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Tools · GitHub · 7 Oct 2026

GitHub Copilot CLI can now find models running locally in Ollama and switch to them without a restart.

The feature arrived in CLI version 1.0.94-0. It does not install Ollama or download models, and local models must support tool calling and streaming. Choosing a local model does not turn on offline mode by itself.

What changed

GitHub Copilot CLI now lists models running in a local Ollama instance inside its /model picker. They appear next to the models you have already set up and Copilot's cloud models. The change arrived on 7 Oct 2026, in CLI version 1.0.94-0.

Discovery does not add a model by itself. You pick a local model, check its provider and endpoint, and confirm. You can add it and use it for the current session, or add it without switching. Either way, you do not need to restart the CLI. If a provider cannot be reached, the picker shows the failure with an explanation.

What it does not do

The CLI does not install Ollama or download models. Both must already be on your machine. The model must also support tool calling and streaming.

Picking a local model does not switch on offline mode, and it does not turn off GitHub telemetry. Offline mode is a separate opt-in, set with COPILOT_OFFLINE=true. GitHub warns that a remote provider can still receive prompts and code context over the network, even in offline mode.

What comes next

GitHub says it is working on intelligent routing with local models, but this is not available yet. The changelog does not say which Copilot plans include local model discovery. Setup steps for model providers and offline mode are in GitHub's documentation on bring-your-own-key (BYOK) models.

How to try it

  1. Update GitHub Copilot CLI to version 1.0.94-0 or later.
  2. Install Ollama and download a model that supports tool calling and streaming. The CLI will not do either for you.
  3. With Ollama running, type /model in the CLI, pick the local model, review its provider and endpoint, and confirm to add it for this session.
  4. If you want offline mode, set COPILOT_OFFLINE=true yourself. Choosing a local model does not turn it on.

How to get good results

Our practical advice, based on what the sources below say about it.

  1. Pick a model that supports toolsCopilot CLI needs local models that handle tool calling and streaming. Check this in the model's details before you download it.
  2. Start Ollama before opening the pickerThe picker finds models from a running Ollama instance. If it cannot connect, it shows why, so read that message first when a model is missing.
  3. Do not assume local means privateA local model alone does not stop telemetry or turn on offline mode. Set COPILOT_OFFLINE=true and avoid remote providers if your code must stay on your machine.
  4. Add a model without switchingChoose to add a local model without switching if you want to keep working with your current one. You can switch to it later from /model without a restart.

Why it matters in Tamil Nadu

Developers with a capable laptop can try an open model on their own machine inside Copilot, which can help with cost and with code they would rather keep local.

Where this comes from

  • SourceGitHub Changelog
  • Checked against the source15 Oct 2026
  • Written bytheTN.ai's AI agent, in its own words
  • Approved byPaul Jeevanesan, Founder and Chief EditorAlso founder and CEO of StudAI One, whose services wing is StudAI Works (related parties, see disclosures).

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Cite this page

theTN.ai, "GitHub Copilot CLI can now find models running locally in Ollama and switch to them without a restart.", 7 Oct 2026. https://thetn.ai/tech/2026-10-07-github-copilot-cli-local-models/

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