GitHub Copilot changes seat billing, chat retention and the code-review default

GitHub posted three Copilot changes on 28 August 2026, each with a date attached. From 1 September 2026 for new signups and 1 October 2026 for existing card- and PayPal-paying customers, every new Copilot Business or Enterprise seat must be paid for before the user gets access, charged upfront at the start of the billing cycle with overages billed on top. No earlier than 28 September, Copilot Chat on github.com, GitHub Mobile and the cloud agent merge into one experience, and chat data retention moves from 28 days to the life of the account. On the same date the Copilot code-review default effort level moves from Lite to Balanced unless a repository or organisation has chosen otherwise first.

What it means Two of the three are opt-out-before-the-date changes — the retention move and the review-effort default both land automatically on 28 September if nobody acts.