Microsoft has fitted the June 2026 update to Visual Studio IDE with a GitHub Copilot usage window that gives a clearer view of where a user stands against the GitHub’s new usage-based model. The update also adds trust validation for Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers.
GitHub Copilot usage now is calculated based on token consumption rather than by request, as part of GitHub’s new usage-based billing model, Microsoft said on June 30. The refreshed usage window in Visual Studio gives a clearer view of the stance against that model, with real-time updates as the developer works. This can be opened by selecting Copilot Usage from the Copilot badge menu.
GitHub Copilot switched to usage-based billing on June 1.
Also with the June update, Visual Studio now validates MCP server trust in two places during startup. Before the MCP server process starts, the current configuration is compared against a previously trusted baseline. After it starts, the fingerprint of its tools, prompts, resources, and instructions is compared to the last-trusted fingerprint. If anything has changed, a trust dialog asks the user to review the changes before the server is allowed to run.
Microsoft also announced these developments with the June 2026 update:
- C++ scenarios for the GitHub Copilot modernization agent are now generally available. These are the flows that upgrade C++ projects to the latest version of the Microsoft C++ (MSVC) Build Tools.
- Long-distance next edit suggestions extend Copilot’s next edit suggestions (NES) across the full active file. Previously, next edit suggestions were limited to the area immediately around the user’s cursor. This feature can be turned on by checking “Enable extended range suggestions” under Tools > Options > Text Editor > Inline Suggestions.
- Emojis now are rendered in color across Visual Studio. The same emoji used to flag a bug, mark a section header, or highlight a to-do shows up with its real colors in the editor, in markdown previews, in GitHub Copilot Chat in build output, and in Solution Explorer.
Visual Studio 2026 was released in November 2025.