Troubleshooting Guide
Solutions for common Elastic Copilot issues and problems
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.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
Installation Issues
Extension Not Installing
Extension Not Installing
Symptoms: Can’t install from marketplace, installation failsSolutions:
- Check VSCode Version: Ensure you’re running VSCode 1.74.0 or newer
- Clear Extension Cache:
- Close VSCode
- Delete
~/.vscode/extensionsfolder (backup first) - Restart VSCode and try installing again
- Manual Installation:
- Download
.vsixfile from releases - Install via
Extensions: Install from VSIXcommand
- Download
- Network Issues:
- Check firewall settings
- Try different network connection
- Use corporate proxy settings if needed
Extension Not Appearing
Extension Not Appearing
Symptoms: Installed but no sidebar icon or commandsSolutions:
- Reload VSCode:
Ctrl+Shift+P→ “Developer: Reload Window” - Check if Disabled: Extensions panel → Search “Elastic Copilot” → Enable
- View Output:
Ctrl+Shift+U→ Select “Elastic Copilot” from dropdown - Check Dependencies: Ensure Node.js is installed and accessible
- Reset Workspace: Close workspace, restart VSCode, reopen project
Permission Errors
Permission Errors
Symptoms: Access denied, permission errors during installationSolutions:
- Run as Administrator (Windows) or use
sudo(Mac/Linux) for global installation - Check File Permissions: Ensure write access to VSCode extensions directory
- Corporate Environment: Contact IT for approval to install extensions
- Use Portable Version: Install VSCode portable version if system-wide installation is blocked
Authentication Problems
Can't Sign In
Can't Sign In
Symptoms: Sign-in fails, browser doesn’t open, authentication errorsSolutions:
- Try Incognito/Private Mode: Open sign-in link in private browser window
- Clear Browser Cache: Clear cookies and cache for elasticapp.io
- Disable Browser Extensions: Temporarily disable ad blockers and security extensions
- Check Network: Ensure ports 80, 443 are open; check firewall settings
- Manual Browser Sign-in:
- Copy sign-in URL from VSCode
- Open manually in browser
- Complete authentication process
API Key Issues
API Key Issues
Symptoms: “Invalid API key”, “Unauthorized” errorsSolutions:
- Verify API Key: Copy-paste key carefully, check for extra spaces
- Check Key Permissions: Ensure API key has necessary permissions
- Test Key Manually: Use curl or Postman to test API key directly
- Regenerate Key: Create new API key if original is compromised
- Check Quotas: Verify you have remaining credits/quota with provider
Subscription Problems
Subscription Problems
Symptoms: “No active subscription”, billing issuesSolutions:
- Check Dashboard: Visit real.elasticapp.io to verify subscription status
- Payment Method: Update expired credit cards or payment methods
- Plan Limits: Check if you’ve exceeded monthly usage limits
- Contact Support: For billing disputes or payment issues
- Temporary Fallback: Configure direct API providers while resolving subscription issues
Functionality Issues
AI Commands Not Working
AI Commands Not Working
Symptoms: Keyboard shortcuts don’t respond, commands not foundSolutions:
- Check Keyboard Shortcuts:
Ctrl+K Ctrl+S→ Search “Elastic Copilot” - Try Command Palette:
Ctrl+Shift+P→ Type “Elastic: Explain” - Verify Selection: Ensure code is selected when using commands
- Check Language Support: Verify file type is supported
- Reset Keybindings: Restore default keyboard shortcuts
Ctrl+L- Explain codeCtrl+Shift+F- Fix codeCtrl+I- Improve codeCtrl+Shift+E- Open panel
Code Completion Not Appearing
Code Completion Not Appearing
Symptoms: No inline suggestions, completions not showingSolutions:
- Check Settings: Ensure code completion is enabled in settings
- File Type Support: Verify language is supported for completion
- Trigger Manually: Use
Ctrl+Spaceto force trigger - Check Other Extensions: Disable conflicting completion extensions temporarily
- Restart Language Server:
Ctrl+Shift+P→ “TypeScript: Restart TS Server”
Chat Not Responding
Chat Not Responding
Symptoms: Messages sent but no response, loading indefinitelySolutions:
- Check Connection: Verify internet connectivity and authentication
- Try Shorter Message: Start with simple request like “Hello”
- Clear Chat History: Start new conversation to eliminate context issues
- Check Provider Status: Verify chosen AI provider is operational
- Review Error Messages: Check VSCode output panel for detailed errors
- Anthropic: status.anthropic.com
- OpenAI: status.openai.com
- Google: status.cloud.google.com
Performance Issues
Slow Response Times
Slow Response Times
Symptoms: Long delays, timeouts, sluggish responsesSolutions:
- Check Network Speed: Ensure stable, fast internet connection
- Reduce Context Size: Limit amount of code selected for analysis
- Clear Cache: Clear VSCode and extension caches
- Choose Faster Models: Use Claude Haiku or GPT-3.5 for speed
- Close Unused Extensions: Disable unnecessary VSCode extensions
- Monitor Resource Usage: Check CPU and memory usage
High Memory Usage
High Memory Usage
Symptoms: VSCode using excessive RAM, system slowdownSolutions:
- Limit Conversation History: Clear old conversations regularly
- Reduce Cache Size: Lower cache limits in settings
- Close Large Files: Avoid keeping many large files open
- Restart VSCode: Clear memory leaks with periodic restarts
- Check Other Extensions: Identify memory-hungry extensions
- Increase System RAM: Consider hardware upgrade for large projects
File Analysis Errors
File Analysis Errors
Symptoms: “Cannot read file”, parsing errors, analysis failuresSolutions:
- Check File Permissions: Ensure read access to project files
- File Size Limits: Very large files (>10MB) may have limited support
- Encoding Issues: Ensure files use UTF-8 encoding
- Binary Files: Copilot cannot analyze binary/compiled files
- Symlinks: Check if symbolic links are causing issues
- Path Length: Very long file paths may cause problems on Windows
MCP Server Issues
MCP Server Won't Start
MCP Server Won't Start
Symptoms: Server status shows “Disconnected” or “Error”Solutions:
- Check Prerequisites: Verify Node.js and Python are installed
- Review Configuration: Check MCP settings JSON for syntax errors
- Test Command Manually: Run server command directly in terminal
- Check Dependencies: Install required packages (uv, npx, etc.)
- Review Logs: Check VSCode output panel for detailed error messages
MCP Tools Not Available
MCP Tools Not Available
Symptoms: Can’t use MCP tools in chat, tools not listedSolutions:
- Verify Server Status: Check all servers show “Connected”
- Restart Servers: Disable and re-enable servers in settings
- Check Tool Permissions: Review auto-approval settings for MCP tools
- Test Basic Function: Ask “What MCP tools do you have available?”
- Review Server Documentation: Check specific server requirements
Database Connection Failures
Database Connection Failures
Symptoms: Cannot connect to PostgreSQL, MongoDB, etc.Solutions:
- Check Connection String: Verify database URL format and credentials
- Network Access: Ensure database is accessible from your machine
- Firewall Rules: Check if firewall blocks database connections
- SSL/TLS Settings: Configure encryption settings if required
- Test Connection: Use database client to verify connectivity first
Getting More Help
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
Contact Support
Before Contacting Support
Before Contacting Support
Gather this information:
-
System Information:
- Operating system and version
- VSCode version
- Elastic Copilot extension version
- Node.js and Python versions (if using MCP)
-
Problem Description:
- What you were trying to do
- What happened instead
- When the problem started
- Steps to reproduce the issue
-
Error Messages:
- Screenshots of error dialogs
- Text from VSCode Output panel
- Browser console errors (for authentication issues)
- Terminal output (for MCP issues)
Support Channels
Support Channels
Get help from our team:
-
Email Support: founders@elasticapp.io
- 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
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!