Fix: GitHub Copilot Models Not Working

Originally published on DebugRadar.

Meta Description (148 chars): GitHub Copilot's GPT models failing on Nov 13? Degraded availability hit GPT-6.1 Terra, GPT-5.6 Sol and GPT-6 Luna — switch to Auto and keep coding.

Quick Fix Summary

• Problem: On November 13, 2026, GitHub Copilot's GPT models showed degraded availability — GPT-6.1 Terra, GPT-5.6 Sol, and GPT-6 Luna returned elevated error rates in Copilot code completion and chat.
• Fix: None user-side. GitHub resolved the incident at 21:27 UTC on November 13 after an upstream model provider implemented a mitigation. If it happens again, switch to another model or select 'Auto' in the model picker and keep coding.
• What happened: GitHub status incident "Copilot experiencing degraded model availability for some GPT models" — investigating 20:13 UTC, resolved 21:27 UTC (1 hour 14 minutes). Cause: an issue with an upstream model provider.

Technical Root Cause

Step-by-Step: What to Do When Copilot's Models Fail

Step 1 — Check GitHub's Status Page First

Open https://www.githubstatus.com and look at the Copilot AI Model Providers component. On November 13 it showed degraded availability for the GPT models. If the status page shows a Copilot incident, the problem is upstream — nothing in your editor, extension, or network is causing it. This is the same first move as our Fix: ChatGPT Work Mode HTTP 500 Error — when the vendor's own status page shows an incident, stop troubleshooting your own setup.

Step 2 — Switch to Auto or Another Model

In the Copilot Chat model picker, select 'Auto' or pick a model that is not listed as affected. That is GitHub's own recommendation from the incident timeline — the degraded models were GPT-6.1 Terra, GPT-5.6 Sol, and GPT-6 Luna, so anything else in the picker keeps working. Keep coding; your completions and chats just run on a different model until the affected ones recover.

Step 3 — Do Not Reinstall VS Code or the Extension

Reinstalling VS Code or the Copilot extension changes nothing here — the model list and the errors both come from GitHub's servers. If the models are degraded, a fresh install shows the same warnings. Save the reinstall for a problem that is actually on your machine, like the sign-in failure we covered in Fix: Claude Code Failed to Refresh OAuth Token — that one is local, this one is not.

Step 4 — Retry the Affected Model Only After Resolution

After the status page marks the incident resolved (November 13: 21:27 UTC), switch back to your usual model and confirm completions work. If it still errors after resolution, that is a new problem — check the model picker warnings and try 'Auto' once more before digging into your setup.

Step 5 — Know the Pattern

This was the third Copilot model-availability incident in five days — November 9 (GPT-5.3 Codex, GPT-5.6 Luna/Sol, 49 minutes), November 11 (multi-product, 33 minutes), and November 13 (this one, 1 hour 14 minutes). Same upstream-provider cause each time. If Copilot's GPT models go wobbly again, your fastest move is always the same: status page first, switch to 'Auto', keep coding.

While Copilot's GPT models are down, keep a second AI assistant ready: If your coding flow depends on one AI product, a degraded-model incident stops you cold. Claude Pro runs the same kind of coding chats — completions, explanations, and long sessions — so you can keep shipping while GitHub fixes its side. (Affiliate link — DebugRadar earns a commission if you sign up through it.)

FAQ

Is GitHub Copilot down right now?

The November 13 incident is resolved — GitHub marked it resolved at 21:27 UTC after an upstream provider implemented a mitigation. If Copilot's models fail again, check githubstatus.com first: if the Copilot AI Model Providers component is degraded, the problem is upstream, not your setup.

Which Copilot models were affected?

GPT-6.1 Terra, GPT-5.6 Sol (including the fast variant gpt-5.6-sol-fast), and GPT-6 Luna. Code completion and chat using those models showed elevated error rates, and GitHub's in-product model warnings activated for them.

What should I do while Copilot's models are degraded?

Switch to another model or select 'Auto' in the model picker — that is GitHub's own recommendation — and keep coding. Do not reinstall VS Code or the Copilot extension; the model list comes from GitHub's servers. Retry the affected model only after the status page shows resolved.

Sources: GitHub status page (githubstatus.com), November 13, 2026; Pingoru GitHub Copilot timeline; PulsAPI status report, November 14, 2026.

Read the full guide on DebugRadar: Fix: GitHub Copilot Models Not Working