GitHub · 2026-08-31 · major
GitHub Copilot retires six models — Claude Opus 4.5 and 4.6 are out
GitHub deprecated six models across most Copilot experiences on September 1, 2026: Claude Opus 4.5 and 4.6, Claude Sonnet 4.5 and 4.6, Gemini 3.1 Pro, and Raptor Mini. GitHub asks users to move workflows and integrations to supported models.
Six models left GitHub Copilot on September 1, including four Anthropic ones, and pinned workflows need new model IDs.
Quick facts
| Announced | August 31, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Deprecation date | September 1, 2026 |
| Models retired | 6 |
| Anthropic | Opus 4.5, Opus 4.6 → Opus 4.7, 4.8 or 5 |
| Anthropic | Sonnet 4.5, Sonnet 4.6 → Claude Sonnet 5 |
| Gemini 3.1 Pro → Gemini 3.7 Flash | |
| Microsoft | Raptor Mini → MAI-Code-1.1-Flash |
What is it?
GitHub's changelog lists six models deprecated across most Copilot experiences as of September 1, 2026: Claude Opus 4.5, Claude Opus 4.6, Claude Sonnet 4.5, Claude Sonnet 4.6, Gemini 3.1 Pro and Raptor Mini. Each entry in the table comes with a suggested alternative — Opus 4.7, 4.8 or 5 for the Opus pair, Sonnet 5 for the Sonnet pair, Gemini 3.7 Flash and MAI-Code-1.1-Flash for the other two.
How does it work?
The retirement is handled by GitHub, so nothing has to be uninstalled — the models simply stop appearing. The catch is on the replacement side: for Copilot Enterprise and Business, access to an alternative model has to be enabled through Copilot model policies, which is an administrator action rather than a developer one. Claude Sonnet 4.6 is the single exception in the table, staying available to individual subscribers on annual plans.
Why does it matter?
Anything that names a model by ID breaks quietly. A CI job calling the Copilot CLI, a custom agent config, or a team convention built around Claude Sonnet 4.5 now points at nothing, and in a managed org the replacement may be blocked by policy until someone flips it on. The practical step today is to grep your automation for the six retired IDs and swap them, then confirm the alternatives are enabled in Copilot settings.
Who is it for?
teams with Copilot pinned to a specific model
Frequently asked questions
- Do I have to remove the deprecated Copilot models myself?
- No. GitHub's changelog states that no action is required to remove the deprecated models — they disappear from Copilot on their own. What GitHub does ask is that you update your own workflows and integrations to use supported models, since anything that names a retired model ID will stop resolving.
- Is Claude Sonnet 4.6 gone for everyone in Copilot?
- Not quite. GitHub's changelog notes that Claude Sonnet 4.6 remains available to individual GitHub Copilot subscribers on annual plans, while it is deprecated elsewhere. Every other model in the table — Claude Opus 4.5, Claude Opus 4.6, Claude Sonnet 4.5, Gemini 3.1 Pro and Raptor Mini — is retired across most Copilot experiences.
- What do Copilot Enterprise and Business admins need to do?
- Administrators may need to enable the replacement models through Copilot model policies in settings, because access to an alternative is not automatic. GitHub also tells enterprise customers with concerns to contact their account manager. Without a policy change, developers can lose a model without gaining its suggested replacement.
- Which Claude models does GitHub Copilot still support?
- GitHub's supported-models reference lists Claude Fable 5, Claude Fable 5.1, Claude Haiku 4.5, Claude Opus 4.7 and 4.8, Claude Opus 5 and Claude Sonnet 5 among the Anthropic options. GitHub notes on that page that model availability is subject to change and that models may be replaced or updated over time.
Try it
Check Copilot settings → model policies, then update any workflow that names a retired model ID