Merged main into live

Author: mijacobs

docs/debugger/debug-with-copilot.md

@@ -37,11 +37,11 @@ For more information on GitHub Copilot Completions in Visual Studio, see [About
 ## Prerequisites
 
 To get started, you need:
-
 + Visual Studio 2022 [version 17.8](/visualstudio/releases/2022/release-history) or later
-+ Active [subscription](https://docs.github.com/en/billing/managing-billing-for-github-copilot/about-billing-for-github-copilot) to [GitHub Copilot for Individuals](https://docs.github.com/copilot/overview-of-github-copilot/about-github-copilot-for-individuals) or [GitHub Copilot for Business](https://docs.github.com/copilot/overview-of-github-copilot/about-github-copilot-for-business)
-+ [**GitHub Copilot**](../ide/visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states.md) in Visual Studio
-+ [**GitHub Copilot Chat**](../ide/visual-studio-github-copilot-chat.md#get-github-copilot-chat-for-visual-studio)
++ [Sign in to Visual Studio using a GitHub account](../ide/work-with-github-accounts.md) with [Copilot access](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/about-github-copilot/what-is-github-copilot#getting-access-to-copilot) <br/>
+  <sup>**</sup> You can use [GitHub Copilot for Free](../ide/copilot-free-plan.md). Sign up and leverage AI to code faster and more efficiently.
++ [GitHub Copilot](../ide/visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states.md) in Visual Studio
++ [GitHub Copilot Chat](../ide/visual-studio-github-copilot-chat.md#get-github-copilot-chat-for-visual-studio) in Visual Studio
 
    > [!NOTE]
    > If you experience authentication issues after installing the extension, see [Troubleshooting authentication issues with GitHub Copilot Chat](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/troubleshooting-github-copilot/troubleshooting-authentication-issues-with-github-copilot-chat).

docs/ide/ai-assisted-development-visual-studio.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 title: AI-assistance for developers in Visual Studio
 description: Learn about the AI-assisted development tools in Visual Studio, such as GitHub Copilot Completions and Chat, and IntelliCode, and how they can help you write code more efficiently.
-ms.date: 7/29/2024
+ms.date: 12/18/2024
 ms.topic: overview 
 author: anandmeg
 ms.author: meghaanand
@@ -74,8 +74,7 @@ GitHub Copilot and IntelliCode assist you in writing code faster and with greate
 
   :::image type="content" source="media/vs-2022/copilot-chat-visual-studio.gif" alt-text="Animated screenshot that shows the capabilities of the GitHub Copilot Chat extension." lightbox="media/vs-2022/copilot-chat-visual-studio.gif":::
 
-  All [GitHub Copilot for Individuals](https://docs.github.com/copilot/overview-of-github-copilot/about-github-copilot-for-individuals) users have access to GitHub Copilot Chat. [Learn more](https://github.blog/2023-09-20-github-copilot-chat-beta-now-available-for-all-individuals/#how-developers-can-access-github-copilot-chat-beta).
-  All [GitHub Copilot for Business](https://docs.github.com/copilot/overview-of-github-copilot/about-github-copilot-for-business) have access to a limited GitHub Copilot Chat beta. [Learn more](https://github.blog/2023-07-20-github-copilot-chat-beta-now-available-for-every-organization/).
+  Get started with [GitHub Copilot Chat in Visual Studio](visual-studio-github-copilot-chat.md#use-copilot-chat-in-visual-studio). Note that it requires Visual Studio 2022 17.8 or later.
 
 ### IntelliCode in Visual Studio
 

docs/ide/copilot-chat-context.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 title: 'Tips & Tricks for GitHub Copilot Chat in Visual Studio'
 description: Use slash commands, references, and threads to form better questions and get better answers with scoped context in GitHub Copilot Chat.
-ms.date: 12/13/2024
+ms.date: 12/18/2024
 ms.topic: how-to 
 author: anandmeg
 ms.author: meghaanand
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ Learn more about [AI-assisted development in Visual Studio](../ide/ai-assisted-d
 
 To get started using GitHub Copilot Chat in Visual Studio, you need:
 + Visual Studio 2022 [version 17.8](/visualstudio/releases/2022/release-history) or later
-+ Active [subscription](https://docs.github.com/en/billing/managing-billing-for-github-copilot/about-billing-for-github-copilot) to either [GitHub Copilot for Individuals](https://docs.github.com/copilot/overview-of-github-copilot/about-github-copilot-for-individuals) or [GitHub Copilot for Business](https://docs.github.com/copilot/overview-of-github-copilot/about-github-copilot-for-business)
++ [Sign in to Visual Studio using a GitHub account](work-with-github-accounts.md) with [Copilot access](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/about-github-copilot/what-is-github-copilot#getting-access-to-copilot) <br/>
+  <sup>**</sup> You can use [GitHub Copilot for Free](copilot-free-plan.md). Sign up and leverage AI to code faster and more efficiently.
 + [GitHub Copilot](visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states.md) in Visual Studio
 + [GitHub Copilot Chat](visual-studio-github-copilot-chat.md#get-github-copilot-chat-for-visual-studio) in Visual Studio
-+ [Sign in to Visual Studio with the GitHub account](work-with-github-accounts.md) that has an active GitHub Copilot subscription
 
 Support for GitHub Copilot Chat will be provided by GitHub and can be reached at https://support.github.com.
 
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ Copilot Chat uses the chat history to get context about your request. To give Co
 * Use threads to start a new conversation for a new task.
 * Delete requests that are no longer relevant or that didn’t give you the desired result.
 
-Keep the chat conversation open and continue to iterate and prompt Copilot to improve the suggested solution. Copilot has both the context of the generated code and your current conversation history. As you keep asking additional questions, Copilot further refines the response according to your requirements. See [Prompt engineering for Github Copilot](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/using-github-copilot/prompt-engineering-for-github-copilot) for strategies on effective prompting to improve your Copilot results.
+Keep the chat conversation open and continue to iterate and prompt Copilot to improve the suggested solution. Copilot has both the context of the generated code and your current conversation history. As you keep asking additional questions, Copilot further refines the response according to your requirements. See [Prompt engineering for GitHub Copilot](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/using-github-copilot/prompt-engineering-for-github-copilot) for strategies on effective prompting to improve your Copilot results.
 
 ## Next steps
 

docs/ide/copilot-free-plan.md

@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+---
+title: 'GitHub Copilot Free in Visual Studio'
+description: Use GitHub Copilot Completions, Chat, and Edits for free in Visual Studio.
+ms.date: 12/18/2024
+ms.topic: overview 
+author: anandmeg
+ms.author: meghaanand
+ms.manager: mijacobs
+ms.subservice: ai-tools
+ms.collection: ce-skilling-ai-copilot
+monikerRange: '>= vs-2022'
+---
+# Use GitHub Copilot for free in Visual Studio
+
+GitHub Copilot Free enables you to experience AI-powered coding assistance in your IDE by providing limited access to select Copilot features. With [Copilot Free](https://aka.ms/ghdocscopilotfreepage), you can now access all AI-integrated features in Visual Studio, including [Completions](visual-studio-github-copilot-extension.md), Edits, and [Chat](visual-studio-github-copilot-chat.md).
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+To get started with Copilot Free in Visual Studio, you need:
++ Visual Studio 2022 [version 17.8](/visualstudio/releases/2022/release-history) or later
++ [GitHub Copilot](visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states.md) in Visual Studio
+
+## Get started with Copilot Free in Visual Studio
+
+**Set up Copilot Free using Visual Studio**
+
+- In Visual Studio, select the **GitHub Copilot** badge in the upper-right corner of the IDE. 
+- Select **Get Copilot Subscription** or **Add GitHub account to Visual Studio**.
+- If you have an existing GitHub account, sign in when prompted. If not, follow the steps to create a new GitHub account. 
+- Select **Sign up for Free** to complete the setup. Once finished, you’ll be redirected back to Visual Studio. 
+
+**Set up Copilot Free using GitHub.com**
+
+- In the upper-right corner of any GitHub page, select your profile photo, and then select **Your Copilot**. 
+- Select **Start using Copilot Free** to activate Copilot Free and open a conversation thread.
+- Select **Use Copilot in other IDEs**, select **Visual Studio** and follow the instructions provided for Visual Studio. 
+
+## Copilot Free usage limits in Visual Studio
+
+Copilot Free provides a limited number of code completions and chat responses for free per month. Changes in Copilot functionality may indicate you've reached your monthly usage limit.
+You can check the current status of your Copilot Free account on the [GitHub account settings page](https://github.com/settings/copilot).
+
+When you hit the usage limits, your Copilot experience in Visual Studio may be impacted as follows:
+
+:::row::: 
+    :::column span="1"::: 
+       **Usage limit for Completions is reached**
+    :::column-end::: 
+    :::column span="2"::: 
+       User receives IntelliCode suggestions instead of Copilot completions. The Copilot badge stays green, indicating **active** status. 
+    :::column-end::: 
+:::row-end:::
+:::row::: 
+    :::column span="1"::: 
+       **Usage limit for Chat is reached**
+    :::column-end::: 
+    :::column span="2"::: 
+       User no longer receives chat responses when sending prompts. The Copilot badge stays green, indicating **active** status. 
+    :::column-end::: 
+:::row-end:::
+:::row::: 
+:::row-end:::
+
+When you reach usage limits for Copilot Free, you can wait for them to reset at the end of the monthly cycle or upgrade to Copilot Pro to continue using Copilot.
+
+## Frequently asked questions
+
+#### Who can access Copilot Free?
+
+Copilot Free is not available if you have an EMU account, access to a Copilot seat through an organization, an existing Copilot Pro subscription or trial, or free access to Copilot Pro as a student, teacher, or open-source maintainer.
+For the latest information, see [About GitHub Copilot Free](https://aka.ms/ghdocscopilotfreepage).
+
+#### Can I turn off completions to save them for later?
+
+Yes. You can enable or disable completions at any time.
+To enable or disable, select **Settings** > **Options** from **GitHub Copilot** badge in the upper-right corner of your IDE, and then select or unselect **Enable Copilot Completions**. 
+
+#### Can I block suggestions matching public code with Copilot Free?
+
+Yes. You can configure these settings from the [GitHub Copilot Settings](https://github.com/settings/copilot) page.
+
+#### What Copilot features are included in Copilot Free?
+
+Copilot Free includes the following features: Copilot Completions, Edits, and Chat.
+Learn more at [About GitHub Copilot Free](https://aka.ms/ghdocscopilotfreepage).
+
+#### What are the Copilot Free limits for Completions and Chat?
+
+See [About GitHub Copilot Free](https://aka.ms/ghdocscopilotfreepage) for information.
+
+## Related content
+
+- [Install and manage GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio](visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states.md)
+- [GitHub Copilot experience for Visual Studio](visual-studio-github-copilot-extension.md)
+- [GitHub Copilot Chat experience for Visual Studio](visual-studio-github-copilot-chat.md)
+- [About GitHub Copilot Free](https://aka.ms/ghdocscopilotfreepage)

docs/ide/visual-studio-github-copilot-chat.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 title: About GitHub Copilot Chat in Visual Studio
 description: Learn about the fully integrated GitHub Copilot Chat in Visual Studio. Use the chat interface to ask coding-related questions from right within the IDE.
-ms.date: 11/12/2024
+ms.date: 12/18/2024
 ms.topic: overview 
 author: anandmeg
 ms.author: meghaanand
@@ -33,9 +33,8 @@ Copilot Chat provides AI assistance to help you make informed decisions and writ
 
 To get started, you need:
 + Visual Studio 2022 [version 17.8](/visualstudio/releases/2022/release-history) or later
-+ Active [subscription](https://docs.github.com/en/billing/managing-billing-for-github-copilot/about-billing-for-github-copilot) to [GitHub Copilot for Individuals](https://docs.github.com/copilot/overview-of-github-copilot/about-github-copilot-for-individuals) or [GitHub Copilot for Business](https://docs.github.com/copilot/overview-of-github-copilot/about-github-copilot-for-business)
-+ [**GitHub Copilot**](visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states.md) in Visual Studio
-+ [Sign in to Visual Studio with the GitHub account](work-with-github-accounts.md) that has an active GitHub Copilot subscription
++ [Sign in to Visual Studio using a GitHub account](work-with-github-accounts.md) with [Copilot access](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/about-github-copilot/what-is-github-copilot#getting-access-to-copilot) <br/>
+  <sup>**</sup> You can use [GitHub Copilot for Free](copilot-free-plan.md). Sign up and leverage AI to code faster and more efficiently.
 
 ## Get GitHub Copilot Chat for Visual Studio
 

docs/ide/visual-studio-github-copilot-extension.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 title: About GitHub Copilot Completions in Visual Studio
 description: Use GitHub Copilot completions in Visual Studio to use AI assistance to generate information about your code, including suggested edits and new code snippets.
-ms.date: 9/05/2024
+ms.date: 12/18/2024
 ms.topic: overview
 author: anandmeg
 ms.author: meghaanand
@@ -33,11 +33,8 @@ You can also use GitHub Copilot to convert comments to code, create unit tests,
 
 To get started, you need:
 + Visual Studio 2022 [version 17.8](/visualstudio/releases/2022/release-history) or later
-+ Active [subscription](https://docs.github.com/en/billing/managing-billing-for-github-copilot/about-billing-for-github-copilot) to [GitHub Copilot for Individuals](https://docs.github.com/copilot/overview-of-github-copilot/about-github-copilot-for-individuals) or [GitHub Copilot for Business](https://docs.github.com/copilot/overview-of-github-copilot/about-github-copilot-for-business)
-+ [Sign in to Visual Studio with the GitHub account](work-with-github-accounts.md) that has an active GitHub Copilot subscription
-
-  > [!TIP]
-  > GitHub Copilot is free for verified students and for maintainers of popular open source projects on GitHub. If you are not a student or maintainer of a popular open source project, you can [try GitHub Copilot for free with a one-time 30-day trial](https://github.com/settings/copilot). After the free trial, you will need a [paid subscription](https://docs.github.com/en/billing/managing-billing-for-github-copilot/about-billing-for-github-copilot) for continued use.
++ [Sign in to Visual Studio using a GitHub account](work-with-github-accounts.md) with [Copilot access](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/about-github-copilot/what-is-github-copilot#getting-access-to-copilot) <br/>
+  <sup>**</sup> You can use [GitHub Copilot for Free](copilot-free-plan.md). Sign up and leverage AI to code faster and more efficiently.
 
 GitHub Copilot supports several programming languages and frameworks, including but not limited to: C#, C++, and Python.
 

docs/ide/visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 title: Install and manage GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio
 description: Learn how to install GitHub Copilot to get GitHub Copilot Completions and Chat in Visual Studio. Use the Copilot badge in the IDE to access options to manage or troubleshoot your Copilot state. 
-ms.date: 9/12/2024
+ms.date: 12/18/2024
 ms.topic: install-set-up-deploy
 author: anandmeg
 ms.author: meghaanand
@@ -90,8 +90,7 @@ With Visual Studio 2022 version 17.10, you see a Copilot status icon in the uppe
 
 ### Copilot is active
 
-Copilot is in an active state and fully functional if you [signed into Visual Studio with a GitHub account](work-with-github-accounts.md) that has an active [subscription](https://docs.github.com/en/billing/managing-billing-for-github-copilot/about-billing-for-github-copilot) to [GitHub Copilot for Individuals](https://docs.github.com/copilot/overview-of-github-copilot/about-github-copilot-for-individuals) or [GitHub Copilot for Business](https://docs.github.com/copilot/overview-of-github-copilot/about-github-copilot-for-business).
-
+Copilot is in an active state and fully functional if you [signed into Visual Studio using a GitHub account](work-with-github-accounts.md) with [Copilot access](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/about-github-copilot/what-is-github-copilot#getting-access-to-copilot).
 Using the dropdown menu, you can easily open the Chat window, access Copilot settings, and manage Copilot subscription.
 
 :::image type="content" source="media/vs-2022/visual-studio-github-copilot-install-and-states/copilot-state-active.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Copilot badge when Copilot is in active state.":::

docs/toc.yml

@@ -157,6 +157,8 @@
       href: ide/visual-studio-github-copilot-troubleshoot.md
     - name: Admin controls for GitHub Copilot
       href: ide/visual-studio-github-copilot-admin.md
+    - name: GitHub Copilot Free
+      href: ide/copilot-free-plan.md
   - name: IntelliCode
     items:
     - name: 'What is IntelliCode?'