GitHub Copilot Unifies Chat Across github.com, Mobile, and Cloud Agent
GitHub CopilotNo earlier than September 28, 2026, GitHub Copilot will merge Copilot Chat on github.com, Copilot Chat in GitHub Mobile, and the GitHub Copilot cloud agent into a single unified experience built on the agent sessions interface the cloud agent already uses. As part of the change, chat data moves from a 28-day retention window to being retained for the life of the account, and three separate policies collapse into one. Organizations that opt out lose access to Copilot on both github.com and GitHub Mobile once the new experience ships.
Key Takeaways
- Three chat surfaces merge into one — github.com, GitHub Mobile, and the cloud agent all move onto the same agent sessions interface no earlier than September 28, 2026.
- Chat retention jumps from 28 days to the life of the account, a major change for anyone who references past Copilot conversations.
- Cloud agent gets faster as part of the merge, moving onto GitHub's Sandbox infrastructure.
- A single policy replaces three separate ones, simplifying admin configuration but reducing per-surface granularity.
- Opting out isn't a neutral choice — it removes Copilot access from github.com and GitHub Mobile entirely, not just the new unified UI.
- Admins are advised to review policy settings before September 28, 2026 to avoid an unintended loss of access for their teams.
Three Surfaces Become One
GitHub is consolidating three previously separate Copilot chat surfaces — Copilot Chat on github.com, Copilot Chat in GitHub Mobile, and the GitHub Copilot cloud agent — into a single unified experience, planned to launch no earlier than September 28, 2026. Technically, this means Copilot on github.com will fully migrate onto the agent sessions interface that, until now, was exclusive to the cloud agent. The cloud agent side of the merger also picks up a performance boost, since it will run on GitHub's Sandbox infrastructure for a faster cloud experience.
Chat History Sticks Around Much Longer
The most consequential detail for day-to-day users is retention. Today, prompts and responses in Copilot Chat on github.com and GitHub Mobile are retained for 28 days. Under the unified experience, that history is retained for the life of the account instead — matching how the cloud agent has always handled session logs. Anyone relying on Copilot Chat for reference material, past troubleshooting threads, or design discussions will be able to scroll back indefinitely rather than losing that history after a month.
One Policy Replaces Three
Administratively, the three separate policies that currently govern github.com chat, mobile chat, and the cloud agent get replaced by a single unified policy. That simplifies configuration for organizations that previously had to reason about three overlapping settings, but it also means less granularity: an org can no longer, for example, allow cloud agent while restricting github.com chat under separate rules once the merge is complete.
The Opt-Out Comes With a Real Trade-Off
The unified experience is enabled by default once it ships. Organizations that choose to opt out do not simply keep the old, separate experience — they lose Copilot access on github.com and GitHub Mobile entirely. Business and enterprise administrators are being urged to review their policy settings ahead of the September 28 cutover, since the decision is effectively "adopt the unified experience" or "give up two of the three chat surfaces," not a like-for-like fallback.