GitHub Copilot Desktop returns 403 “not authorized to use this Copilot feature” on Copilot Free

[Paulmer1]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Bug

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Copilot in GitHub

Body

I am experiencing an authorization problem with the GitHub Copilot Desktop app on macOS.
Environment

• GitHub account: Paulmer1
• Account type: Personal account, not a member of any organization
• Copilot plan: Copilot Free
• GitHub Copilot Desktop app: 1.1.11
• Platform: macOS ARM64
  What works
• GitHub authentication is valid.
• Copilot works correctly on GitHub.com.
• GitHub settings show “Copilot in GitHub Desktop” as Enabled.
• “Copilot can search the web” is Enabled.
• Desktop Health Check reports ok: true.
  What fails
  Every Copilot Desktop session fails, including a completely new session containing only hello.
  The UI reports:
  You are not authorized to use this Copilot feature, it requires an enterprise or organization policy to be enabled.
  The Desktop log shows:
  Request models.list failed with message: 403 "unauthorized: not authorized to use this Copilot feature"
  It also occurs for session.model.list.
  Troubleshooting already performed
• Signed out of Copilot Desktop.
• Completely quit the application.
• Reopened it and authenticated again.
• Created a completely new session unrelated to any repository.
• The same 403 error remains.
  Therefore, the failure does not appear to be repository-specific.
  Recent Request IDs:
• E0DC:134A6C:E78050:10132ED:6A8751B2
• E0E0:34C420:E14382:FB068D:6A8751BD
  Could someone from GitHub please confirm whether this is an account-side Copilot Desktop/model-catalogue entitlement issue for Copilot Free, or advise what additional action is required?
  I can provide the relevant health-check output and application log if required.

[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. ⭐