GitHub Copilot Code Review Can Approve PRs 2026 Explained
On 1 September, GitHub said Copilot review can flag a PR as ready and, if enabled, sign the approval. Public preview for Pro through Enterprise.
On 1 September 2026, the GitHub Changelog said Copilot code review can show whether a pull request is ready to approve, and admins can let it sign the approval.
Approvals stay off by default. Assessments appear in every overview comment, but an assessment does not count toward merge gates. The rest of this page only checks that note.
What the note prints
| Item | Official wording | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment | On every Copilot review overview comment | Does not satisfy merge rules |
| Approval | Can count toward required approvals once enabled | Off by default |
| New commits | Approval dismissed like a human reviewer’s | Request another review |
| Plans | Pro, Pro+, Max, Business, Enterprise | Public preview |
How to read the switch
- 1
Assessment comes first
The changelog separates “tells you it is ready” from “authorized to sign off.” The first is a comment. The second needs an admin.
- 2
Default off is not auto-merge
Until someone turns approvals on, Copilot does not approve pull requests. After that, its approval may count toward required-approvals.
- 3
Three control layers
Enterprises can lock it off or delegate. Organizations can go org-wide, per-repo, delegate, or off. Repositories can toggle paths.
- 4
Dismissal matches humans
A later push drops the approval. A new Copilot review is how you get a new one.
What else the note marks
Assessments are for judgment
The post says the assessment is surfaced so you can decide how to act. It is not a merge token by itself.
Paths can be narrowed
Repository admins can choose which file paths Copilot is allowed to approve. It is not an all-or-nothing repo flag only.
Paid Copilot tiers
Public preview lists Pro, Pro+, Max, Business, and Enterprise. No free tier is named.
Limits
The note does not publish a false-approve rate or a matrix against every branch-protection rule. For a short huddle without another account wall, wbstorm is a room ID; see privacy without an account and create or join a room.
# Source
# GitHub Changelog, 2026-09-01: Copilot code review can now approve pull requestsDoes an assessment count as a required approval?
No. GitHub says the assessment alone does not count toward merge requirements. Only an enabled Copilot approval can.
Will Copilot approve PRs by default?
No. The changelog says the ability to approve is off by default.
Is this a product how-to?
No. It only checks the 1 September changelog. It is not a configuration runbook.