How do you use GitHub Copilot in JetBrains IDEs?
You use GitHub Copilot in JetBrains IDEs by installing the GitHub Copilot plugin from the JetBrains Marketplace and signing in with a GitHub account that has a Copilot plan. The plugin adds code suggestions as you type, a chat panel with ask, agent, plan and edit modes, inline chat, code review and commit message generation.
The plugin is published by GitHub. Its JetBrains Marketplace listing is titled "GitHub Copilot - Your AI Pair Programmer" and showed about 56 million downloads (snapshot, 26 October 2026). GitHub's install guide notes that GitHub, not JetBrains, is the licensor and that use falls under the GitHub Terms for Additional Products and Features.
Which JetBrains IDEs does Copilot support?
GitHub's docs list these IDEs as compatible:
- IntelliJ IDEA (Ultimate, Community, Educational)
- Android Studio
- CLion
- Code With Me Guest
- DataGrip
- DataSpell
- GoLand
- JetBrains Client
- MPS
- PhpStorm
- PyCharm (Professional, Community, Educational)
- Rider
- RubyMine
- RustRover
- WebStorm
For exact version compatibility, GitHub points to the versions tab of the Marketplace listing. GitHub also recommends running the latest stable IDE and plugin versions.
How do you install and sign in?
These are the steps from GitHub's install guide, written for IntelliJ IDEA. Other JetBrains IDEs may differ slightly.
- Make sure you have access to GitHub Copilot through a personal plan or your organization.
- In your IDE, open the Plugins settings, search the Marketplace for GitHub Copilot, and click Install.
- Click Restart IDE.
- Open the Tools menu, then GitHub Copilot, then Login to GitHub.
- In the "Sign in to GitHub" dialog, click Copy and Open to copy a device code and open the activation page.
- Sign in to GitHub in the browser if asked, paste the code, and click Continue.
- Approve the permissions with Authorize GitHub Copilot Plugin.
- Back in the IDE, click OK on the confirmation.
If your Copilot plan is for a managed user account on GHE.com, GitHub says you need to update some settings before you sign in.
What can Copilot do in JetBrains?
GitHub's feature matrix shows what works in the JetBrains plugin. The matrix itself is labeled public preview, so treat it as a guide that changes often.
| Feature | JetBrains status |
|---|---|
| Code completion | Supported |
| Chat | Supported |
| Agent mode | Supported |
| Edit mode | Supported |
| MCP | Supported |
| Copilot code review | Supported |
| Checkpoints | Supported |
| Code referencing | Supported |
| Workspace indexing | Supported |
| Next edit suggestions | Preview |
| Agent skills | Preview |
| Custom agents | Preview |
| Custom instructions | Preview |
| Prompt files | Preview |
| Bring your own key | Preview |
| Vision | Preview |
The plugin's own Marketplace description summarizes the core set as code completions, Ask, Agent, Planning ("The plan agent helps you create detailed implementation plans upfront") and MCP, which "Extends agent mode by connecting Copilot to external tools and services."
What chat modes and agents does the JetBrains plugin offer?
Open chat from the GitHub Copilot Chat icon on the right side of the IDE window. GitHub's IDE chat guide lists the options in the Agents dropdown at the bottom of the chat panel:
- Agent mode (default): "Full agentic experience with autonomous task execution."
- Ask mode: quick answers without code changes.
- Plan mode: Copilot "analyzes your request and builds a structured plan for your review."
- Edit mode: controlled edits across files "that you review and accept individually."
- Copilot CLI: runs Copilot through Copilot CLI, with "multiple isolation modes, live session progress, and tool call visibility."
- Custom agents: your own agents tailored to specific work.
Edit mode is only available in VS Code and JetBrains. You add files to a working set, submit a prompt, then Accept or Discard the edits for each file. GitHub says it suits quick changes to a defined set of files and cases where you "want full control over the number of LLM requests Copilot uses."
In agent mode, Copilot streams edits into the editor and suggests terminal commands, and you confirm whether it can run each one. GitHub's agent mode guide notes that "each prompt you enter consumes GitHub AI Credits." You can send a follow-up prompt while it works to redirect it. See Copilot agent mode for the full workflow.
How do you add context in JetBrains chat?
Chat uses the file you have open or the code you have selected by default. To add more:
- Drag a file into the chat prompt box, or right-click a file, choose GitHub Copilot, then Reference File in Chat.
- Slash commands: the JetBrains cheat sheet lists
/explain,/fix,/testsand/help. In a Copilot CLI session you also get CLI commands like/compactand/remote. @github: add it to a question for GitHub-specific skills, for example@github #web What is the latest LTS of Node.js?- Custom instructions: a repository instructions file is added to chat questions automatically and shows up under References. JetBrains support is marked preview; see custom instructions.
Two more entry points skip the side panel. Inline chat opens with Ctrl+Shift+I, or by right-clicking and choosing GitHub Copilot, then Copilot: Inline Chat. Built-in requests sit in the same right-click GitHub Copilot menu. The Copilot Chat guide compares how this works in other editors.
Can you use Copilot in JetBrains without the plugin?
Yes. GitHub's Copilot in IDEs page describes three entry points:
| Entry point | Best for | Main capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot plugin | "A complete AI-assisted development workflow" | Inline and next edit suggestions, chat, agentic features, inline chat, code review, commit message generation |
| Copilot in JetBrains AI Assistant | Chat and an agent without a separate plugin | Chat, agentic tasks, model selection |
| Copilot CLI | Terminal-first workflows | Agentic assistance and model selection in the integrated terminal |
Copilot inside AI Assistant connects through the Agent Client Protocol (ACP). GitHub calls the plugin "the recommended entry point when you want code suggestions and the full set of IDE features." For the terminal route, see our Copilot CLI guide. If you are weighing other agents in the same IDE, our Claude Code in JetBrains guide covers Anthropic's plugin.
Tips and limits
- Organization policies apply. If your organization owner disables chat, you can't use Copilot Chat in the IDE. GitHub's docs also note that an enterprise or organization administrator can disable agent mode for your IDE.
- Preview features shift. Anything marked preview in the matrix may change; check the matrix again before you rely on it for a team.
- Feedback goes to GitHub. Use the share feedback link at the top of the Copilot Chat window; the plugin listing also points to GitHub's public repository for bug reports.
Save the prompts you reuse
Prompts that work in JetBrains chat, such as a refactor brief or a test plan, work in other editors too. Kipt keeps prompts and Agent Skills as Markdown in a private GitHub repo you own, with {{name}} blanks for the class or ticket you are working on, so you can paste the same prompt into whichever IDE you have open.