Visual Studio 2026 introduces new GitHub Copilot capabilities to support C++ developers in three development tasks: 

• Performing large-scale C++ refactors 

• Improving C++ build performance  

• Upgrading Microsoft C++ (MSVC) Build Tools 

These experiences are available now as a Private Preview in Visual Studio 2026. Install Visual Studio 2026 and join the waitlist for Private Preview today. 

C++ code editing tools for GitHub Copilot 

C++ code editing tools for GitHub Copilot bring the precision of C++ IntelliSense to Visual Studio agent mode to enable faster and more accurate codebase-wide edits. This includes: 

• Viewing all references across your codebase 

• Understanding relevant metadata (e.g., type, declaration, and scope) 

• Visualizing class inheritance hierarchies 

• Tracing function call chains 

See Perform wide-sweeping refactors using C++ code editing tools for GitHub Copilot on the C++ Team Blog for more information. 

GitHub Copilot build performance for Windows 

GitHub Copilot build performance for Windows uses the power of Build Insights to analyze your C++ build and suggest changes to improve performance. Check out Optimize Your C++ Build Times with GitHub Copilot on the C++ Team Blog to learn more. 

GitHub Copilot app modernization for C++ 

GitHub Copilot app modernization for C++ helps you migrate your C++ projects to a newer version of the MSVC Build Tools and resolve all warnings and errors. See Fix build issues using GitHub Copilot after upgrading MSVC Build Tools on the C++ Team Blog for more information. 

Thank you for your feedback 

We’re excited to build alongside you and deliver new capabilities that make GitHub Copilot even more valuable for C++ developers.  

If you’re curious about these new capabilities, sign up for the Private Preview waitlist. If you have general feedback on Visual Studio 2026, you can file an issue or suggestion on Developer Community.