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Troubleshooting Guide

This guide helps you resolve common issues with Elastic Copilot. If you can’t find a solution here, contact our support team for assistance.

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Quick Diagnostics

Check Extension Status

Verify Elastic Copilot is installed and enabled in VSCode Extensions panel

Test Connection

Send a simple message like “Hello” to verify AI connectivity

Review Settings

Check authentication status and provider configuration

Restart VSCode

Many issues resolve with a simple restart

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Installation Issues

Symptoms: Can’t install from marketplace, installation failsSolutions:
  1. Check VSCode Version: Ensure you’re running VSCode 1.74.0 or newer
  2. Clear Extension Cache:
    • Close VSCode
    • Delete ~/.vscode/extensions folder (backup first)
    • Restart VSCode and try installing again
  3. Manual Installation:
    • Download .vsix file from releases
    • Install via Extensions: Install from VSIX command
  4. Network Issues:
    • Check firewall settings
    • Try different network connection
    • Use corporate proxy settings if needed
Symptoms: Installed but no sidebar icon or commandsSolutions:
  1. Reload VSCode: Ctrl+Shift+P → “Developer: Reload Window”
  2. Check if Disabled: Extensions panel → Search “Elastic Copilot” → Enable
  3. View Output: Ctrl+Shift+U → Select “Elastic Copilot” from dropdown
  4. Check Dependencies: Ensure Node.js is installed and accessible
  5. Reset Workspace: Close workspace, restart VSCode, reopen project
Symptoms: Access denied, permission errors during installationSolutions:
  1. Run as Administrator (Windows) or use sudo (Mac/Linux) for global installation
  2. Check File Permissions: Ensure write access to VSCode extensions directory
  3. Corporate Environment: Contact IT for approval to install extensions
  4. Use Portable Version: Install VSCode portable version if system-wide installation is blocked

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Authentication Problems

Symptoms: Sign-in fails, browser doesn’t open, authentication errorsSolutions:
  1. Try Incognito/Private Mode: Open sign-in link in private browser window
  2. Clear Browser Cache: Clear cookies and cache for elasticapp.io
  3. Disable Browser Extensions: Temporarily disable ad blockers and security extensions
  4. Check Network: Ensure ports 80, 443 are open; check firewall settings
  5. Manual Browser Sign-in:
    • Copy sign-in URL from VSCode
    • Open manually in browser
    • Complete authentication process
Symptoms: “Invalid API key”, “Unauthorized” errorsSolutions:
  1. Verify API Key: Copy-paste key carefully, check for extra spaces
  2. Check Key Permissions: Ensure API key has necessary permissions
  3. Test Key Manually: Use curl or Postman to test API key directly
  4. Regenerate Key: Create new API key if original is compromised
  5. Check Quotas: Verify you have remaining credits/quota with provider
Testing Commands:
# Test Anthropic API key
curl -H "x-api-key: YOUR_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  https://api.anthropic.com/v1/messages

# Test OpenAI API key
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_KEY" \
  https://api.openai.com/v1/models
Symptoms: “No active subscription”, billing issuesSolutions:
  1. Check Dashboard: Visit real.elasticapp.io to verify subscription status
  2. Payment Method: Update expired credit cards or payment methods
  3. Plan Limits: Check if you’ve exceeded monthly usage limits
  4. Contact Support: For billing disputes or payment issues
  5. Temporary Fallback: Configure direct API providers while resolving subscription issues

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Functionality Issues

Symptoms: Keyboard shortcuts don’t respond, commands not foundSolutions:
  1. Check Keyboard Shortcuts: Ctrl+K Ctrl+S → Search “Elastic Copilot”
  2. Try Command Palette: Ctrl+Shift+P → Type “Elastic: Explain”
  3. Verify Selection: Ensure code is selected when using commands
  4. Check Language Support: Verify file type is supported
  5. Reset Keybindings: Restore default keyboard shortcuts
Default Shortcuts:
  • Ctrl+L - Explain code
  • Ctrl+Shift+F - Fix code
  • Ctrl+I - Improve code
  • Ctrl+Shift+E - Open panel
Symptoms: No inline suggestions, completions not showingSolutions:
  1. Check Settings: Ensure code completion is enabled in settings
  2. File Type Support: Verify language is supported for completion
  3. Trigger Manually: Use Ctrl+Space to force trigger
  4. Check Other Extensions: Disable conflicting completion extensions temporarily
  5. Restart Language Server: Ctrl+Shift+P → “TypeScript: Restart TS Server”
Supported Languages: JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Java, C#, Go, Rust, and more
Symptoms: Messages sent but no response, loading indefinitelySolutions:
  1. Check Connection: Verify internet connectivity and authentication
  2. Try Shorter Message: Start with simple request like “Hello”
  3. Clear Chat History: Start new conversation to eliminate context issues
  4. Check Provider Status: Verify chosen AI provider is operational
  5. Review Error Messages: Check VSCode output panel for detailed errors
Provider Status Pages:
  • Anthropic: status.anthropic.com
  • OpenAI: status.openai.com
  • Google: status.cloud.google.com

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Performance Issues

Symptoms: Long delays, timeouts, sluggish responsesSolutions:
  1. Check Network Speed: Ensure stable, fast internet connection
  2. Reduce Context Size: Limit amount of code selected for analysis
  3. Clear Cache: Clear VSCode and extension caches
  4. Choose Faster Models: Use Claude Haiku or GPT-3.5 for speed
  5. Close Unused Extensions: Disable unnecessary VSCode extensions
  6. Monitor Resource Usage: Check CPU and memory usage
Symptoms: VSCode using excessive RAM, system slowdownSolutions:
  1. Limit Conversation History: Clear old conversations regularly
  2. Reduce Cache Size: Lower cache limits in settings
  3. Close Large Files: Avoid keeping many large files open
  4. Restart VSCode: Clear memory leaks with periodic restarts
  5. Check Other Extensions: Identify memory-hungry extensions
  6. Increase System RAM: Consider hardware upgrade for large projects
Symptoms: “Cannot read file”, parsing errors, analysis failuresSolutions:
  1. Check File Permissions: Ensure read access to project files
  2. File Size Limits: Very large files (>10MB) may have limited support
  3. Encoding Issues: Ensure files use UTF-8 encoding
  4. Binary Files: Copilot cannot analyze binary/compiled files
  5. Symlinks: Check if symbolic links are causing issues
  6. Path Length: Very long file paths may cause problems on Windows

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MCP Server Issues

Symptoms: Server status shows “Disconnected” or “Error”Solutions:
  1. Check Prerequisites: Verify Node.js and Python are installed
  2. Review Configuration: Check MCP settings JSON for syntax errors
  3. Test Command Manually: Run server command directly in terminal
  4. Check Dependencies: Install required packages (uv, npx, etc.)
  5. Review Logs: Check VSCode output panel for detailed error messages
Manual Testing:
# Test if command works directly
npx @anaisbetts/mcp-installer
uvx mcp-server-fetch
Symptoms: Can’t use MCP tools in chat, tools not listedSolutions:
  1. Verify Server Status: Check all servers show “Connected”
  2. Restart Servers: Disable and re-enable servers in settings
  3. Check Tool Permissions: Review auto-approval settings for MCP tools
  4. Test Basic Function: Ask “What MCP tools do you have available?”
  5. Review Server Documentation: Check specific server requirements
Symptoms: Cannot connect to PostgreSQL, MongoDB, etc.Solutions:
  1. Check Connection String: Verify database URL format and credentials
  2. Network Access: Ensure database is accessible from your machine
  3. Firewall Rules: Check if firewall blocks database connections
  4. SSL/TLS Settings: Configure encryption settings if required
  5. Test Connection: Use database client to verify connectivity first

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Getting More Help

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Self-Service Options

Debug Information

Collect diagnostic info:
  • VSCode version (Help > About)
  • Extension version (Extensions panel)
  • Error messages (Output panel)
  • System specifications

Reset Settings

Start fresh:
  • Export current settings (backup)
  • Reset to defaults
  • Reconfigure step by step
  • Test at each step

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Contact Support

Gather this information:
  1. System Information:
    • Operating system and version
    • VSCode version
    • Elastic Copilot extension version
    • Node.js and Python versions (if using MCP)
  2. Problem Description:
    • What you were trying to do
    • What happened instead
    • When the problem started
    • Steps to reproduce the issue
  3. Error Messages:
    • Screenshots of error dialogs
    • Text from VSCode Output panel
    • Browser console errors (for authentication issues)
    • Terminal output (for MCP issues)
Get help from our team:
  • Email Support: [email protected]
    • Include all diagnostic information
    • Response within 24 hours
  • Community Forum: Join discussions with other users
    • Share solutions and tips
    • Get help from experienced users
  • Documentation: Check for updates to this guide
    • New solutions added regularly
    • Search for specific error messages

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Emergency Workarounds

If you need immediate functionality while troubleshooting:
1

Use Direct Chat

Copy code to any AI chat service (Claude, ChatGPT) for urgent help
2

Switch Authentication Mode

Try subscription mode if API keys fail, or vice versa
3

Use Simpler Features

Start with basic chat instead of advanced MCP features
4

Temporary Alternatives

Use other AI coding tools while resolving issues
Most issues are resolved quickly with the solutions above. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re still having problems!