Install GitHub Copilot upgrade

Prerequisites

Before you install, make sure you have:

• Windows operating system.
• Visual Studio 2026 (or Visual Studio 2022 version 17.14.17+).
• .NET desktop development workload with these optional components enabled: GitHub Copilot, GitHub Copilot app modernization.
• GitHub Copilot subscription (paid or free).
• Sign in to Visual Studio with a GitHub account that has Copilot access.
• Code written in C# or Visual Basic.

Install

Visual Studio includes GitHub Copilot upgrade through the GitHub Copilot app modernization optional component, so you don't need to install it separately. Enable the GitHub Copilot and GitHub Copilot app modernization optional components in the .NET desktop development workload through the Visual Studio Installer.

Verify the installation

1. Open a solution in Visual Studio.
2. Right-click a project in Solution Explorer and select Modernize, or open GitHub Copilot Chat and type @Modernize.

Prerequisites

Before you install, make sure you have:

• Visual Studio Code.
• GitHub Copilot extension installed.
• GitHub Copilot subscription (paid or free).

Install

Install as a Visual Studio Code extension:

1. In Visual Studio Code, open the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X).
2. Search for GitHub Copilot upgrade.
3. Select Install.

The extension automatically acquires the .NET SDK if it's missing, registers tools, and adds the agent to Copilot Chat as Upgrade.

Verify the installation

1. Open a project in Visual Studio Code.

2. Open the GitHub Copilot Chat view.

3. Send @upgrade in chat and confirm the agent responds.

   -or-

   Select the Agent picker and find the Upgrade entry.

Prerequisites

Before you install, make sure you have:

• GitHub Copilot CLI installed.
• GitHub Copilot subscription (paid or free).

Install

Install through the GitHub Copilot CLI:

1. Open the GitHub Copilot chat window.

2. Add the marketplace plugin:

   /plugin marketplace add microsoft/upgrade-agent-plugins
   

3. Install the plugin:

   /plugin install upgrade-agent@upgrade-agent-plugins
   

Verify the installation

Run /agent to confirm that upgrade-agent appears in the agent list.

Prerequisites

Before you install, make sure you have:

• GitHub Copilot app installed.
• GitHub Copilot subscription (paid or free).

Install

Install the microsoft/upgrade-agent-plugins marketplace through the GitHub Copilot app:

1. Click this link to automatically open the Settings > Plugins window in the GitHub Copilot app.
2. In the Add plugin marketplace? dialog, select Allow.
3. The Plugins window opens with the microsoft/upgrade-agent-plugins marketplace, select Add marketplace.
4. Expand the upgrade-agent-plugins entry and select Install on the upgrade-agent plugin.

Verify the installation

Run /agent to confirm that upgrade-agent:upgrade appears in the agent list.

-or-

Select the Default agent picker and find the Upgrade entry.

Prerequisites

Before you install, make sure you have:

• GitHub Copilot Enterprise or Business subscription with coding agents enabled.
• Repository admin access.

Install

Add the custom coding agent to your repository:

1. Review adding custom coding agents to your repository.
2. Add the upgrade agent. See the coding agent README for details.