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Feature Request: Real-time Token Usage Display for GitHub Copilot Interactions #251807

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@iwangbowen

Description

@iwangbowen

Type: Feature Request

Feature Request: Real-time Token Usage Display for GitHub Copilot Interactions

Summary

Add real-time token consumption tracking and display for GitHub Copilot interactions within VS Code, showing both input and output token usage during conversations.

Description

Currently, GitHub Copilot users have no visibility into their token consumption during chat interactions. With usage limits becoming more prevalent across different Copilot plans, users need transparency into their token usage to make informed decisions about their queries and optimize their interactions.

Proposed Features

Real-time Token Counter:

  • Display live token count during typing in the chat input field
  • Show estimated tokens for the current message before sending
  • Update token usage immediately after receiving responses

Session Statistics:

  • Track cumulative token usage for the current chat session
  • Display breakdown of input vs output tokens
  • Show remaining quota (if applicable) for current billing period

Visual Indicators:

  • Subtle token counter in the chat interface (similar to character count)
  • Color-coded indicators when approaching usage limits
  • Optional notifications for high token consumption queries

Usage Analytics:

  • Historical token usage trends
  • Most token-intensive queries identification
  • Suggestions for optimizing token efficiency

Benefits

  • Cost Awareness: Users can monitor and control their token consumption
  • Query Optimization: Encourages more efficient prompt engineering
  • Budget Management: Better planning for teams with usage quotas
  • Transparency: Clear understanding of resource utilization

Implementation Considerations

Use Cases

  1. Individual Developers: Monitor personal usage against quotas
  2. Enterprise Teams: Track and allocate token budgets across team members
  3. Educators: Teach students about efficient AI interaction patterns
  4. Researchers: Analyze token consumption patterns for different query types

This feature would complement the existing Copilot usage dashboard and provide immediate feedback to help users make more informed decisions about their AI interactions.

VS Code version: Code - Insiders 1.102.0-insider (0140ab3, 2025-06-18T05:04:01.892Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26100
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