GitHub announced on October 15, 2026 that it will deprecate selected GitHub Copilot models on November 16, 2026, across all Copilot experiences, including Copilot Chat, inline edits, ask and agent modes, and code completions. The announcement page carries a date without a time of day. Read the changelog entry.
Models being retired
| Model | Suggested alternative |
|---|---|
| Claude Opus 4.8 | Claude Opus 5.5 |
| Claude Opus 5 | Claude Opus 5.5 |
| GPT-5.6 Terra | GPT-6.1 Sol or GPT-6 Luna |
One exception applies: Claude Opus 4.8 remains available to individual GitHub Copilot subscribers on annual plans, so they retain an Opus offering.
What to do
- Update workflows and integrations to use the supported models before November 16.
- Under default model enablement, the suggested alternatives are automatically enabled for Copilot Enterprise and Business customers unless the global default was turned off or a model was explicitly disabled; administrators can enable them through model policies in Copilot settings.
- No action is required to remove the models after deprecation; GitHub Enterprise customers with questions are directed to their account team.
For context on the newer models arriving in Copilot, see our reports on Gemini 4 Argon and Claude Haiku 5.5. The GitHub Copilot profile lists official entry points.
