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GitHub CopilotTutorialsOpen GitHub Copilot

Run coding agents from your phone with GitHub Copilot

Hand a GitHub issue to Copilot from your phone, track it on your lock screen and steer the pull request with comments in GitHub Mobile, in 15 minutes.

By Recaply EditorsIntermediate15 min5 stepsUpdated

A hand holds a phone as a paper airplane flies from it toward an open toolbox

What you need

Copilot in the cloud doesn't run in personal repositories owned by managed user accounts. In an organization, an admin may need to turn it on.

  1. Step 1: Write an issue Copilot can finish

    4 min

    Copilot reads the issue's title, text and comments when you assign it, so the issue is its brief.

    1. In GitHub Mobile, open the repository, tap Issues, and open or create the issue.
    2. Fill in the template below: what should change, where, and how to check it.
    3. Add every detail now. Copilot doesn't see issue comments added after you assign it.
    Your issue
    ## Goal
[WHAT SHOULD CHANGE, IN ONE SENTENCE]

## Where
[FILES OR FOLDERS TO CHANGE]

## Done when
- [TEST OR CHECK THAT PROVES IT WORKS]
- Existing tests still pass

## Don't
- Change files outside [FOLDER]

    You should see an issue with a clear goal, the files involved and a short list of checks.

    The task is big or vague?

    Split it into smaller issues, one change each. GitHub says Copilot does best with clear, well-scoped tasks that come with acceptance criteria.

    You don't need to add the GitHub MCP server. Copilot has it by default, with read-only access to this repository.

  2. Step 2: Assign the issue to Copilot

    1 min

    Assigning the issue starts a cloud session that writes the code and opens a pull request.

    1. In the issue, tap the info icon.
    2. Beside Assignees, tap Edit.
    3. Tap the plus sign beside Copilot, then tap Done.

    You should see an eyes emoji from Copilot on the issue, then a draft pull request linked in its timeline.

    Copilot isn't in the assignee list?

    Assigning work to Copilot needs a paid plan. If you have one, check your Copilot features page, or ask your org admin to turn it on.

    No issue yet? Tap the Copilot icon at the bottom right, then New Session, pick the repository and type the task.

  3. Step 3: Track progress from your lock screen

    2 min

    You can follow the work without keeping the app open.

    1. On an iPhone, watch the Live Activity on your lock screen. It shows the pull request title and status.
    2. On Android 16 or later, the same updates arrive as a live notification.
    3. To see every session, tap the Copilot icon at the bottom right of GitHub Mobile. Look under Agent sessions.

    You should see the session marked In progress, then Completed, Failed or Cancelled.

    No Live Activity on your iPhone?

    Update GitHub Mobile and check that Live Activities are allowed for GitHub in your iPhone settings. If you tapped Disable Live Updates before, turn them back on in the app's settings.

  4. Step 4: Steer Copilot with a comment

    3 min

    A pull request comment is how you change course, since Copilot ignores new comments on the issue.

    1. Open the draft pull request from the issue or from Agent sessions.
    2. Add a comment that starts with @copilot and says what to change, as in the example below.
    3. Or open the session and type a follow-up in its prompt box to redirect it mid-run.
    Your comment
    @copilot Use the existing [HELPER OR PATTERN] instead of writing new code for this. Keep the change inside [FOLDER] and add a test for [CASE].

    You should see an eyes emoji on your comment, then a new "Copilot started work" event in the timeline.

    Copilot doesn't react to your comment?

    Copilot only answers people with write access, and only on open pull requests. Check that Copilot is still assigned to the pull request.

    Each steering message uses GitHub AI Credits from your plan.

  5. Step 5: Review, run checks and merge

    5 min

    Your GitHub Actions workflows don't run on Copilot's changes until you approve them.

    1. When Copilot finishes, it asks you for a review and you get a notification.
    2. Read the changes. Look closely at any edits in .github/workflows/, since workflows can reach your secrets.
    3. On github.com, select Approve and run workflows in the pull request's merge box.
    4. When the checks pass, approve and merge as usual, or comment @copilot with more fixes.

    You should see a review request from Copilot and passing checks on the pull request.

    Copilot seems stuck?

    Open the session log to see what it's doing. A stuck session on GitHub Actions times out after an hour. Unassign and reassign Copilot to retry.

You get

A coding task handed to Copilot, tracked and steered from your phone, and ready to merge

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