One button moves a Copilot app session in VS Code, and the agent’s conversation, code changes and Git worktree all come with it. GitHub walked through the full handoff in a guide published on 19 October 2026. It removes one of the most annoying parts of working with coding agents: starting over when you want to take the wheel.
Key takeaways
- Select Open in VS Code in the GitHub Copilot app. VS Code opens the session’s own worktree and shows the chat in the Copilot sidebar.
- The task, plan, prompt history and diff all carry over, so you never have to re-explain the job.
- There is also a manual route: set the External filter in VS Code’s sessions list to All.
- VS Code only finds sessions that are linked to a repository and were updated in the last seven days.
- Pushing the branch updates the pull request that already tracks the work.
What is the GitHub Copilot app, anyway?
The GitHub Copilot app is a standalone desktop client for running AI coding agents. It is separate from any editor plug-in. Microsoft announced it at Build 2026, and Thurrott reported on 2 June 2026 that it opened as a technical preview for paid Copilot subscribers on Windows 11 (including Arm), macOS and Linux.
Every session runs in its own Git worktree. A worktree is a second working copy of the same repository on its own branch. It lets several agents edit code side by side without overwriting each other’s files.
That isolation is great for the agents. It’s awkward for you when you want to step in and finish the job by hand. The VS Code handoff closes that gap.
How do you continue a Copilot app session in VS Code?
GitHub’s guide, written by developer advocate Kayla Cinnamon, boils it down to a short loop:
- Open the session in the Copilot app and read what the agent planned and changed.
- Select Open in VS Code. If you have more than one supported editor or VS Code installation, pick one.
- VS Code opens the project on the session’s worktree, with the existing session in the Copilot sidebar.
- Review the diff file by file in the Source Control view.
- Ask follow-up questions in the sidebar, or edit files yourself. Both build on the same worktree.
- Run your install, test, lint and dev commands in the integrated terminal.
- Commit and push. The existing pull request updates with your changes.
Before you start, sign in to the Copilot app and VS Code with the same GitHub account. You also need a session that contains code changes and permission to push to its repository. GitHub’s post lists no minimum version or plan beyond that.
“You are continuing the existing session, not reconstructing it in a new editor window.”
GitHub Blog, 19 October 2026
What actually carries over?
Think of it as a relay baton that carries the first runner’s notes. Here is what lands in VS Code:
| What moves | Where you find it in VS Code |
|---|---|
| Task, plan and prompt history | Copilot sidebar |
| The agent’s code changes | Source Control view, ready to review |
| Worktree and branch | The folder VS Code opens |
| Pull request link | Updated when you push the branch |
You don’t need to summarise the history for a fresh chat or copy files between checkouts. Any edit you make by hand sits in the same worktree, so the agent sees it on your next prompt.
Can you find app sessions without the button?
Yes. According to VS Code’s session docs, the editor can find local sessions from the GitHub Copilot app, Copilot CLI, Claude Code and Codex. You can then continue them in the Chat view or the Agents window.
External sessions are hidden by default. The External filter offers None, Recent, Last 24 Hours, Last 7 Days and All. You can also set it with chat.agentSessions.showExternal. Recent shows only the two most recently updated sessions.
Two catches are worth knowing. First, Copilot only finds sessions linked to a repository and updated within the last seven days. Second, once you send a message from VS Code, the session stops counting as external, so the filter no longer hides it.
Codex sessions add a third rule. Only one app can write to a Codex chat at a time, so you have to quit ChatGPT or Codex CLI before VS Code lets you send.
What should you check before you push agent code?
GitHub’s checklist is short. Does the change solve the problem? Does it follow the repository’s conventions and handle edge cases? Does it include tests? Does it leave unrelated files alone?
In my opinion, that last question matters most. Agents love tidying files nobody asked them to touch, and those drive-by edits are what make reviewers nervous. For a bigger picture of how teams harden agent workflows, see our breakdown of the 7-level maturity model for production-grade AI agents.
What happens next
GitHub used the guide to promote GitHub Universe 2026, which runs on 28 and 29 October 2026 in San Francisco and online. GitHub hasn’t said what it will announce there, but the Copilot app is the obvious candidate for more news.
The bigger trend is clear. VS Code is turning into a hub that picks up agent work from several vendors, not just Microsoft’s. That fits a wider shift in how software gets built, which we covered in Anthropic’s junior hiring numbers.
FAQ
Do I need the same GitHub account in both apps?
Yes. GitHub lists it as a prerequisite: the Copilot app and VS Code must be signed in to the same GitHub account, and you need push access to the session’s repository.
Why can’t I see an older session in VS Code?
VS Code only finds repository-linked sessions updated in the last seven days, and the External filter is set to None by default. Switch it to All to see everything VS Code has found.
Will my manual edits change the pull request?
Only when you commit and push. The session’s branch is already tied to a pull request, so pushing updates that same PR.
Next time an agent gets a task most of the way there, try the handoff on a small branch first: open it in VS Code, run your tests and push only what you would sign your name to.
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