Input not captured correctly while Copilot CLI is loading

[kamil-gwozdz]

Input not captured correctly while Copilot CLI is loading

Description

When Copilot CLI is starting up / loading, keystrokes typed during the loading phase are not captured correctly. Text entered while the CLI is initializing gets lost or garbled, requiring the user to re-type their input after the CLI finishes loading.

This is a noticeable UX friction point — users naturally start typing their prompt immediately after launching the CLI, but the input buffer doesn't reliably capture keystrokes until the loading phase completes.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Launch copilot in the terminal
2. Immediately start typing a prompt while the loading spinner / initialization is in progress
3. Observe that the typed input is missing, partially captured, or incorrectly rendered once the CLI is ready

Expected Behavior

Keystrokes typed during the loading phase should be buffered and replayed correctly once the CLI is ready to accept input, similar to how most terminal applications handle stdin during initialization.

Actual Behavior

Input typed during the loading phase is dropped or not captured correctly.

Evidence

A screen recording demonstrating the issue is attached:

Screen.Recording.2026-03-05.at.10.28.05.mov

Environment

• Tool: GitHub Copilot CLI (copilot)
• OS: macOS as well as codespaces on any linux distro
• Reported: 2026-03-05

Impact

This is a quality-of-life issue that affects the perceived responsiveness of the CLI. Users who are fast typists or who have slower startup times are particularly affected, as they lose input they've already typed and need to re-enter it.