github / github/copilot-cli

Unable to select multiple response lines and copy response text when Copilot CLI is moved to a new window in VS Code

Open
#3,592 0 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
area:input-keyboard
Dominant language
Shell
Stars
11.2k
Forks
1.9k
Avg merge
14h 16m
Merged PRs (30d)
6

Description

### Describe the bug

In VS Code on Mac, when I move GHCP CLI to a new window, I'm
- Unable to select multiple lines of response text either through mouse or mac track pad (3-finger drag and select)
- Copy keyboard shortcut doesn't work when a single line is selected through double clicking
- When a single line is selected through double clicking, right click mouse to copy deselects the line and instead, it selects the word where the mouse is at.

### Affected version

GitHub Copilot CLI 1.0.57-3

VS Code:
Version: 1.122.1 (Universal)
Commit: 8761a5560cfd65fdd19ce7e2bd18dab5c0a4d84e
Date: 2026-05-29T09:25:37+02:00
Electron: 39.8.8
ElectronBuildId: 13870025
Chromium: 142.0.7444.265
Node.js: 22.22.1
V8: 14.2.231.22-electron.0
OS: Darwin arm64 24.6.0

### Steps to reproduce the behavior

- Start GHCP CLI in Terminal
- Move it into a new window
- Type anything to trigger a multi-line response
- Select multiple response lines with mouse or mac trackpad with 3-finger drag-n-select gesture. Notice it won't be able to select
- Double click on a response line to select the whole line. Use Command + C to copy. Notice nothing is copied out.
- Double click on a response line to select the whole line. Use mouse right click to copy. Notice the line gets deselected, and the word where the mouse is at gets selected instead

### Expected behavior

Copy paste works fine when GHCP CLI is not in a new window. Copy paste should also work when it's in a new window

### Additional context

_No response_

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Reproduce the selection and copy failures by starting GHCP CLI in Terminal, moving it to a new VS Code window, and triggering a multiline response. Trace the new-window handling and text-selection entry points from there; done means mouse, trackpad, Command+C, and context-menu copying work as they do before the move.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
macos, shell, vscode
Domain
cli, desktop
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
48/100

Get new issues in your inbox

A short digest of beginner-friendly GitHub issues.