GitHub Copilot Sign-In Loop or Authorization Failed
Workaround available VS Code, JetBrains, Visual Studio Updated November 14, 2026Based on 3 user reportsHow we research
Quick answer
Repeated login prompts usually come from a stale cached token. Sign out everywhere, clear stored github.com credentials and sign in again.
Most likely fix: Sign out and reload
How to fix it
Try these in order — the most common fix is first.
1. Sign out and reload
- VS Code: Accounts icon > Sign out, then Developer: Reload Window
- JetBrains: Settings > Tools > GitHub Copilot > Sign Out
Did this fix it?2. Clear saved credentials
- Remove github.com entries from Windows Credential Manager, macOS Keychain or the Linux keyring
- Restart the IDE and sign in
Did this fix it?3. Test a clean profile
- Launch VS Code with a fresh --user-data-dir
- If sign-in works, your main profile is corrupted
Did this fix it?4. Update or downgrade the plugin
- Update the JetBrains plugin; if the regression started after an update, install the previous version
Did this fix it?
Symptoms
Browser auth succeeds but the IDE keeps asking, or stuck on 'Retrieving GitHub Device Code'.
Why it happens
- Stale token in the OS credential store
- Plugin regression (JetBrains)
- Signed in with a different GitHub account than the one with a Copilot seat
- Proxy blocking auth
This guide also covers
- copilot sign in loop
- copilot authorization failed
Still not working?
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