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Microsoft Adds Copilot Sandboxing to VS Code Agent Host

GitHub Copilot sandboxing is generally available for VS Code Agent Host sessions. Learn how to enable it, check prerequisites, and understand what it does—and doesn’t—confine.
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GitHub Copilot sandboxing is generally available in VS Code sessions that use Agent Host, following GitHub’s October 7, 2026 announcement. To enable it, set chat.agent.sandbox.enabled to on, meet the execution host’s platform prerequisites, start a new Agent Host session, then run /sandbox policy to check what the session actually enforces. The feature limits access for covered processes; it does not isolate every agent tool or block outbound internet access by default.

What changed—and which VS Code sessions are covered?

GitHub announced local sandboxing as generally available on October 7, 2026, including for VS Code sessions using Agent Host. GitHub says Microsoft eXecution Container (MXC) translates a common policy into native operating-system controls on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and that the feature is included with GitHub Copilot at no additional cost. The announcement does not establish that every VS Code agent or terminal implementation uses this sandbox. GitHub’s announcement

Execution host matters: Agent Host settings, prerequisites, and paths apply on the machine where the agent runs. If the session uses a connected remote host, configure that host—not just the computer displaying VS Code.

How to enable sandboxing in Agent Host

  1. Check the execution host’s prerequisites. macOS has no prerequisite listed in the VS Code guide. Linux and WSL2 require bubblewrap and socat. WSL1 is unsupported because it lacks kernel features required by bubblewrap. Windows support is labeled experimental and requires the applicable September 8, 2026 security update: KB5124008 for Windows 11 24H2/25H2, or KB5124012 for Windows 11 26H1. Follow the guide’s package instructions for Linux and WSL2. VS Code’s Agent Host sandbox guide
  2. Enable the setting. In VS Code settings on the execution host, set chat.agent.sandbox.enabled to on. The setting accepts off or on and defaults to off.
  3. Start a new Agent Host session. The documented setup sequence calls for a new session after enabling the setting. Alternatively, a session’s Permissions menu has a sandbox toggle; changing it affects that session, not user or workspace settings for other sessions.
  4. Inspect the effective policy. Run /sandbox policy in the session. It reports the execution host, whether sandboxing is enabled, the operating-system implementation, and effective filesystem and network policy. It does not start a model turn or change settings.

What the sandbox restricts

Sandboxing applies policy-based limits to file, network, credential, and other system access for covered agent-initiated tools and commands. In VS Code, its precise coverage depends on the session and tool implementation:

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  • Local sessions: terminal commands and their child processes are sandboxed.
  • Agent Host sessions: shell execution and child processes are primarily confined. Agent Host-launched MCP and language servers can also be sandboxed when the related settings are enabled.
  • Built-in and other non-process tools: these are outside the process sandbox and rely on separate permission checks.

The Agent Host settings allow customization of writable, read-only, and denied paths; network destinations; and whether locally launched MCP and language servers are sandboxed. The default working directory is writable. A development-tool access setting can grant access to tool directories, configuration, and caches, so do not assume sensitive developer state is automatically denied. Check the effective policy for the session you are using. VS Code’s sandbox setup and policy guide

Sandboxing is not the same as approval

Approval settings determine whether an action runs automatically or waits for confirmation. Sandboxing constrains covered processes’ filesystem and network access. These controls are independent: the sandbox can still restrict terminal processes when permissions are permissive, including Allow all or Autopilot. For how VS Code handles action approvals, see Manage approvals and permissions.

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Limits to understand before relying on it

  • Outbound internet access is not blocked by default. Domain filtering varies by terminal implementation and platform; do not treat enabling the sandbox as an automatic network-deny rule.
  • Coverage is not universal. Built-in non-process tools use separate permission checks, and MCP or language-server coverage depends on the session and related settings.
  • Policy choices affect isolation. Explicitly injected credentials, allowed paths, local or unrestricted networking, unsandboxed fallback, and bypass can weaken restrictions.
  • It is not a separate security boundary. VS Code states: “Agent sandboxing is an added layer for the processes it covers. It is not a virtual machine or user-account boundary, a standalone security boundary, or a replacement for endpoint security.” Understand trust and safety for AI agents
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Availability and platform qualifications

The general-availability announcement names Windows, macOS, and Linux, but the VS Code Agent Host guide adds platform-specific prerequisites and labels Windows support experimental. The sources do not separately specify geographic rollout or establish enterprise entitlement beyond the announcement’s stated availability and inclusion with GitHub Copilot.

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