Copilot Buddy · for GitHub Copilot CLI

Approve Copilot from anywhere.
One tap. Eyes closed.

Copilot Buddy is a tiny Bluetooth desk pet for GitHub Copilot CLI. It lights up when Copilot needs permission, shows your session at a glance, and lets you approve or deny tool calls with a physical button. No alt-tab, no broken flow.

Get a Buddy How it works
  • Free companion app
  • Secure Bluetooth LE
  • macOS · Linux · Windows
  • Synced with Copilot CLI 1.0.106
Auto-cycles the device screens. Press A / B to decide.
  1. 1

    Button A

    Front face. Tap to approve, hold to allow for the session

  2. 2

    Button B

    Right side. Deny the pending tool call

  3. 3

    Display

    135 × 240 color LCD: the pet, gauges, and prompts

  4. 4

    Power

    Left side. Cycle the prompt queue, hold to power off

  5. 5

    USB-C

    Charging, and flashing new firmware

  6. 6

    IMU

    Shake it for dizzy, set it face-down to nap

Title

Copilot Buddy

Part
M5StickC PLUS2
Pets
19
Link
Bluetooth LE
CLI
1.0.106

Specifications

Compare options →
Device

M5StickC PLUS2

ESP32-PICO at 240 MHz

Display

135 × 240

Color LCD, portrait pet view

Transport

Bluetooth LE

Encrypted pairing, auto-reconnect

Sensors

IMU + RTC

Shake, nap face-down, keeps time

Companion app

Free

macOS · Linux · Windows

Characters

19 pets

Or send your own custom character

Updates

Lifetime

Free firmware updates over USB-C

Support

1 year

On hardware sold by Loopdesk

Copilot Buddy, the GitHub Copilot mascot beside an M5StickC PLUS2 running the firmware at a launch pad
Fig. 01 · The hardware

An M5StickC PLUS2 running Copilot Buddy, pairing over secure Bluetooth LE, ready to approve your next command.

Get one →

01The approval tax

Long agentic sessions mean endless permission prompts.

Copilot CLI asks before it runs a shell command, edits a file, or calls an MCP tool. That's exactly the safety you want, but staring at the terminal to tap “yes, yes, yes” all day breaks your focus. Copilot Buddy moves the decision off your screen and into your hand.

Focus

0context switches to approve

Input

1 tapapprove · hold to allow for the session

Idle

<30sidle → the pet naps, then wakes on the next prompt

02How it works

An app, a tap, and you're done.

The free companion app links Copilot CLI to your device, so a single button press becomes your answer.

  1. 01

    Install the app

    The companion app listens for Copilot CLI permission events and pairs with your device over Bluetooth LE. Paired once, it auto-reconnects in the background.

    brew install loopdesk-ai/tap/copilot-buddy

    macOS & Linux via Homebrew. Then run copilot-buddy setup for a guided first run.

  2. 02

    Copilot asks

    When Copilot needs permission, it pauses. Your Buddy wakes, chirps, and shows the tool, the command, and a countdown.

  3. 03

    You tap

    A approves, B denies, hold A to allow that tool for the whole session. Your choice goes straight back to Copilot.

Fig. 02 · One approval, end to end BLE
  1. 01Needs approval preToolUse hook Copilot CLI → App
  2. 02Prompt on device Bash · git push App → Buddy
  3. 03You press A once · always · deny Buddy → App
  4. 04Decision sent permissionDecision App → Copilot CLI
  5. 05No answer? terminal fallback App → Copilot CLI

03Everything it does

Calm. Tactile. Always aware.

Approvals, session state, usage, and CI, on a screen you can read from across the desk.

  • ButtonsF.01

    One-tap approvals

    Approve once, hold to approve for the session, or deny, straight from the device. Cycle a queue of pending prompts with the side button. Read-only tools never interrupt you.

  • PlanAutopilotF.02

    Mode aware

    Badges for plan and autopilot mode, plus Assisted Permissions or allow-all, so you always know when Copilot is running hands-free. Autopilot goals show as active, paused, or stopped at their credit cap.

  • NewQuestionsF.03

    Questions, not just approvals

    When Copilot stops to ask you something, or is waiting on a permission prompt in the terminal, your Buddy perks up and chirps so a paused session never goes unnoticed.

  • NewAI creditsF.04

    AI credits & limits

    The AI credits your session has used, live. Set a limit with /limits and a gauge fills toward it, turning amber at 75% and red at 90%.

  • SessionsModelsF.05

    Ambient awareness

    Sessions running / waiting, active model + effort (works with the latest Copilot models, including Claude Opus 5.5 and GPT-6.1 Sol, and shows which model Auto picked), current activity, remote control, and repo/branch, which follows /cd and worktree switches live.

  • TokensF.06

    Context & usage gauge

    A live context-window bar measured against the model’s real limit, plus turns, tool calls, tokens today and “since last run” totals: credits, input/output/cache and API minutes.

  • QuotaF.07

    Quota gauge

    Your lowest remaining usage allowance at a glance, turning amber then red as it runs low, so a limit never catches you mid-flow.

  • DiffF.08

    Live diff

    Watch the current session’s lines added and removed tick up in real time, a quick feel for how much Copilot is changing.

  • TranscriptF.09

    Transcript on-device

    Scroll a feed of recent Copilot activity right on the screen, newest first, older lines dimmed, without switching windows.

  • BuzzerLEDF.10

    Done & error nudges

    A friendly chirp and celebrate when a background task, agent or autopilot goal finishes; a clear alert when a task is blocked or on auth / rate-limit errors.

  • SubagentsF.11

    Agent fleet view

    See running subagents, completed counts, and the last agent’s model, tokens, tool calls and runtime, handy for delegated work.

  • BluetoothF.12

    Secure by default

    Encrypted, paired Bluetooth LE, with hardware approvals gated on a paired device and an explicit opt-in.

  • Fail-openF.13

    Fail-open safety

    If Bluetooth drops, the device is away, or the prompt times out, Copilot simply falls back to its normal terminal prompt.

  • PetsF.14

    19 characters

    The GitHub Copilot mascot plus 18 animal pets, each fully animated, or send your own custom character to the device.

  • UpdatesF.15

    Synced with Copilot CLI 1.0.106

    Tracked against every Copilot CLI release. copilot-buddy doctor tells you when your CLI is newer, and firmware updates are free for life.

04More than a notifier

It’s a desk pet that lives off your approvals.

Respond quickly and it’s happy; let prompts pile up and it gets impatient. Every 50K output tokens levels it up with confetti. Set it face-down and it naps to recharge. Your stats persist across reboots.

Orange Copilot Buddy (M5StickC PLUS2) on a dark background with hand-drawn annotations labelling Button A (front, main / enter), Button B (side, prev / left) and Button C (bottom, next / right), around its COPILOT info screen showing model opus-4.8, context 62% and quota 60%, tiny device, big brain
Fig. 03 · Tiny device, big brain
Vitals
Mood
Tracks your approval speed and deny ratio
Fed
Output tokens feed it; 50K per level-up
Energy
Drains over time, refills on a nap
Level
Token-driven, with lifetime approval stats
StateTriggerFeel
sleepBridge not connectedEyes closed, slow breathing
idleConnected, nothing urgentBlinking, looking around
busySessions actively runningSweating, working
attentionApproval pending or errorAlert, LED blinks
celebrateLevel up, every 50K tokensConfetti, bouncing
dizzyYou shook the stickSpiral eyes, wobbling
heartApproved in under 5sFloating hearts

05How you run it

Two ways to use it. You pick.

Start with ambient awareness in seconds, or opt in to approving from the device. Your call.

Zero setupM.01

Display-only

The companion app mirrors your active Copilot CLI session on the device, so you always see what it is doing. No approvals, nothing to configure.

Opt-inM.02

Hardware approvals

Pair your device once, then approve or deny Copilot's actions with a button. Always optional, and it falls back to your terminal if the device is not around.

06After you buy

Setup lives in your customer portal.

Every purchase unlocks your portal: a guided, step-by-step setup, your shipping and delivery status, firmware downloads, troubleshooting, and support.

SetupP.01

Guided setup

Step-by-step instructions for your device, ready the moment it arrives.

OrdersP.02

Track your delivery

Bought a device? Follow your order, shipping details, and live delivery status.

SupportP.03

Downloads & support

Grab the free companion app and your firmware, and reach us any time.

Already a customer? Open the customer portal →

Portal access is emailed to you after checkout. The companion app is free and cross-platform.

07Get one

Flash it yourself, or buy it ready to run.

The companion app is a free install. Buy the firmware to flash your own M5StickC PLUS2 anywhere in the world, or, in India, grab a tested, pre-flashed kit (a limited run of 100, shipping in 2–3 days). Both include lifetime free firmware updates.

Copilot Buddy premium gift box, open, showing the device in foam, a braided USB-C cable, and a Welcome card
In every kit

Unboxing-worthy.

Each pre-flashed kit arrives in a magnetic gift box with rose-gold circuit artwork and the tagline that started it all, calm, tactile, always aware.

  • Pre-flashed Copilot Buddy (M5StickC PLUS2)
  • Braided USB-C cable
  • Welcome & quick-start card
  • Magnetic keepsake box
Worldwide

Firmware license

$5 one-time
  • copilot-buddy firmware for M5StickC PLUS2
  • Flash it yourself over USB-C with a guided web flasher
  • The same firmware as the pre-flashed kit
  • Lifetime free firmware updates
  • Free companion app included
Get firmware

Nothing to ship — buy and flash today.

Limited run India only

Pre-flashed kit

₹9,999 one-time

Limited run of 100 · ships in 2–3 days.

  • Assembled & tested M5StickC PLUS2
  • Pre-flashed, ready out of the box
  • 1-year device support
  • Lifetime free firmware updates
  • Ships in 2–3 days
Buy now
Companion app
Free to install
Firmware
Commercial product · sold by Loopdesk Technologies LLP · lifetime free updates
Device support
1 year on hardware sold by Loopdesk Technologies LLP

The companion app is free to install. Prices are shown in INR; device quantities are limited. By placing an order you agree to our Terms, Refund & Cancellation, Shipping, and Privacy policies.

08FAQ

Questions, answered.

Ordering aside, here’s how the device and bridge actually work, straight from the source.

01What exactly is Copilot Buddy?
A small Bluetooth LE desk pet for GitHub Copilot CLI. It mirrors your session and lets you approve or deny tool calls (shell commands, file edits, MCP tools) with a physical button: tap A to approve, hold A to approve for the whole session, press B to deny.
02How does it connect to my machine?
Over encrypted, paired Bluetooth LE. A small free companion app turns Copilot CLI permission requests into device state and relays your button press back as the decision. Once paired, it auto-reconnects.
03Which operating systems are supported?
The companion app runs on macOS, Linux and Windows. It’s currently hardware-validated end-to-end on macOS with an M5StickC PLUS2.
04Which Copilot CLI versions does it work with?
Copilot Buddy is synced with and tested against GitHub Copilot CLI 1.0.106 (November 2026), including plan and autopilot modes, Assisted Permissions, AI credits and session limits, and Auto model routing. Older CLI versions keep working with fewer readouts, and copilot-buddy doctor tells you when your CLI is newer than the release it was tested against.
05Do you plan to support newer devices like the M5StickS3?
Yes. We plan to support newer devices, and the current firmware should already run on them. If a newer board doesn’t work, let us know and we’ll update the firmware to support it.
06Do I need the hardware to try it?
No. The companion app has a display-only mode that mirrors your active Copilot CLI session with no device attached, so you can try the experience first.
07How do I flash or update the firmware?
Your purchased firmware is flashed over USB-C with a guided web flasher, and updates are delivered the same way at no extra cost. You can also send custom characters to the device wirelessly.
08What’s free, and what’s paid?
The companion app is a free install. The device firmware is a commercial product from Loopdesk Technologies LLP: $5 to flash your own M5StickC PLUS2, or pre-flashed on the device kit (₹9,999, India only), with lifetime free firmware updates. You can personalize your buddy with 19 built-in characters or send a custom character to the device.
09What support and updates do I get?
Hardware sold by Loopdesk Technologies LLP includes 1 year of device support and lifetime free firmware updates. The companion daemon is free to install and update.
10Is it safe? What if Bluetooth drops?
Hardware approvals are opt-in and require a paired device. They fail safe: if Bluetooth drops or the prompt times out, Copilot simply falls back to its normal terminal prompt.
11Is this affiliated with GitHub or Microsoft?
No. Copilot Buddy is an independent community fan project by Loopdesk Technologies LLP. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or associated with GitHub or Microsoft in any way. “GitHub” and “GitHub Copilot” are trademarks of their respective owners; Copilot Buddy simply works with the GitHub Copilot CLI through its documented hooks.
12Where does the hardware come from? Are you affiliated with M5Stack?
The device is an M5StickC PLUS2 made by M5Stack. You can buy one directly from m5stack.com and flash our firmware over USB-C yourself, or get a pre-flashed kit from us. Copilot Buddy and Loopdesk Technologies LLP are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by M5Stack in any way. “M5Stack” and “M5StickC” are trademarks of their respective owners.

09Demos

See Copilot Buddy in action.

Watch the desk pet wake up, light up, and approve real GitHub Copilot CLI prompts, straight from your hand.

Walkthrough Open on YouTube →
In the wild Open on Instagram →

Put peace of mind on your desk.

Calm. Tactile. Always aware. Approve Copilot without ever leaving your flow.

Get a Buddy See it in action