Switching LLMs

Currently, the Pieces for Visual Studio Extension supports over 54 cloud and local models, which you can find here.

How To Configure Your LLM Runtime

Switching your LLM model in the Pieces for Visual Studio Extension is simple. You can select the model that best suits your needs.

How to change your LLM:

Open the Copilot Chat view by clicking the `Pieces Copilot Icon` in the sidebar. Locate the **Active Model** in the bottom-left corner of the view where the current model (e.g., *GPT-4o Mini*) is displayed. 
<Image src="https://storage.googleapis.com/hashnode_product_documentation_assets/visual_studio_extension_assets/pieces_copilot/llm_settings/changing_active_model.gif" alt="" align="center" fullwidth="true" />
Click on `Change Model` to open the **Manage Copilot Runtime** modal. Browse the list of local and cloud models, and select your preferred model.

You can use local models for on-device AI inference, which you can read more about here.

From here, you can browse and select from various available models, such as the local and cloud-based models listed in the table at the top of this page.

Local models run entirely on your device through PiecesOS, ensuring complete privacy and offline functionality without any external dependencies.

Once you’ve chosen a new model, the switch is instant, allowing you to continue your work seamlessly with the selected model's capabilities—no need to restart or refresh anything.

Cloud-hosted models offer access to the latest AI capabilities, while on-device models ensure offline functionality, making Pieces Copilot adaptable to your specific workflow and environment.