GitHub Copilot for Xcode

GitHub Copilot for Xcode is the leading AI coding assistant for Swift, Objective-C and iOS/macOS development. It delivers intelligent Completions, Chat, and Code Review—plus advanced features like Agent Mode, Next Edit Suggestions, MCP Registry, and Copilot Vision to make Xcode development faster and smarter.

Quick Start

1. Install the app with Homebrew or from the latest DMG by following the installation guide.
2. Launch GitHub Copilot for Xcode, then grant the required Background, Accessibility, and Xcode Source Editor Extension permissions.
3. Sign in with the GitHub account that has your GitHub Copilot access, then complete any optional BYOK provider setup in configuration.
4. Open Xcode and use Editor > GitHub Copilot to start Chat, Agent Mode, Code Review, or inline completions.
5. Keep the feature guide, examples, and troubleshooting guide nearby while you get set up.

Chat

GitHub Copilot Chat provides suggestions to your specific coding tasks via chat.

Agent Mode

GitHub Copilot Agent Mode provides AI-powered assistance that can understand and modify your codebase directly. With Agent Mode, you can:

• Get intelligent code edits applied directly to your files
• Run terminal commands and view their output without leaving the interface
• Search through your codebase to find relevant files and code snippets
• Create new files and directories as needed for your project
• Get assistance with enhanced context awareness across multiple files and folders
• Run Model Context Protocol (MCP) tools you configured to extend the capabilities

Agent Mode integrates with Xcode's environment, creating a seamless development experience where Copilot can help implement features, fix bugs, and refactor code with comprehensive understanding of your project.

Code Completion

You can receive auto-complete type suggestions from GitHub Copilot either by starting to write the code you want to use, or by writing a natural language comment describing what you want the code to do.

Requirements

• macOS 12+
• A version of Xcode that supports Source Editor Extensions
• A GitHub account with GitHub Copilot access, or provider credentials for BYOK model usage

Documentation

• Installation guide
• Configuration and authentication
• Feature guide
• Common Xcode scenarios and examples
• Bring Your Own Key (BYOK)
• Custom instructions
• Prompt files
• Troubleshooting
• Contributing

Getting Started

1. Install via Homebrew:

   brew install --cask github-copilot-for-xcode

   Or download the dmg from the latest release. Drag GitHub Copilot for Xcode into the Applications folder:

   

   Updates can be downloaded and installed by the app.

2. Open the GitHub Copilot for Xcode application (from the Applications folder). Accept the security warning.

   

3. A background item will be added to enable the GitHub Copilot for Xcode extension app to connect to the host app. This permission is usually automatically added when first launching the app.

   

4. Three permissions are required for GitHub Copilot for Xcode to function properly: Background, Accessibility, and Xcode Source Editor Extension. For more details on why these permissions are required see TROUBLESHOOTING.md.

   The first time the application is run the Accessibility permission should be requested:

   

   The Xcode Source Editor Extension permission needs to be enabled manually. Click Extension Permission from the GitHub Copilot for Xcode application settings to open the System Preferences to the Extensions panel. Select Xcode Source Editor and enable GitHub Copilot:

   

5. After granting the extension permission, open Xcode. Verify that the Github Copilot menu is available and enabled under the Xcode Editor menu.
   

   

   Keyboard shortcuts can be set for all menu items in the Key Bindings section of Xcode preferences.

6. To sign into GitHub Copilot, click the Sign in button in the settings application. This will open a browser window and copy a code to the clipboard. Paste the code into the GitHub login page, authorize the application, and complete the flow with the GitHub account that has your Copilot access.

   

7. To install updates, click Check for Updates from the menu item or in the settings application.

   After installing a new version, Xcode must be restarted to use the new version correctly.

   New versions can also be installed from dmg files downloaded from the releases page. When installing a new version via dmg, the application must be run manually the first time to accept the downloaded from the internet warning.

8. To avoid confusion, we recommend disabling Predictive code completion under Xcode > Preferences > Text Editing > Editing.

9. Press tab to accept the first line of a suggestion, hold option to view the full suggestion, and press option + tab to accept the full suggestion.

How to use Chat

Open Copilot Chat in GitHub Copilot.

• Open via the Xcode menu Xcode -> Editor -> GitHub Copilot -> Open Chat.

• Open via GitHub Copilot app menu Open Chat.

How to use Code Completion

Press tab to accept the first line of a suggestion, hold option to view the full suggestion, and press option + tab to accept the full suggestion.

License

This project is licensed under the terms of the MIT open source license. Please refer to LICENSE.txt for the full terms.

Privacy

We follow responsible practices in accordance with our Privacy Statement.

To get the latest security fixes, please use the latest version of the GitHub Copilot for Xcode.

Support

We’d love to get your help in making GitHub Copilot better! If you have feedback or encounter any problems, please reach out on our Feedback forum.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to @intitni for creating the original project that this is based on.

Attributions can be found under About when running the app or in Credits.rtf.