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GitHub Copilot for JetBrains Adds AI-Assisted Tool Approvals

GitHub CopilotView original changelog

GitHub Copilot for JetBrains introduced Assisted Approvals in public preview, letting agent sessions automatically approve low-risk tool calls while still prompting developers for higher-risk actions. The feature targets approval fatigue in long agent sessions without weakening safety guardrails around risky operations. It ships as part of the JetBrains plugin's September 22, 2026 release (version 1.18.0), alongside a redesigned approval panel.

Key Takeaways

  • Assisted Approvals automatically approves low-risk tool calls in GitHub Copilot agent sessions for JetBrains IDEs, cutting down on repetitive confirmation prompts.
  • Higher-risk actions, such as file deletions or unfamiliar network requests, still require manual approval, preserving oversight where it matters most.
  • The feature ships in public preview as part of GitHub Copilot for JetBrains version 1.18.0, released September 22, 2026.
  • GitHub also redesigned the approval panel's interface in the same release, making manual approval decisions easier to parse.
  • The change sits between Copilot's existing all-or-nothing "Allow All" setting and fully manual per-call confirmation, giving developers a middle-ground option.
  • Developers who want stricter oversight can turn the feature off and revert to the previous manual approval flow at any time.

Sources & Mentions

1 external resource covering this update

New features and improvements in Copilot for JetBrains

daily.dev

AI-Assisted Tool Approvals Reach Public PreviewGitHub Copilot for JetBrains introduced AI-assisted tool approvals, called Assisted Approvals, in public preview as part of its September 22, 2026 update. The feature changes how Copilot agent sessions handle permission requests: instead of pausing on every tool call, file access, or URL open, Copilot now automatically approves the calls it judges low-risk and only interrupts the developer for higher-risk actions that warrant a second look.

Why Approval Fatigue Needed FixingCopilot's existing "Allow All" setting already let developers skip per-call confirmation entirely, but that traded away oversight for convenience. Assisted Approvals aims at the middle ground many developers actually want: fewer interruptions for routine, low-stakes actions like reading a file or running a harmless shell command, while keeping a human in the loop for anything riskier, such as deleting files or making network requests to unfamiliar endpoints. GitHub also refreshed the approval panel's interface alongside the change, making it easier to see what an agent is asking permission for when a manual decision is still required.

AvailabilityAssisted Approvals ships in GitHub Copilot for JetBrains version 1.18.0 and applies to Copilot agent sessions. It is public preview, so behavior may continue to change, and developers who prefer full manual control can turn it off and fall back to the existing approval flow.

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