github / github/copilot-cli

Distinguish "agent working" vs "awaiting user input" vs "turn complete" in the title-bar indicator

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#3,327 1 comment 1 reaction 0 assignees View on GitHub
area:terminal-rendering
Dominant language
Shell
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Description

### Describe the feature or problem you'd like to solve

I need a visual indicator to distinguish when an agent is performing work and when it is waiting on input.

### Proposed solution

The spinning indicator in the title bar currently means two different things, which makes it hard to know whether Copilot needs me or is actively working:

1. The agent is processing / running tools (legitimate spinner)
2. The agent is blocked waiting for me to respond (e.g., ask_user prompt, permission prompt, or just idle after a turn)

Both look identical, so I sometimes wait on Copilot while Copilot is waiting on me.

Request: A 3-state indicator with distinct glyphs:

| State | Suggested glyph |
|---|---|
| Agent working / running tools | 🔄 (current spinner) |
| Awaiting user input (ask_user, permission, idle post-turn) | ⚠️ |
| Turn just completed successfully | ✅ (briefly, then idle) |

Bonus points if the glyphs are configurable via settings.json or a new /theme key, e.g.:

```json
"indicator": {
"working": "🔄",
"awaiting": "⚠️",
"done": "✅"
}
```

### Example prompts or workflows

_No response_

### Additional context

_No response_

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start by tracing the title-bar indicator and the state transitions for tool execution, user prompts, permissions, and completed turns. Define and verify distinct working, awaiting-input, and briefly completed states; the issue's suggested configurable glyphs are an optional extension. Confirm the three states are visually distinguishable in the relevant workflows.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
shell
Domain
cli
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
48/100

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