Copilot Request Spike After Visual Studio Insiders Update

[John-Wilson-Omar]

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I wanted to flag something in case other developers have seen similar behaviour.

After updating Visual Studio Insiders yesterday, there appeared to be a UI update to GitHub Copilot. Following this update, I experienced a very unusual spike in request usage. A single session of using CLaude Opus 4.6 ended up consuming roughly 816 requests
requests for the day which is far beyond what I’ve ever seen before, where previously I would average around 100 requests per day.

For context, I’ve been using Copilot consistently for over a year with a very similar workflow and have never experienced anything close to this level of request consumption. The spike occurred shortly after the update, with around $33 worth of requests recorded in one day.

As a test, I switched back to Visual Studio Enterprise 2026 (standard/stable channel) and since doing so my Copilot request usage has returned to normal levels under the same workflow. That suggests the behaviour may be related to the latest Insiders build and/or Copilot UI changes introduced in that update.

I’ve already raised a support ticket with GitHub outlining the spike and the timeline of events. In the meantime, if anyone else is using Visual Studio Insiders, it may be worth being cautious with the latest update until there’s more clarity.

If others have seen similar spikes after the update, it would be useful to compare notes

[ajx-dev]

Thanks for flagging this — really useful heads up.

I haven't personally hit the same spike, but your findings make sense. The new Copilot UI in VS Insiders likely introduced background requests (context gathering, inline suggestions, or chat prefetching) that weren't there before — and those can add up fast without you realizing it.

The fact that switching back to VS Enterprise 2026 (stable) immediately normalized your usage is a strong signal that it's build-specific, not workflow-related.

A few things worth checking while you wait on the GitHub support ticket:

• Check if "NES" (Next Edit Suggestions) or any new background features got auto-enabled after the update — these can be surprisingly request-heavy.
• Look at your Copilot usage breakdown in GitHub settings (Settings → Billing → Copilot) to see which feature type is consuming the most.
• If you go back to Insiders, try disabling new features one by one to isolate the culprit.

Hopefully GitHub's team can pinpoint it from the logs on their end. Would be good to hear what they come back with.

[Junio243]

Hi @John-Wilson-Omar! 👋

To refactor code using GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio, here are the best approaches:

🛠️ Methods to Refactor with Copilot

1. Inline Chat (Ctrl+Alt+I)

• Select the code you want to refactor
• • Press Ctrl+Alt+I (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+A (Mac)
• • Type your request, e.g.:
• • "Refactor this to use async/await"
• • "Make this method more efficient"
• • "Extract this into a separate function"

2. Copilot Chat Panel

• Open GitHub Copilot Chat from the sidebar
• • Ask: "How can I refactor [specific code] to improve performance?"
• • Copilot will suggest changes and explain the improvements

3. Smart Actions (Lightbulb)

• Click the lightbulb icon 💡 when hovering over code
• • Look for Copilot suggestions like:
• • "Generate method"
• • "Explain this"
• • "Fix this issue"

4. Code Comments

• Add a comment above the code describing what you want:
• // Refactor: Extract database logic into a separate repository class
• public void GetUserData() { ... }
• • Copilot will suggest the refactored version

🎯 Example Prompts

• "Refactor this loop to use LINQ"
• • "Apply SOLID principles to this class"
• • "Convert this to a generic method"
• • "Add null checks and error handling"

⚡ Pro Tips

• Be specific about what you want to improve
• • Ask Copilot to explain the changes
• • Review suggestions carefully before applying
    Would you like help with a specific refactoring scenario? Share your code and I'll show you exactly how to do it! 🚀