Editor’s note (July 1, 2026): Added more detail about which permissions stay under your control and the existing network domain controls.
Browser tools for GitHub Copilot in VS Code are now generally available. Agents can now drive a real browser, navigate live web apps, and feed what they find back into the chat. Browser tools are on by default with general availability, shaped by feedback from preview users.
What agents do in the browser
Agents can:
- Open pages and navigate, click, type, hover, drag, and handle dialogs.
- Read page content, capture console errors, and take screenshots.
- Run scripted flows when a sequence of steps is more efficient than tool calls.
DevTools are in the browser toolbar for element inspection, console output, and debugging.
User controls
- Tabs are private by default until “Share with Agent” is selected; access revocable anytime.
- Agent tabs run in isolated sessions with no access to everyday browsing cookies/storage.
- Sensitive permissions (camera, microphone, location, notifications, clipboard reads) require explicit per-site approval; agents cannot approve on user’s behalf.
Enterprise controls
- Dedicated on/off switch (
workbench.browser.enableChatTools) - Agent network domain controls (
chat.agent.allowedNetworkDomains,chat.agent.deniedNetworkDomains,chat.agent.networkFilter) with wildcard support - Workspace trust and approval prompts still apply
Browser tools available in editor window and Agents window. See browser tools for agents docs and browser agent testing guide.