GitHub Introduces BYOK for Copilot in Public Preview
Caroline Bishop Nov 21, 2025 08:42
GitHub has launched the Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) feature for Copilot in public preview, enabling enterprise users to connect their preferred LLM provider's API keys.
GitHub has announced the public preview of its Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) feature for Copilot, aimed at offering enterprise users greater flexibility. This new feature allows developers to connect API keys from their preferred large language model (LLM) providers directly to GitHub Copilot, according to GitHub.
Enhanced Flexibility for Enterprise Developers
Enterprise developers have been seeking more adaptable solutions for their use of Copilot. While Copilot has traditionally provided high-quality GitHub-hosted models, the new BYOK feature now allows teams to integrate their own organization's preferred models. This integration supports providers such as Anthropic, Microsoft Foundry, OpenAI, and xAI.
Features and Benefits of BYOK
BYOK enables enterprise and organization admins to connect API keys at their respective levels, allowing them to choose models from linked providers for use with GitHub Copilot. A key advantage of this feature is the centralized management of models, where admins can enable, disable, and configure models from a single settings area. This ensures a consistent setup and rapid adaptation to changing needs.
Additionally, BYOK supports usage in various modes, including Agent, Plan, Ask, and Edit, across major IDEs such as Visual Studio Code, JetBrains IDEs, Eclipse, and Xcode. Importantly, API calls made through BYOK are billed according to the provider's terms and do not count against GitHub Copilot usage quotas, allowing users to leverage existing contracts or credits.
Limitations and Future Prospects
Currently, BYOK does not support the OpenAI Responses API, and models configured to use a Responses endpoint will not function. Instead, BYOK requires the OpenAI Completions API. Despite this limitation, GitHub is actively seeking feedback to shape future developments.
The BYOK feature is available in public preview for GitHub Enterprise and Business customers, who can start using their models in Copilot Chat and supported IDEs by connecting their LLM provider's API key in their enterprise or organization settings.
Community Engagement
GitHub encourages users to share feedback and engage in discussions within the GitHub Community to help guide future enhancements. This collaborative approach is expected to refine and expand the capabilities of GitHub Copilot, making it a more versatile tool for developers worldwide.
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