Copilot CLI v0.0.407: Auth, Themes & MCP Config

TL;DR

• Better auth error messages and quota guidance when limits hit
• Theme picker now shows live previews with colorblind/tritanopia variants
• New `/on-air` mode hides model names for streaming, `/instructions` command for custom files
• MCP servers auto-configure with Microsoft OAuth, workspace-local config via `.vscode/mcp.json`
• Keyboard shortcuts standardized (Ctrl+P for slash commands, Ctrl+D for delete, Ctrl+Q for queue)

New

• Authentication error messages — Clearer prompts in prompt mode, quota exceeded errors now link directly to Copilot settings with actionable next steps
• Theme picker live preview — See diffs and markdown rendered in real-time before applying; adds colorblind and tritanopia theme variants for accessibility
• /on-air mode — Hide model names and quota details during streaming for cleaner screen recordings and presentations
• /instructions command — View and toggle custom instruction files without leaving the CLI
• Workspace-local MCP config — Configure MCP servers per project via `.vscode/mcp.json` instead of global settings
• Permanent tool permissions — Approve tool access for a specific location once instead of every invocation
• Alternate screen buffer mode — Experimental `--alt-screen` flag for better terminal state handling
• tools.list RPC — Query available built-in tools programmatically via SDK
• Session context in SDK — `session.list` response now exposes session context for deeper integration
• Agent metadata in timeline — Read_agent entries show agent type and description
• Recent Activity in /tasks — Background agents now display recent activity history

Fixed

• Streaming responses now automatically retry when interrupted by server errors
• Interactive programs that query terminal state now work correctly in shell mode
• Subagents fall back to session model when default model is blocked by policy
• Keyboard shortcut hints display consistently with bold styling throughout the CLI
• Ctrl+B and Ctrl+F cursor movement now available on all platforms
• Windows slash flags (e.g., `dir /B`) no longer treated as file paths
• Diff mode no longer flickers when navigating files
• MCP disable/enable commands show clear error when server name doesn't exist
• Terminal title now works on all TTY terminals, not just select few
• File descriptor leaks fixed via updated node-pty
• Unintended characters removed from status bar
• Autopilot mode now works with custom agents that specify explicit tools
• Skill changes from `/skills` commands take effect immediately
• Slash commands followed immediately by newline now work correctly
• ask_user tool now asks one question at a time for clearer interaction

Breaking Changes

• Ctrl+D behavior changed — Now deletes character after cursor; character queueing moved to Ctrl+Q (or Ctrl+Enter)
• Tab/Shift+Tab navigation — Tab cycles modes forward, Shift+Tab backward; shell is now a mode instead of default state
• Ctrl+P replaces Ctrl+X — Ctrl+P now runs slash commands while preserving input; Ctrl+X → / shortcut removed
• --resume flag behavior — Now creates new sessions with provided UUID instead of resuming existing ones
• Auto-update disabled in CI — Help text no longer prompts for updates in CI environments by default

Update via: npm install -g @github/copilot-cli@0.0.407 or check the release page for platform-specific instructions.

Source: Copilot CLI