GitHub has officially launched a redesigned terminal interface for GitHub Copilot CLI, introducing tab layouts, in-session tool configuration, and accessibility improvements. Developers can try it with the /experimental flag and configure tools using commands like /mcp add.
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GitHub has officially launched the redesigned Copilot CLI terminal interface, introducing tabbed layouts, in-session tool configuration, and accessibility enhancements to further strengthen command-line workflows.
GitHub has officially launched the redesigned GitHub Copilot CLI terminal interface, which has been available for trial via the /experimental flag since its preview at Microsoft Build 2026. The new interface displays tabs at the top of the interactive session, allowing developers to press the Tab key to switch between the default Session tab and personal Gists; when running the CLI inside a repository, Issues and Pull requests tabs are also added, scoped to that repository.
Tabs support mouse selection, drag-to-reorder, hiding, or closing in settings. Highlighting an issue or pull request and pressing 'c' inserts that reference into the prompt, enabling Copilot to investigate, fix, comment, or review; pressing 'o' opens the highlighted item in a browser; pressing '/' on the Issues or Pull requests tab allows searching GitHub with custom queries.
Extending Copilot CLI's tool configuration now offers a guided session experience, avoiding manual editing of configuration files. Developers can run /mcp add to complete an interactive form, or use the experimental /mcp search command to browse the GitHub MCP Registry and directly install Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. GitHub states that newly added servers are immediately usable without restarting the CLI.
The /skills command toggles individual skills, /plugin installs plugins from the marketplace, repositories, or local paths, and /settings displays and modifies configuration in an inline dialog. Together, these commands provide a complete solution for configuring tools without leaving the terminal.
The new interface is optimized for accessibility and readability. It uses theme-sensitive semantic colors and responsive components that adapt to narrow terminals without truncating content. The /theme command allows developers to choose color schemes such as default, dim, high-contrast, or colorblind; when a screen reader is detected, it automatically enables corresponding support, adds labeled icons, and disables animations.
This release builds on GitHub Copilot CLI's general availability in February 2026, adding the ability to browse and interact with GitHub issues, pull requests, and gists from the terminal, as well as providing methods to configure tools without leaving the terminal. Developers can run copilot update in the terminal to update, and can submit feedback via the /feedback command or create an issue in the public repository.
The information in this article is primarily sourced from InfoQ's report, which is a secondary source, but the content is based on official GitHub announcements. For specific feature details, refer to the official GitHub documentation.
This update to GitHub Copilot CLI significantly enhances interaction efficiency and accessibility within the terminal, enabling developers to manage GitHub objects and configure tools without switching context, further solidifying the CLI's role in AI-assisted development workflows.
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