--- title: GitHub Copilot desktop app integration url: https://docs.apify.com/integrations/github-copilot-desktop.md parents: - [Apify documentation](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) - [Integrations](https://docs.apify.com/integrations.md) - [AI](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/ai.md) - [GitHub Copilot](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/github-copilot.md) previous: [GitHub Copilot CLI](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/github-copilot-cli.md) next: [Google ADK](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/google-adk.md) --- > ## Documentation index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # GitHub Copilot desktop app integration The [GitHub Copilot desktop app](https://github.com/features/ai/github-app) is GitHub's standalone Copilot client. It runs agentic coding sessions in a chat interface, connects to your repositories, and supports plugins, skills, and Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. The [Apify plugin for GitHub Copilot](https://github.com/apify/apify-github-copilot-plugin) connects Copilot to Apify's library of [Actors](https://apify.com/store) and bundles: * The [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) for searching Apify Store, running Actors, and retrieving datasets. * An `apify` routing agent that picks the right tool or skill based on your prompt. * Five built-in skills for common workflows. This guide covers installation in the GitHub Copilot desktop app. Help keep this page up to date This integration uses a third-party service. If you find outdated content, please [submit an issue on GitHub](https://github.com/apify/apify-docs/issues). ## Prerequisites * [An Apify account](https://console.apify.com/sign-up) - sign up for free if you don't have one. * The [GitHub Copilot desktop app](https://github.com/features/ai/github-app) - installed and signed in. ## Install the plugin 1. Open **Settings**. 2. Select the **Plugins** tab. 3. Search for `Apify`. The `apify` plugin appears in the results, under the [Awesome Copilot](https://awesome-copilot.github.com/plugins) marketplace. 4. Select **Install**. ![GitHub Copilot desktop app Plugins settings with the apify plugin in the search results](/assets/images/01-plugins-search-install-6a184240fd0136fb8b1c4146dc6a7367.webp) 5. The plugin appears under **Installed** with its toggle enabled. ## Connect the Apify MCP server The plugin connects to the Apify MCP server (`https://mcp.apify.com/`) using HTTP transport. Read-only tools like searching Apify Store and fetching Actor details work without signing in. To run Actors and access your account data, you need to authenticate. 1. Open **Settings**, select the **MCP servers** tab, and find `apify-mcp-server` with the `HTTP` transport. Select **Sign in**. ![GitHub Copilot desktop app MCP servers settings with the apify-mcp-server Sign in button](/assets/images/03-mcp-server-signin-416f5dc899407e3cb11352a086fa55a5.webp) 2. Complete the Apify OAuth flow in your browser and choose the account to connect. The browser confirms the authorization and prompts you to return to the desktop app. Session persistence The connection stays authenticated for future sessions. You can revoke access at any time in [Apify Console > Settings > Integrations](https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations). ## Select the `apify` agent Open the agent picker in the chat composer and select the `apify` agent. ![GitHub Copilot desktop app agent picker with the apify agent available](/assets/images/05-agent-picker-b18f8779db058eced8120301b9aba30a.webp) ## Run your first prompt With the `apify` agent selected, describe what you want in plain language. > Use Apify to find a good Actor for scraping Google Maps places. Show me the best option, its input requirements, pricing model, and what kind of dataset output it returns. Do not run the Actor yet. The agent searches Apify Store, fetches the top Actor's details, and summarizes its inputs, pricing, and output - without running the Actor. To check what's available, ask the agent to list what it can do with the Apify plugin. It replies with the tools it can call and the skill behind each workflow. ## Bundled skills | Skill | Description | | ------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `apify-ultimate-scraper` | Extraction using existing Actors for multi-step scraping and lead-generation workflows. | | `apify-actor-development` | Full Actor lifecycle - template selection, development, local testing, and deployment with `apify push`. | | `apify-actorization` | Converts existing JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, or CLI projects into Apify Actors. | | `apify-generate-output-schema` | Generates dataset and key-value store schemas for existing Actors. | | `apify-sdk-integration` | Integrates Actor execution into applications using the `apify-client` package. | Example prompts that route to specific skills: To run `apify-ultimate-scraper`: > Find 10 highly rated coffee shops in Seattle with name, address, rating, phone, and website. To run `apify-actor-development`: > Create an Apify Actor that accepts a `startUrl` and `maxPages` input, crawls the site, and stores each page title and URL. To run `apify-sdk-integration`: > Add Apify to this project. The Node.js API route should run an Actor and return dataset items as JSON. ## Authentication paths The `apify` agent picks the right transport for each task. Each transport authenticates differently: * For MCP tools (search, run, retrieve data), authenticate with OAuth through the browser, as described in Connect the Apify MCP server. You don't need to set up a token. * For the Apify CLI (building Actors, actorization, CLI fallback), run `apify login` once, or set `APIFY_TOKEN` in headless environments. Get your token from [Apify Console > Settings > Integrations](https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations). * For SDK integration with `apify-client`, set the `APIFY_TOKEN` environment variable in your application's environment. ## Troubleshooting ### The `apify` plugin doesn't appear in search If the `apify` plugin doesn't appear when you search for `Apify`: 1. Quit the desktop app, reopen it, and search again. 2. If the plugin still doesn't appear, add its marketplace manually. Open **Settings > Plugins**, select **Install > Add marketplace**, and enter the repository URL: ```text https://github.com/apify/apify-github-copilot-plugin ``` The `apify` plugin then appears in the **Plugins** list. Select **Install** and continue with Connect the Apify MCP server. ### The Apify MCP server won't sign in Open **Settings > MCP servers**, confirm `apify-mcp-server` uses the `HTTP` transport, and select **Sign in** to restart the OAuth flow. Read-only tools work without signing in, so run a search prompt first to confirm the server is connected. ### The `apify` agent isn't available Confirm the plugin is installed and enabled under **Settings > Plugins**, then reopen the agent picker in the chat composer. The `apify` agent appears once the plugin is active. ## Limitations * Long-running Actors may time out during a single tool call. Reduce the scope or split the work across multiple prompts. * Each Actor run counts toward your Apify plan usage, on top of any usage your AI client bills separately. See [Billing](https://docs.apify.com/account/billing.md) for details. * Skills that edit files in your project (Actor development, actorization, SDK integration) make local changes - review them before deploying or committing. ## Related integrations * [Visual Studio Code (VS Code) integration](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/vscode.md) - Install the same plugin from the VS Code plugin marketplace * [GitHub Copilot CLI integration](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/github-copilot-cli.md) - Install the Apify plugin in the GitHub Copilot CLI * [MCP server integration](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) - Use the Apify MCP server with other clients ## Resources * [Apify plugin for GitHub Copilot](https://github.com/apify/apify-github-copilot-plugin) - Source repository and full README with advanced setup notes * [GitHub Copilot documentation](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot) - Official GitHub Copilot docs * [Apify Store](https://apify.com/store) - Browse Actors you can run from Copilot