Set Up GitHub Copilot CLI for AI Code Review

CodeCrab Docs · Copilot CLI

Use GitHub Copilot CLI with your GitHub account and Copilot plan. It works for GitHub and GitLab.com repositories, and always runs read-only inside CodeCrab.

What you need

A GitHub account with a Copilot plan. Paid plans (Pro, Pro+, Business, Enterprise) can choose a model; Copilot Free works with Auto only.
On Business and Enterprise, your organization must allow Copilot CLI.
Node.js 22 or newer for the npm installation, or winget on Windows.
Repository access through gh or glab plus a local clone. GitLab-only users can use Copilot too; the repositories stay on GitLab.

Install and sign in

Install the official Copilot CLI package with npm on macOS, Linux or Windows.

Terminal / PowerShell

npm install -g @github/copilot

On Windows you can install it with winget instead.

PowerShell

winget install GitHub.Copilot

Sign in with your GitHub account. If you are already signed in with gh, Copilot can reuse that session and this step may not be needed.

Terminal

copilot login

Confirm the CLI is on your PATH.

Terminal

copilot --version

Official Copilot CLI installation ↗

Activate Copilot in CodeCrab

Quit and reopen CodeCrab so it picks up the new tool, then click Re-check in the badge panel.
Open Settings → Models, choose the Copilot tab and click Use Copilot. If it is your only ready agent, it is selected automatically.
Pick Auto or a model your plan allows. Click refresh to load the models available to your account.

Profiles, skills, reviews and deep dives are shared with Claude Code, Cursor and Codex, so switching reuses everything already generated. Each run uses AI credits from your Copilot plan.

Choose the active agent and model →

How CodeCrab runs Copilot

Copilot only receives file-reading tools (view, search, find files). It has no shell, no file edits, no web access and no GitHub tools. CodeCrab fetches the PR data itself and hands it over.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Fix
Still red after installing	Quit and reopen CodeCrab, then click Re-check. copilot --version should print a version.
No Copilot plan	The account has no plan or Copilot CLI is off for it. Get a plan (Copilot Free is enough to try) or ask your admin, then Re-check.
Access denied by policy settings	Copilot CLI is turned off for your account or organization. Check github.com/settings/copilot or ask your admin.
Model marked Unavailable	Your plan no longer allows that model. Pick another one or Auto.