Copilot Pro active but Access denied on Web Copilot Chat (account-level entitlement issue)

[leon-AR]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Bug

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Copilot in GitHub

Body

My GitHub Copilot Pro subscription is active, but Copilot Chat shows "Access denied – You do not have permission to view this" on the web.

Facts:

• Copilot Pro is active on my account
• Premium requests are available
• Budgets are not blocking usage
• VS Code Copilot Chat shows "Language model unavailable"
• GitHub Web Copilot Chat shows "Access denied"
• Same machine works fine with a free account
• Multiple networks tested, including mobile hotspot

This appears to be an account-level Copilot premium model entitlement issue.
Could you please check and reset Copilot model access for my account?

[github-actions[bot]]

💬 Your Product Feedback Has Been Submitted 🎉

Thank you for taking the time to share your insights with us! Your feedback is invaluable as we build a better GitHub experience for all our users.

Here's what you can expect moving forward ⏩

• Your input will be carefully reviewed and cataloged by members of our product teams. 
  • Due to the high volume of submissions, we may not always be able to provide individual responses.
  • Rest assured, your feedback will help chart our course for product improvements.
• Other users may engage with your post, sharing their own perspectives or experiences. 
• GitHub staff may reach out for further clarification or insight. 
  • We may 'Answer' your discussion if there is a current solution, workaround, or roadmap/changelog post related to the feedback.

Where to look to see what's shipping 👀

• Read the Changelog for real-time updates on the latest GitHub features, enhancements, and calls for feedback.
• Explore our Product Roadmap, which details upcoming major releases and initiatives.

What you can do in the meantime 💻

• Upvote and comment on other user feedback Discussions that resonate with you.
• Add more information at any point! Useful details include: use cases, relevant labels, desired outcomes, and any accompanying screenshots.

As a member of the GitHub community, your participation is essential. While we can't promise that every suggestion will be implemented, we want to emphasize that your feedback is instrumental in guiding our decisions and priorities.

Thank you once again for your contribution to making GitHub even better! We're grateful for your ongoing support and collaboration in shaping the future of our platform. ⭐

[davex-ai]

It honestly sounds like your account is caught in a "permissions ghost." If the exact same machine works with a free account, you’ve basically proven that your hardware, network, and IP are fine—the problem is definitely GitHub’s backend not "announcing" your Pro+ status to the specific servers that handle the Chat API.

1. The "Model Entitlement" Refresh

Sometimes your local IDE and the Web UI are holding onto an old "token" from when you were on a different plan (or the EDU plan).

• Sign out of GitHub everywhere: Not just the tab—sign out of VS Code, the browser, and even your GitHub mobile app if you have it.
• The "Extension" Flush: In VS Code, disable the Copilot extension, wait 10 seconds, and re-enable it. This forces a fresh handshake with the server.

2. Check your "Policies"

Even with a Pro subscription, there are certain "Policy" toggles in your settings that can accidentally block Chat access.

• Go to GitHub Settings > Copilot.
• Look for anything related to "Suggestions matching public code" or "Copilot Chat in the IDE." Even if they look "on," toggle them off and then back on again. It sounds silly, but it forces a database write on their end that can clear the "Access Denied" flag.

3. The "Account-Level" Sync Error

Because you were moving between EDU and Pro+ earlier, your account might be flagged as "Pending" in their internal billing system, even if it shows "Active" to you.

• The Test: Try to visit the Copilot Chat for Web directly. If you see the "Access Denied" there, it’s 100% a mismatch between your Billing Identity and your Service Identity.

What to tell Support (to skip the line)

When you update your ticket (or open a new one), use this specific language so they don't give you basic troubleshooting:

"I have confirmed this is an Account Entitlement Mismatch. A separate free account works on the same machine/network. My Pro+ account is returning a 403 Forbidden for Chat services despite being active. Please manually re-sync my Copilot entitlements."

That phrase "re-sync entitlements" usually tells the support agent to click the "Internal Refresh" button rather than sending you links to help articles.
When you check your Billing Summary, does it show "Copilot Pro" as a separate line item, or is it bundled under something else?

[ahnazeri-jtekt]

Hi, My GitHub's Copilot stopped working on both GitHub UI and the GitHub copilot in VS code since yesterday!
It constantly shows: Access Denied error