GitHub launched a public preview of Computer Use in GitHub Copilot CLI and the GitHub Copilot app for macOS and Windows on October 1, 2026. The capability lets the agent read content from applications, click, type and move through interface steps. It extends use to software without an API or a dedicated connection to AI tools.
When there is no direct connection, the agent can use the interface
According to GitHub's announcement, users can give the agent a task involving a desktop application, explain the desired result and define constraints. The company presents uses including updating presentation content and transferring information within a workflow. This is not an announcement that every application is supported with the same level of success.
In the CLI, the capability is activated with /computer on. The /computer show command displays its status, and /computer off turns it off. In the app, Enable Computer Use can be activated under Settings, then Computer Use. On macOS, Accessibility and Screen Recording permissions are also required as part of setup.
It is important to distinguish between giving an agent a general instruction and permission to act within an application. A tool that can write inside a window may also reach content and actions already available in the signed-in account. The first task should therefore be small, with a result that is easy to see and correct.
An explicit stopping point should also be defined, such as saving a draft for review. A request to prepare a document and display it allows the requested editing to be distinguished from sending or publishing, if those actions are available in the same application. The boundary should be part of the initial instruction.
Persistent approval is saved, and removing it does not stop an active session
GitHub's documentation says the capability is disabled by default and follows the tool permission settings of the relevant Copilot environment. When an approval request appears, users can approve for the current session, save approval for future use or decline. Organizational policy can disable the capability even when a user tries to enable it locally.
Choosing Always allow for an application is saved on the computer and used by both the CLI and the app. Removing approval revokes the saved permission for future sessions, but does not withdraw access already granted in a running session. That difference is worth remembering when changing policy during work.
An unexpected action can be stopped: in the CLI, press Esc twice; in the app, use Stop or Esc. The documentation also recommends preferring a direct tool when one exists, because it generally provides structured information and a more predictable result than visual interaction.
For a local trial, open a test document without sensitive information, request a defined change and state where to stop. If working in Hebrew, also include right-to-left text and check the result inside the application. The announcement does not provide a dedicated quality test for Hebrew interfaces. Computer Use adds a way to perform an action; it does not eliminate the need to verify that the right action was performed, in the right document and within the defined boundaries.