Copilot Account and Profile Shortcuts

A VS Code extension with a status-bar button and keyboard shortcut to GitHub Copilot Chat's account preferences, plus profile/window shortcuts.

This does not switch accounts per individual built-in chat. VS Code saves Copilot's account preference per workspace and profile. Changing that preference is not scoped to the active conversation. This extension does not bind an account to a chat, transfer licenses, verify entitlements, or merge quotas.

Install

1. In VS Code, open Extensions with Cmd+Shift+X on macOS or Ctrl+Shift+X on Windows/Linux.
2. Search for @id:debaprasadnayak.copilot-account-profile-switcher.
3. Select Copilot Account and Profile Shortcuts by Deba Prasad Nayak and click Install. Review any publisher trust prompt before continuing.
4. Install or enable GitHub Copilot Chat in the same profile and complete its sign-in/setup. Each account you use must have a valid Copilot entitlement.
5. Open your intended workspace, click Copilot Accounts in the status bar, and choose the GitHub account to use for this workspace/profile.

You can also open the Visual Studio Marketplace listing, click Install, allow your browser to open Visual Studio Code, and complete installation in VS Code. No repository clone or VSIX download is needed.

Alternatively, open Quick Open with Cmd+P on macOS or Ctrl+P on Windows/Linux and enter:

ext install debaprasadnayak.copilot-account-profile-switcher

The shortcut is Cmd+Alt+Shift+A on macOS or Ctrl+Alt+Shift+A on Windows/Linux. Change it in Keyboard Shortcuts if it conflicts with another tool. The picker may also offer another sign-in; authentication is managed by VS Code.

Work and personal accounts side by side

1. Run Copilot Accounts: Create or Manage Profiles.
2. Create profiles such as Work Copilot and Personal Copilot.
3. In each profile, use the Extensions view to install or enable GitHub Copilot Chat and Copilot Account and Profile Shortcuts, following the steps above.
4. Run Copilot Accounts: Open Separate Profile Window and select a profile.
5. In each window, open the intended workspace, click Copilot Accounts, and select the intended GitHub account. Repeat for other workspaces as needed.
6. Check the selected account and organization policies before sending prompts. Start new chats in the appropriate window.

Use separate windows for concurrent conversations under different accounts. Switch Profile in This Window changes the whole window's profile; it is not a per-chat switch. Profiles are configuration boundaries, not separate OS users or credential security boundaries. This extension does not enforce account isolation. Do not assume an existing chat retains the account that was selected when it began.

The button is deliberately not labelled with a purported "active account": the public authentication API does not expose Copilot Chat's selected account to other extensions. A list of signed-in GitHub accounts would not prove which account Copilot is actually using.

Commands

• Copilot Accounts: Choose Account for This Workspace/Profile — direct account picker.
• Copilot Accounts: Show Switching Options — account/profile action menu.
• Copilot Accounts: Switch Profile in This Window.
• Copilot Accounts: Open Separate Profile Window.
• Copilot Accounts: Create or Manage Profiles.

Compatibility and privacy

Requires VS Code 1.96 or newer. This is an independent extension, not an official GitHub or Microsoft product. Licensed under the MIT License. The minimum version is an engine baseline, not a guarantee that every built-in command exists on every build.

VS Code does not expose a public API to set another extension's account preference. This utility invokes VS Code's own account-preferences UI using the internal _manageAccountPreferencesForExtension command, targeting GitHub.copilot-chat. Profile shortcuts also invoke workbench commands. These command IDs are implementation details and can change. Every invocation checks availability and shows manual recovery instructions when unavailable.

The extension does not read/store tokens, request authentication scopes, inspect chat content, modify settings or credential files, or make network requests. VS Code and Copilot continue to handle authentication and service requests. Each selected account needs its own valid Copilot entitlement. Organization policies and data-handling restrictions still apply, especially when switching from a work account to a personal account.

Updates and support

VS Code normally updates Marketplace extensions automatically unless you have disabled automatic updates. To update manually, open the Extensions view, select this extension, and click Update when available.

Report problems through GitHub Issues. Include your VS Code version and the command that failed. Do not include tokens, private chat content, or other sensitive information.

Development

Requires Node.js 22+ and npm. Install dependencies with npm install, then use npm run check, npm test, and npm run package. Packaging also runs checks and tests. Open this folder in VS Code and press F5 to launch an Extension Development Host.

VSIX installation is only needed for a local development build: run npm run package, then use Extensions: Install from VSIX... to select the generated package. Store users should follow the Marketplace installation steps above.

Automated tests mock the VS Code boundary and cover dispatch, cancellation, unavailable commands, errors, and disposal. They do not validate real sign-in, license selection, or account changes in a live Extension Host.

Manual verification after installation:

1. Click the button; confirm Copilot Chat's account picker opens.
2. Select a different entitled account and verify it in VS Code/Copilot.
3. Cancel the picker and confirm no preference change.
4. Open a second profile window, choose its account, and check each window's preference independently.
5. Confirm switching one window's profile is not presented as changing one chat.

References

• VS Code: Copilot account selection per workspace/profile
• VS Code profiles
• VS Code authentication API