arrais-company]

Oh, I didn’t realize I needed to have at least the Pro plan for the Copilot CLI to work. That explains why it wasn’t letting me use it. Thanks for clearing that up!