Local sandboxing runs tools invoked by a GitHub Copilot app agent inside an operating-system sandbox, limiting their access to files, network resources, and credentials. It is an opt-in, per-project public-preview feature for local sessions—not cloud or remote-host sessions. Here’s how to turn it on and what its controls do.
How do I enable local sandboxing in the GitHub Copilot app?
To make sandboxing the default for new local sessions in a project:
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- Open the GitHub Copilot app settings.
- Select the project you want to configure.
- Turn on Sandbox new sessions.
The setting is off by default and applies to new sessions. Restart an existing session for it to pick up a changed project policy. For an active local session, enter /sandbox on to enable sandboxing or /sandbox off to disable it. If no session is active, either command changes the selected project’s default for new sessions. See GitHub’s local sandbox configuration guide and app slash-command reference.
What can Copilot access when local sandboxing is on?
The project policy controls three areas. The defaults allow broad access within the sandbox, so enabling the feature does not by itself block network access or remove Git credentials.
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| Control | Default behavior | What you can configure |
|---|---|---|
| Filesystem | The workspace and current working directory are readable and writable. | Grant additional paths read-only or read/write access, or deny paths. A more-specific denied folder stays denied even if a parent directory is allowed. |
| Network | Internet and local network access are allowed. | Allow or block outbound internet and local network access. Restrictions can affect package installation, API calls, preview servers, and other network-dependent tools. |
| Credentials | Authenticated Git and GitHub CLI (gh) operations are available. |
Disable either credential access. This can prevent actions such as pushing a branch or creating a pull request from inside the sandbox. |
These controls describe the requested project policy, not necessarily the final effective policy: enterprise-managed settings can make it more restrictive. For background on the feature and its boundaries, see GitHub’s overview of cloud and local sandboxes.
Can Copilot access my files or credentials?
Yes, within the access the effective policy permits. By default, the sandbox can read and write the workspace and current working directory, and authenticated Git and gh operations are available. Local sandboxing is a boundary you can configure—not a guarantee that all local files or credentials are inaccessible.
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Use the filesystem rules to limit access to specific paths, and turn off Git or GitHub CLI credentials if the session should not use them. Be precise with path rules: a denied child folder remains blocked even when its parent is allowed. Enterprise policy may further restrict what the project settings request.
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If a tool needs access the policy blocks, the app may show a Run outside the sandbox? prompt. Depending on the effective policy, you may be able to cancel, run that operation once outside the sandbox, or disable sandboxing for the rest of the current session. An enterprise owner can prohibit running tools outside the sandbox.
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Disabling sandboxing for the session does not change the project’s default. The temporary change ends when the session restarts or reattaches.
What if the host cannot enforce the sandbox policy?
The app checks host support when the first sandboxed shell starts. If the host cannot enforce the requested policy, that shell fails with an unsupported-platform or unsupported-policy message instead of running unsandboxed. On Windows, a command also fails with an unsupported-policy message if the active sandbox cannot guarantee a denied-path rule.
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One Linux limitation matters when restricting local network access: the sandbox cannot independently control that access for spawned processes such as shell commands and local MCP or LSP servers. The local-network setting still applies to in-process operations, including web requests and remote MCP connections. Do not treat it as a uniform block on local-network access by every spawned process.
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Does local sandboxing work in a cloud or remote session?
No. Local sandboxing applies to local repository and working-tree sessions; it does not apply to cloud sandbox sessions or sessions running on a remote host. In a local session, commands run on the user’s machine under the configured sandbox policy. Cloud sandboxing instead uses a remote, isolated environment; the right option depends on whether the work needs access to local files and which isolation boundary is required. GitHub describes session types in its agent sessions guide and provides an overview of cloud and local sandbox options.
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Working-tree separation is a separate feature. Separate branches and files for concurrent sessions do not, by themselves, restrict a command’s access elsewhere on the machine.
What to know about preview status
GitHub labels local sandboxes for the Copilot app a public-preview feature that is subject to change. UI labels, host support, and behavior may evolve; consult the current configuration guide when setting up a project.
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