--- author: rotabor ms.service: github-copilot-for-azure ms.topic: include ms.date: 04/10/2026 --- ## Prerequisites To complete the steps in this article, make sure that you have: - A GitHub account and a GitHub Copilot subscription. For details on how to set them up, see [Creating an account on GitHub](https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/start-your-journey/creating-an-account-on-github) and [Quickstart for GitHub Copilot](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/quickstart), respectively. - Visual Studio 2022 version 17.14.30 or later (any edition). For details on how to download and install it, see [Install Visual Studio](/visualstudio/install/install-visual-studio). >[!IMPORTANT] >GitHub Copilot is a separate subscription managed by GitHub. For questions regarding GitHub Copilot subscriptions and Support, see [Getting started with a GitHub Copilot plan](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/manage-your-account/get-started-with-a-copilot-plan). By default, Copilot in Azure is available to all users in a tenant. However, Global Administrators can manage access to Copilot in Azure for their organization. Access can also be optionally granted to specific Microsoft Entra users or groups. For more information, see [Manage access to Microsoft Copilot in Azure](/azure/copilot/manage-access). ## Install GitHub Copilot for Azure Azure MCP is built in to Visual Studio 2022. No separate GitHub Copilot for Azure extension is required; the Azure MCP tools are included with the Azure development workload. 1. If you already installed Visual Studio 2022 and want to add GitHub Copilot for Azure after initial install, open Visual Studio Installer and select the **Modify** button, which displays the available workloads. :::image type="content" source="../media/get-started/visual-studio-2022-installer-modify.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows the Visual Studio Installer with the Modify button highlighted."::: If you're installing Visual Studio 2022 for the first time, the Visual Studio Installer automatically displays the available workloads. 1. On the Workloads tab, make sure the **Azure development** workload is selected. :::image type="content" source="../media/get-started/visual-studio-2022-installer-workloads.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows the Visual Studio Installer with the Azure development button highlighted."::: 1. Select the **Install** button to complete the installation. > [!NOTE] > Azure MCP tools are serviced with regular Visual Studio updates. To get updates, use the Visual Studio Installer (**Modify** or **Update**) and ensure you are on the latest Visual Studio 2022 version. 1. Launch Visual Studio 2022 and create or load a project. 1. Open GitHub Copilot Chat. 1. If prompted, sign in to your GitHub account. 1. If prompted, sign in to your Azure account. 1. In the chat area, select the Select tools button (two wrenches icon) to display a list of available tools. Enable all Azure tools by checking the top nodes for **Azure MCP Server v.x.x.x**. :::image type="content" source="../media/get-started/visual-studio-2022-select-tools-mcp-server.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows the select tools dialog with the Azure MCP Server node checked."::: > [!NOTE] > The Azure MCP tools are disabled by default in Visual Studio 2022 and need to be manually enabled before use. Once enabled from the Select tools dialog, your Azure MCP tool selections persist across sessions. Visual Studio 2026–specific tools aren't available in Visual Studio 2022. ## Write your first prompt 1. If the Chat window isn't already open, make sure it's open by selecting the **View** > **GitHub Copilot Chat** menu option. You should see chat window docked to the right side by default. :::image type="content" source="../media/get-started/visual-studio-2022-chat-window.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows the GitHub Copilot Chat window in Visual Studio 2022."::: 1. In the chat text area at the bottom of the chat pane, enter the following prompt: ```prompt Do I have any resources currently running? ``` :::image type="content" source="../media/get-started/visual-studio-2022-first-prompt.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows an example prompt typed into the chat area in Visual Studio 2022."::: By default, GitHub Copilot uses **ask** mode. Ask mode provides answers to your prompts in the chat pane. **Agent** mode enables GitHub Copilot to take action in your workspace. The answer to your question depends on what's currently running in Azure in your subscription. ## Agent mode In Agent mode, GitHub Copilot can perform tasks across your entire Visual Studio workspace, making edits, executing terminal commands, and so on. GitHub Copilot for Azure provides "tools" to GitHub Copilot to enhance the agentic experience through deep integration with Azure. To switch, between ask and agent mode, select the down chevron next to the Ask option in the chat area and select the desired mode. :::image type="content" source="../media/get-started/visual-studio-2022-switch-agent-mode.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows the mode menu in the chat area in Visual Studio 2022."::: ### Enable and disable tools in agent mode You might want to disable or re-enable certain tools available by GitHub Copilot for Azure. 1. Select the "Select tools" icon in the chat pane. :::image type="content" source="../media/get-started/visual-studio-2022-select-tools-icon.png" alt-text="Screenshot of chat pane with the select tools button clicked in Visual Studio 2022."::: 1. Use the checkbox next to the list of tools to enable / disable tools (or groups of tools).