AI news · 2 min read
Copilot can fence off local commands, if you enable it
GitHub’s October 7 local sandbox launch limits agent commands on your computer. Check default settings, host support and the limits of isolation.
Announcement date:
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At a glance
Copilot local sandboxing became generally available October 7, with no extra local-sandbox charge. It is off by default. Enable it in the surface you use, inspect allowed files and network access, and check host requirements before letting commands run.
When a coding agent runs a command, its reach matters as much as its answer. GitHub made local sandboxing generally available on October 7, 2026 in Copilot CLI, the Copilot app and VS Code sessions using Agent Host. It applies file, network and credential policies to tool execution, independently of the selected model. Release announcement.
For someone building a creator website, the practical question is which project files the agent needs—and what else a command could touch. Local sandboxing is included in Copilot at no additional cost, but it is off by default. Local settings and billing.
A boundary you need to inspect
The sandbox uses operating-system restrictions through Microsoft eXecution Container. It does not put every operation inside a separate virtual machine. GitHub documents a significant exception: built-in file tools run inside the CLI and check policy on a best-effort basis. Remote MCP servers also remain outside local sandboxing. How isolation works.
Next action: in a disposable project, inspect the host requirements and current policy, then use /sandbox enable in CLI if supported. Review permitted paths, network access and any request to bypass the boundary. CLI and app settings are separate; configure the surface you actually use. Setup and platform requirements.
That is a proposed starting check, not a security test we performed. A narrow policy may interrupt a command that needs a dependency or another folder. Examine that specific need before widening access. Keep a recoverable copy and review the resulting edits: restricted access does not prove that a permitted change is correct.
Our agent harness guide explains how to give work an explicit scope and completion evidence. For a separate CLI usability update, read Copilot’s settings and context changes. Cloud sandboxes are a different, usage-billed public-preview feature; this launch does not make them free.
Common questions
Questions people ask.
- Does enabling the sandbox in Copilot CLI configure the app too?
- No. GitHub documents separate local sandbox settings for CLI and the Copilot app.
- Is the cloud sandbox included at no additional cost too?
- No. The no-extra-charge statement concerns local sandboxing. GitHub documents separate usage billing for cloud sandboxes, which remain in public preview.
Sources & freshness
This article was refreshed on 9 Oct 2026 using the sources below. A source check verifies published information, not output quality or checkout availability in every region.
- github.blog/changelog/2026-10-07-local-sandboxing-for-github-copilot-now-generally-available/
- docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/security-governance-and-network-settings/about-cloud-and-local-sandboxes
What changed: New coverage of model-independent local command boundaries, distinct from CLI settings and review updates, with default-off and implementation limitations.
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