On 28 August, GitHub laid out three changes to Copilot policy and billing, spread across the autumn. The first reopens Business and Enterprise signups on 1 September, the second unifies the chat policy, the third moves automated code review to a higher effort level. None is trivial for an organisation running Copilot seats at scale.
Signups reopen, seats paid for upfront
Starting 1 September 2026, GitHub reactivates signups for new Copilot Business and Copilot Enterprise customers paying by credit card or PayPal, after a period of closure. The change comes with a billing rule: assigning a new Business or Enterprise seat now requires upfront payment before the user gains access. In practice, provisioning seats stops being a frictionless gesture; it goes through payment first.
A unified chat policy
The second strand pulls Copilot Chat settings under a single policy, with extended data retention. GitHub asks administrators to review their settings before the end of September 2026, failing which the defaults apply. For organisations under compliance requirements, the retention periods deserve a careful read.
From 28 September 2026, any repository left on “Default” will see its code review move from the Lite level to Balanced.
Code review shifts from Lite to Balanced
The third change touches the code review Copilot performs. The default effort level moves from Lite to Balanced: from 28 September 2026, any repository or organisation whose setting stays on “Default” will run more thorough reviews. To keep the current behaviour, you must explicitly select “Lite” before that date, at the repository or organisation level.
Setting : Copilot code review > Review effort level
Values : Lite | Balanced | Default
Switch : "Default" applies Balanced from 28 September 2026
Keep Lite: select "Lite" explicitly before 28 September
Scope : repository and organisation
A calendar with three deadlines
The three changes do not land on the same day. The table below sums up the dates and the action to plan for, where relevant.
| Deadline | Change | Action required |
|---|---|---|
| 1 September 2026 | Business and Enterprise signups reopen; seats paid for upfront | Plan payment before seats are assigned |
| End of September 2026 | Unified chat policy, extended retention | Review Copilot Chat settings |
| 28 September 2026 | Default code review: Lite becomes Balanced | Select “Lite” explicitly to keep it |
What to remember
Two of the three changes call for action before the end of September: adjust the chat policy and, if needed, pin the review level to Lite. The third, upfront payment for seats, mostly reshapes the purchasing process. None is a blocker, but each carries a default that applies in the absence of a decision.
What I take from this batch is that it shifts the load onto administrators. On the organisations I work with, Copilot defaults almost always end up becoming the rule, for lack of time to review them. The Lite-to-Balanced switch is exactly the kind that goes unnoticed until next month’s Actions bill. My advice fits in one sentence: block half an hour before 28 September to settle review level and retention, rather than living with the defaults. — Simon Janvier
Pour aller plus loin
Primary source: the official announcement of Copilot policy and billing changes.
