GitHub Copilot Free Now Uses Claude Haiku 4.5: What Changed & How to Use It
What Changed on November 10, 2025
Key Updates
-
Claude Sonnet 3.5 deprecated across all GitHub Copilot experiences
-
Claude Haiku 4.5 now available in Copilot Free tier
-
Performance upgrade: Haiku 4.5 scores 73.3% on SWE-bench Verified (one of the world's best coding models)
⚡ Impact: If you're using GitHub Copilot Free, you automatically got upgraded to a significantly more powerful model without any action needed!
Model Comparison
| Model | SWE-bench Score | Speed | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Haiku 4.5 | 73.3% | ⚡⚡⚡ Ultra-fast | $0.25/1M tokens | Code completion, refactoring |
| Claude Sonnet 4.5 | ~78% | ⚡⚡ Fast | $3/1M tokens | Complex architecture, debugging |
| Claude Sonnet 3.5 | ~70% | ⚡ Moderate | $3/1M tokens | Deprecated |
| GPT-4 Turbo | ~68% | ⚡ Moderate | $10/1M tokens | General purpose |
Key takeaway: Claude Haiku 4.5 offers flagship-level coding performance at 1/12th the cost of GPT-4 Turbo, making it perfect for high-frequency use cases like code completion.
How to Use Claude Haiku 4.5 in GitHub Copilot
Step 1: Access GitHub Copilot Free
Enable Copilot Free in VS Code:
- Open VS Code
- Install GitHub Copilot extension
- Sign in with your GitHub account
- Free tier activates automatically (2,000 completions/month, 50 chat messages/month)
Step 2: Verify Claude Haiku 4.5 is Active
# In VS Code, open GitHub Copilot Chat
# Type: "What model are you using?"
Response:
"I'm Claude Haiku 4.5 from Anthropic, optimized for fast and accurate code assistance."
Step 3: Optimize Your Prompts
✅ Good Prompt Example
// Write a TypeScript function that validates email addresses
// Requirements: RFC 5322 compliant, return boolean
function validateEmail(
Why it works: Clear requirements, specific output type, language specified
❌ Weak Prompt Example
// email validation
function validate(
Why it's weak: Vague name, no requirements, unclear validation rules
Real-World Code Examples
Example 1: React Component Generation
// Prompt: Create a React SearchBar component with debounced input
// Requirements: TypeScript, 300ms debounce, onSearch callback
import React, { useState, useCallback } from 'react';
import { debounce } from 'lodash';
interface SearchBarProps {
onSearch: (query: string) => void;
placeholder?: string;
}
export const SearchBar: React.FC = ({
onSearch,
placeholder = 'Search...'
}) => {
const [query, setQuery] = useState('');
// Debounce the search callback
const debouncedSearch = useCallback(
debounce((searchQuery: string) => {
onSearch(searchQuery);
}, 300),
[onSearch]
);
const handleChange = (e: React.ChangeEvent) => {
const value = e.target.value;
setQuery(value);
debouncedSearch(value);
};
return (
);
};
Example 2: API Error Handling
// Prompt: Add comprehensive error handling to this fetch call
async function fetchUserData(userId) {
try {
const response = await fetch(`/api/users/${userId}`);
// Handle HTTP errors
if (!response.ok) {
if (response.status === 404) {
throw new Error(`User ${userId} not found`);
}
if (response.status === 401) {
throw new Error('Unauthorized: Please log in');
}
if (response.status >= 500) {
throw new Error('Server error: Please try again later');
}
throw new Error(`HTTP ${response.status}: ${response.statusText}`);
}
const data = await response.json();
return data;
} catch (error) {
// Network errors
if (error instanceof TypeError) {
console.error('Network error:', error);
throw new Error('Network error: Check your connection');
}
// Re-throw other errors
throw error;
}
}
Free vs Paid Copilot
Copilot Free (Claude Haiku 4.5)
- ✅ 2,000 code completions/month
- ✅ 50 chat messages/month
- ✅ Claude Haiku 4.5 model
- ✅ VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains
- ✅ Public & private repos
- ❌ No multi-file context
- ❌ No CLI assistance
Copilot Pro ($10/month)
- ✅ Unlimited completions
- ✅ Unlimited chat
- ✅ Claude Sonnet 4.5, GPT-4, Gemini
- ✅ Model switching
- ✅ Multi-file editing
- ✅ CLI & GitHub Mobile
- ✅ Priority access during high demand
Pro Tips for Claude Haiku 4.5
💡 Tip 1: Use Specific Comments
Claude Haiku 4.5 excels with detailed inline comments. Write requirements as comments above your function.
💡 Tip 2: Leverage TypeScript
Haiku 4.5 has excellent TypeScript support. Define types first, then let it generate type-safe implementations.
💡 Tip 3: Iterate on Completions
If the first suggestion isn't perfect, press Alt + ] (Windows/Linux) or Option + ] (Mac) to cycle through alternatives.
Conclusion
The upgrade to Claude Haiku 4.5 makes GitHub Copilot Free one of the most powerful free AI coding assistants available. With a 73.3% SWE-bench score, it rivals paid solutions and provides exceptional value for individual developers.
✅ Key Takeaways
- • Claude Haiku 4.5 available in Copilot Free as of Nov 10, 2025
- • 73.3% SWE-bench score - world-class coding performance
- • 2,000 completions/month + 50 chat messages free
- • Works in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs
- • No action needed - automatically upgraded if using Copilot Free
