Asking Copilot to Create a Pull Request — Quick Notes
Where You Can Trigger It From
| Entry Point | How |
|---|---|
| GitHub Issues | Assign "Copilot" as the issue assignee |
| Agents tab / panel | Type a prompt → click Send |
| GitHub Dashboard | Click "Task" button → type prompt |
| GitHub.com Chat | Type /task <description> |
| VS Code | Type prompt → click "Delegate to cloud agent" button |
| JetBrains IDE | Type prompt → click "Delegate to Cloud Agent" |
| Eclipse | Type prompt → click delegate icon → select repo |
| Visual Studio 2026 | Enable in Tools > Options > GitHub → click delegate button |
| GitHub Mobile | Tap icon → type prompt → Accept |
| GitHub CLI | gh agent-task create "your prompt" (v2.80.0+) |
| GitHub MCP Server | Use create_pull_request_with_copilot tool in any MCP-enabled IDE |
| Raycast | "Create Task" command → fill prompt + repo |
| New Repository page | Fill "Prompt" field when creating repo |
Assigning an Issue to Copilot (GitHub.com)
- Go to Issues → open the issue
- Click Assignees → select Copilot
- (Optional) Add a prompt with extra instructions, constraints, or coding preferences
- (Optional) Change the target repo and base branch
- (Optional) Select a custom agent or AI model
- Submit → Copilot starts working in the background
After assigning, Copilot won't see new comments on the issue. Add follow-ups in the PR comments instead.
Via GitHub API
Both GraphQL and REST are supported. Key optional parameters:
| Parameter | Purpose |
|---|---|
target_repo | Repo where Copilot works |
base_branch | Branch to branch off from |
custom_instructions | Extra guidance for Copilot |
custom_agent | Use a specific custom agent |
model | Select the AI model |
REST example (add assignee):
gh api --method POST /repos/OWNER/REPO/issues/ISSUE_NUMBER/assignees \
--input - <<< '{"assignees": ["copilot-swe-agent[bot]"], "agent_assignment": {...}}'
GitHub CLI (Quick Reference)
gh agent-task create "Your prompt here" # basic
gh agent-task create "prompt" --base main # specify branch
gh agent-task create "prompt" --repo owner/repo # specify repo
gh agent-task create "prompt" --follow # watch logs live
What Happens After Triggering
- Copilot starts a new session
- Works on the task autonomously (runs in GitHub Actions)
- Pushes commits to a new branch / draft PR
- Adds you as a reviewer when done → you get notified
Monitoring Progress
- Agents panel / page:
github.com/copilot/agents - VS Code: via Copilot Chat sidebar
- GitHub CLI:
gh agent-task list
Share the next link whenever you're ready!