Upcoming deprecation of selected GitHub Copilot models in mid-November
Quick Answer
GitHub will deprecate Claude Opus 4.8, Claude Opus 5, and GPT-5.6 Terra on November 16, 2026, transitioning users to Claude Opus 5.5 and GPT-6.1 Sol or GPT-6 Luna.
Quick Take
Individual annual subscribers will retain access to Claude Opus 4.8, while enterprise customers must update workflows to utilize the new models.
Key Points
- Deprecation affects all GitHub Copilot experiences including Chat and code completions.
- Claude Opus 4.8 remains for individual annual subscribers, unaffected by deprecation.
- Enterprise customers must enable alternative models in Copilot settings before the deadline.
- No action needed post-deprecation; models will be removed automatically.
- GitHub encourages feedback through the GitHub Community.
DeepSignal Analysis
What happened
GitHub plans to deprecate several models, including Claude Opus 4.8, Claude Opus 5, and GPT-5.6 Terra, on November 16, 2026. Users will transition to Claude Opus 5.5 and either GPT-6.1 Sol or GPT-6 Luna. Individual annual subscribers will still have access to Claude Opus 4.8, while enterprise customers must adapt their workflows to the new models.
Key evidence
- Claude Opus 4.8, Claude Opus 5, and GPT-5.6 Terra will be deprecated on November 16, 2026.
- Individual GitHub Copilot subscribers on annual plans will retain access to Claude Opus 4.8 after its deprecation.
- Enterprise customers are required to update their workflows to utilize the new models, Claude Opus 5.5, GPT-6.1 Sol, or GPT-6 Luna.
Why it matters
The deprecation of these models indicates GitHub's ongoing efforts to streamline its Copilot offerings and encourage users to adopt newer technologies. This transition may impact how developers interact with GitHub Copilot, particularly for enterprise users who need to adjust their workflows. Maintaining access to older models for individual subscribers suggests a strategy to retain user engagement while pushing for upgrades in enterprise settings.
📖 Reader Mode
~2 min readWe will deprecate the following models across all GitHub Copilot experiences (including Copilot Chat, inline edits, ask and agent modes, and code completions) on November 16th, 2026:
| Model | Deprecation date | Suggested alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Opus 4.8* | 2026-11-16 | Claude Opus 5.5 |
| Claude Opus 5 | 2026-11-16 | Claude Opus 5.5 |
| GPT-5.6 Terra | 2026-11-16 | GPT-6.1 Sol or GPT-6 Luna |
*Claude Opus 4.8 will remain available to individual GitHub Copilot subscribers on annual plans so they retain an Opus offering. The deprecation of Claude Opus 4.8 does not apply to these customers.
Please update your workflows and integrations to use the supported models before this date. Under default model enablement, the suggested alternatives are automatically enabled for Copilot Enterprise and Copilot Business customers unless an administrator has turned off the global default or explicitly disabled the model. If you’ve turned off the global default, you can enable access to the alternative models through their model policies in Copilot settings.
Once enabled, users will see the model in the Copilot Chat model selector in supported GitHub Copilot experiences.
No action is required to remove the models after they have been deprecated.
GitHub Enterprise customers with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact their account team for assistance.
To learn more about the models available in Copilot, see our documentation on supported models.
Join the GitHub Community to share your feedback.
— Originally published at github.blog
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