GitHub Copilot Code Review Can Approve Pull Requests
GitHub CopilotGitHub Copilot code review can now formally approve pull requests instead of only leaving comments, with an approval assessment shown in every review's overview comment indicating whether Copilot considers a PR ready to merge. The capability is off by default and, once enabled, Copilot's approval counts toward a repository's required-approval rules just like a human reviewer's, though it is automatically dismissed if new commits are pushed afterward. Enterprise, organization, and repository administrators each get their own controls to enable, delegate, restrict, or block the feature, including by file path. It is available in public preview for Copilot Pro, Pro+, Max, Business, and Enterprise plans.
Key Takeaways
- GitHub Copilot code review can now formally approve pull requests, moving beyond comment-only reviews to a real "Approve" review that satisfies branch protection rules.
- An approval assessment appears in every review's overview comment even when the feature is off, giving developers Copilot's read on merge readiness without it affecting anything.
- Once enabled, a Copilot approval counts the same as a human reviewer's toward a repository's required-approval rule.
- New commits automatically dismiss a Copilot approval, exactly like they would for a human reviewer.
- Enterprise, organization, and repository admins each have independent controls, including restricting approvals to specific file paths.
- The capability is off by default and ships in public preview for Copilot Pro, Pro+, Max, Business, and Enterprise plans.
From Comments to Real Approvals
Until now, GitHub Copilot's code review could only leave comment-only reviews: it might flag issues, suggest changes, or praise good code, but it could never formally approve a pull request or make anything count toward a repository's required-approval rules. That changes with a new public preview capability that lets Copilot code review issue a genuine "Approve" review, the same kind a human teammate submits.
How Approval Assessments Work
Every Copilot code review now includes an approval assessment inside its overview comment, showing whether Copilot believes the pull request meets the bar for approval. Even with the new capability off, that assessment is informational only. GitHub is careful to note that an approval assessment alone does not count toward merge requirements, it exists so a developer or reviewer can see Copilot's take on merge readiness before deciding what to do with it.
The behavior changes once a repository actually turns approvals on. At that point, an approval from Copilot counts the same as a human reviewer's toward a repository's required-approval rule, satisfying branch protection settings that mandate a minimum number of approvals before merge. Just like a human reviewer, if a developer pushes new commits after Copilot approves, that approval is automatically dismissed and the pull request needs a fresh review.
Granular Administrative Controls
Because letting an AI agent satisfy merge requirements is a significant trust decision, GitHub built the rollout around layered administrative controls. Enterprise administrators can enable or disable the capability organization wide, or leave the choice to individual organizations. Organization administrators can then turn it on enterprise wide, delegate the decision down to individual repositories, target only specific repositories, or disable it outright. At the repository level, teams can enable or disable approvals and even restrict which file paths Copilot is allowed to approve changes to, useful for keeping AI-driven approval away from especially sensitive parts of a codebase.
The feature is off by default everywhere, meaning no repository gains Copilot approval power without an explicit opt-in at some level of that hierarchy. It ships in public preview for Copilot Pro, Pro+, Max, Business, and Enterprise plans.