Copilot for JetBrains adds default-model controls and an MCP startup switch

GitHub announced two new controls for Copilot in JetBrains IDEs in a changelog dated October 10, 2026: enterprise administrators can choose the default model for new conversations, while users can switch off automatic MCP server startup for Copilot and Claude.

The release also raises the minimum supported IDE version. GitHub says Copilot no longer supports JetBrains IDE 2025.1 and requires version 2025.2 or later—a compatibility change worth checking before updating the plugin.

The enterprise setting establishes a starting model rather than locking developers to one. Administrators can select any available Copilot agent model through managed settings, but an explicit choice in the model picker is preserved, according to GitHub. The distinction matters: an organization can set the default without overriding a developer's deliberate selection.

The MCP setting concerns startup timing. GitHub describes it as a way to disable automatic server startup for Copilot and Claude, giving users control over when configured tools become active. It should not be confused with the separate enterprise-managed model setting.

For everyday coding, diagnostic intention menus gain a Fix action. It opens inline chat and asks Copilot to repair the reported issue, using agent mode when available and ask mode otherwise. That is a shortcut to requesting a fix, not a guarantee that the proposed repair will work.

The remaining interface changes are smaller: clearer signed-in account labels and a Switch Account action, chat messages grouped by turn with navigation controls, and copy and edit actions on user messages.