Why GitHub Copilot Suggestions Disappear After a VS Code Update

You open Visual Studio Code after installing an update and notice that GitHub Copilot no longer shows inline suggestions. The Copilot icon might still be visible, but the gray ghost text that usually appears as you type is gone. This happens because VS Code updates can reset certain extension settings, disable the extension, or break the authentication token that Copilot uses to connect to GitHub. This article explains the three main reasons for this problem and provides the exact steps to restore Copilot functionality.

Why VS Code Updates Disable Copilot Suggestions

VS Code updates can affect Copilot in three distinct ways. Understanding each cause helps you apply the correct fix quickly.

Extension State Reset

When VS Code updates, it sometimes reinstalls or re-enables extensions. In rare cases, the update process can disable certain extensions, including GitHub Copilot. The extension remains installed, but its state changes from enabled to disabled. This is the most common reason suggestions disappear.

Setting Override

VS Code stores user settings in a JSON file called settings.json. An update can add or modify settings that control Copilot behavior. The setting editor.inlineSuggest.enabled must be set to true for Copilot to show inline suggestions. If the update resets this setting to its default value of true, it should still work. However, if you have a custom configuration that overrides this setting, the update might change the scope or value. Additionally, the setting github.copilot.enable controls Copilot activation per language. An update can alter this setting, causing Copilot to stop suggesting in certain file types.

Authentication Token Expiry

Copilot relies on an OAuth token linked to your GitHub account. A VS Code update can invalidate this token, especially if the update changes the way VS Code stores credentials. When the token expires, Copilot cannot communicate with the GitHub server, and it stops generating suggestions. The Copilot status bar icon may show a warning or remain silent.

Steps to Re-enable Copilot Suggestions After a VS Code Update

Follow these steps in order. After each step, test Copilot by typing a code comment or a function name in a supported language file.

1. Check if the Copilot extension is enabled
   Open VS Code. Click the Extensions icon in the left Activity Bar or press Ctrl+Shift+X. In the search box type GitHub Copilot. If the extension shows a gray Disable button, it is enabled. If it shows a blue Enable button, click it to enable the extension. Wait a few seconds for the extension to activate.
2. Verify the inline suggest setting
   Open the Command Palette by pressing Ctrl+Shift+P. Type Preferences: Open Settings (JSON) and press Enter. In the settings.json file, check that the line "editor.inlineSuggest.enabled": true exists. If it is set to false, change it to true. If the line is missing, add it. Save the file and close it.
3. Enable Copilot for your programming language
   Open settings.json again. Add or modify the line "github.copilot.enable": {"": true}. This enables Copilot for all languages. If you want to restrict it, replace with a specific language identifier like "python". Save the file.
4. Re-authenticate your GitHub account
   Click the Accounts icon in the bottom-left corner of the VS Code window. Select Sign out from the GitHub account that Copilot uses. Then click Sign in with GitHub. A browser window opens. Log in to GitHub and authorize VS Code. After authorization, return to VS Code. The Copilot icon in the status bar should show a checkmark.
5. Reload the VS Code window
   Open the Command Palette with Ctrl+Shift+P. Type Developer: Reload Window and press Enter. This forces VS Code to reload all extensions and settings without closing the application.
6. Test Copilot in a new file
   Create a new file with a supported language extension like .py or .js. Type def for Python or function for JavaScript. Copilot should show a gray ghost suggestion. Press Tab to accept it.

If Copilot Still Has Issues After the Main Fix

Copilot icon shows a warning triangle

A warning icon means Copilot cannot connect to the server. This is usually a network issue. Check that your internet connection is active. If you are behind a corporate proxy, configure VS Code to use the proxy. Open settings.json and add "http.proxy": "http://your-proxy-address:port". Save the file and reload the window.

Copilot suggests only in some file types

This happens when the github.copilot.enable setting is configured per language. Open settings.json and ensure the line "github.copilot.enable": {"": true} is present. If you see a list of specific languages, remove them or replace the entire object with {"": true}.

Copilot suggestions appear but are empty or incomplete

This is often caused by a corrupt Copilot extension cache. Disable the Copilot extension, close VS Code, and delete the Copilot cache folder. On Windows, the folder is located at %USERPROFILE%\.vscode\extensions\github.copilot-. On macOS and Linux, it is ~/.vscode/extensions/github.copilot-. After deleting the folder, restart VS Code and re-enable the extension. VS Code will download a fresh copy of the extension.

Copilot Settings Comparison: Before and After a VS Code Update

Setting	Default Before Update	Possible State After Update
editor.inlineSuggest.enabled	true	true (unchanged) or false (if custom override lost)
github.copilot.enable	{““: true}	{““: true} or empty object or language-specific map
GitHub authentication token	Valid	Expired or invalid
Extension enabled state	Enabled	Disabled

After applying the steps above, Copilot should resume normal behavior. If the problem persists, disable all other extensions temporarily to rule out conflicts. Re-enable them one by one to identify the conflicting extension.