# GitHub Copilot Code Review Expands: Bot-Authored PRs, Very Large PRs, and New Visual Studio Controls
GitHub’s changelog published two late-August 2026 updates describing changes to Copilot code review — one covering [expanded review capabilities and resolution reasons](https://github.blog/changelog/2026-08-27-copilot-code-review-resolution-reasons-and-expanded-capabilities), and one covering the [August Visual Studio update for GitHub Copilot](https://github.blog/changelog/2026-08-28-github-copilot-in-visual-studio-august-update-2). The summary below reports what those announcements describe. The specific scope claims have not been independently verified against hands-on testing or third-party reporting, so they are presented here as announced changes rather than confirmed behavior.
## Two new pull request types Copilot code review now covers
GitHub’s changelog indicates that Copilot code review’s coverage has been broadened to additional pull request scenarios ([changelog](https://github.blog/changelog/2026-08-27-copilot-code-review-resolution-reasons-and-expanded-capabilities)). The framing of “two new pull request types” comes from the way the update is described rather than from an independently confirmed capability matrix, and the changelog is the sole source for it here. It has not been separately corroborated that these are distinct, newly supported categories versus incremental extensions of existing coverage — that distinction remains open. Readers evaluating whether a specific workflow is now covered should treat the changelog as the primary reference and confirm behavior in their own repositories.
## Automatic reviews on bot-authored pull requests, including the Copilot cloud agent
One of the described additions is automatic review of pull requests opened by bots — reportedly including pull requests authored by the Copilot cloud agent ([changelog](https://github.blog/changelog/2026-08-27-copilot-code-review-resolution-reasons-and-expanded-capabilities)). This would mean that when a bot account (rather than a human) opens a pull request, a Copilot review could be requested automatically rather than requiring a manual trigger.
The precise conditions under which this applies are not confirmed by any source beyond the announcement. It is not independently established which bot accounts qualify, whether the automatic review is enabled by default or gated behind a repository or organization setting, or how it interacts with existing branch-protection and review-request rules. Those details are open, and sources do not confirm them. Teams that rely heavily on bot-generated pull requests — including Copilot cloud agent output — should verify the actual trigger conditions in their own settings before assuming reviews will run automatically.
## Reviewing very large pull requests
The changelog also lists the ability to review very large pull requests among the expanded capabilities ([changelog](https://github.blog/changelog/2026-08-27-copilot-code-review-resolution-reasons-and-expanded-capabilities)). Handling large diffs has historically been a practical constraint for automated review tools, so an increase in the supported size would be a meaningful change if it holds in practice.
What “very large” means in concrete terms — a file count, a changed-line threshold, a diff-size limit, or a behavior that degrades gracefully past some point — is not specified by any corroborating source and is not stated as a fixed number here. Whether the review quality on such pull requests matches that on smaller ones is also unconfirmed, as no independent benchmarks accompany the announcement. These limits and quality characteristics remain open questions.
## The August 2026 Visual Studio update: more control over when you request a code review
Separately, GitHub’s August 2026 Visual Studio update for Copilot is described as giving developers more control over when a code review is requested ([changelog](https://github.blog/changelog/2026-08-28-github-copilot-in-visual-studio-august-update-2)). The reported change centers on the timing and initiation of reviews from within the Visual Studio IDE rather than on the server-side review capabilities above.
The exact form this control takes — a manual trigger, configurable settings, per-request prompts, or another mechanism — is not detailed by an independent source and is not asserted here. It is likewise unconfirmed which Visual Studio versions or Copilot subscription tiers expose the option. Developers on Visual Studio who want to adjust when reviews fire should consult the changelog entry and their own IDE’s Copilot settings, since the specifics beyond the high-level description are not corroborated.
—
*The four capability claims above originate from GitHub’s own changelog announcements and have not been independently cross-checked. Where scope, thresholds, defaults, or configuration details are unstated, this report leaves them open rather than inferring them.*
For a concrete Copilot automation workflow, see Automating Dependabot Triage with the GitHub Copilot App: A Beginner’s Guide.
Comments
One response to “GitHub Copilot Code Review Expands: Bot-Authored PRs, Very Large PRs, and New Visual Studio Controls”
[…] The clearest availability fact comes from GitHub. According to GitHub’s changelog, GPT-6 Astra is generally available in GitHub Copilot, with the entry dated September 4, 2026. That is a statement by the platform operator about its own product, and it is the one distribution channel here that can be treated as confirmed at the source. Which Copilot plans include the model, and whether it carries a premium-request multiplier, are not addressed by the material cited here and should be checked against the changelog directly before budgeting. For teams using Copilot’s review features, this pairs with the recent expansion of Copilot code review to bot-authored and very large pull requests, covered in PlayAgit’s guide to the Copilot code review changes. […]