Copilot code review: API support and new default effort level
By Steven Van ·
Balanced is now the default review effort, and the API lets Copilot Pro, Pro+, Max, Business and Enterprise users start reviews from their own tools.
Copilot code review can now be requested through the REST and GraphQL APIs, with an optional review effort level set on each request. This lets teams start reviews from their own scripts, workflows and internal tools. It is generally available on the Copilot Pro, Pro+, Max, Business and Enterprise plans.
Separately, Balanced is now the default effort level for new and existing repositories and organizations using Copilot code review in GitHub. The change took effect on September 28, 2026, as announced on August 28. Anyone who had explicitly selected Lite kept it. In the docs, Balanced is described as deeper analysis of complex logic, security-sensitive code and cross-service changes, and it uses more AI credits and may use marginally more GitHub Actions minutes than Lite.
The level can be changed from Default to Lite at the enterprise, organization, repository or personal level, and each level can override the one above it. Steps are in the configuration docs.
