Copilot code review adds API management and a more compact review overview

GitHub has expanded API control over Copilot code review. Teams can now read and change review settings through both the REST and GraphQL APIs, from enterprise policy down to individual repositories. The update was published on November 7, 2026.

Access depends on role. Enterprise administrators can enable or disable code review for all organizations or leave that choice to organization administrators. Organization administrators can manage enablement, the default review effort, and the runner configuration. Repository administrators can manage review effort and whether reviews use custom instructions and MCP tools. Settings an enterprise manages cannot be overridden.

The update also adds explicit attribution fields that identify Copilot’s reviews and comments. Responses can show the review effort a review used, when that metadata is available, and which skills, MCP servers, and custom instructions Copilot reported as sources for a comment. The review overview is now more compact. Findings appear at the top, while effort and surveys move into a footer, and skipped or content-excluded files share one “Files not reviewed” section. Fixes for billing, automatic reviews, and reliability are included.

Why it matters

Teams managing Copilot code review across many repositories can now script configuration instead of changing settings one repository at a time. Attribution fields make it easier to filter and audit Copilot’s output in automated workflows. The compact overview also puts findings first, which should make triage faster.

What to do

Start with the guide “Configuring Copilot code review with the API” in GitHub’s documentation. Note that enterprise and organization settings endpoints do not support GitHub Apps or fine-grained personal access tokens, while repository settings endpoints do. Confirm plan eligibility for Copilot Pro, Pro+, Max, Business, or Enterprise, and check GitHub’s site for any remaining details before rolling changes out.