Please bring Claude Opus 4.6 back to GitHub Copilot in VS Code.

[kgfly]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Product Feedback

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Copilot in GitHub

Body

Request

Please bring Claude Opus 4.6 back to GitHub Copilot in VS Code and keep it available as long as Anthropic continues to officially support the model.

The main issue: significantly higher token consumption

The biggest problem with replacing Opus 4.6 with newer Opus models such as 4.7, 4.8, and 5 is that they can consume tokens and premium usage much faster.

For many developers, this isn't simply a matter of choosing which model is "better." Usage efficiency directly determines how long our Copilot allowance lasts.

A model that produces excellent results but consumes available usage substantially faster can actually be a worse choice for day-to-day development.

Why Opus 4.6 should remain available

Opus 4.6 provides a valuable balance of:

• Strong coding and reasoning performance
• Good agentic capabilities
• Predictable behavior
• More manageable token/usage consumption
• Better suitability for extended coding sessions

Newer models should absolutely be offered, but that shouldn't require users to give up a model that is still officially supported and works well for their workflow.

Suggested policy

Please consider the following:

1. Restore Claude Opus 4.6 to the VS Code Copilot model picker.
2. Keep Opus 4.6 available for as long as Anthropic supports it.
3. Don't deprecate it solely because newer Opus models are available.
4. Let users choose between models based on both performance and usage efficiency.
5. Only remove Opus 4.6 when Anthropic officially deprecates the model or GitHub can no longer provide access to it.

Bottom line

Newer isn't automatically better when it consumes significantly more usage.

Please give developers the choice to continue using Claude Opus 4.6 while it remains supported by Anthropic.

For users who rely heavily on Copilot throughout the day, the difference in token consumption can have a major impact on practical usage limits.

Keeping Opus 4.6 available alongside newer models would give users the flexibility to choose the model that provides the best balance of quality, performance, and usage efficiency.

[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. ⭐