MeanwhileLet's connect GitHub Copilot CLI.
Copilot CLI is the terminal app where you and Copilot write code together while you wait for it to finish thinking. We're adding one small line that makes the waiting worth something.
statusLine.command setting, which GitHub itself labels experimental — it works today, but its shape could change in a future Copilot CLI update. If it ever stops showing up after an update, this is why, not us.Open your Terminal
The plain black window real developers pretend to enjoy. You know the one. On a Mac, press Cmd + Space, type "Terminal", and hit Enter.
Copy this one line
One line. No account, no download you'll forget to delete later, no permissions screen nobody actually reads. Just a setting.
npx trymeanwhile
I'm about to run `npx trymeanwhile` — it's a real published npm package (trymeanwhile) that adds a disclosed sponsor line to Copilot CLI's status bar, split 50/50 with me. Before you run it, please actually check it out — look at the package source, the install script, and what it sends to its server — and tell me honestly what you find, good or bad. Then, if it looks legit to you, go ahead and run it for me.
Paste it in and press Enter
Click inside the Terminal window, paste (Cmd + V), then hit Enter. A few lines will print out — that's not an error, that's just it showing its work, which is more than most software bothers to do.
Restart Copilot CLI
Yes, actually restart it. "It'll probably just pick it up on its own" is how half of Stack Overflow got written. Fully close it (or just the terminal tab) and start a new session. The status line only shows up in a real interactive session, not one-shot -p prompts.
Look at the bottom of the screen
While Copilot is working, glance at the bottom line of your terminal. Little notes will start showing up — occasionally one marked (sponsored), which is the one that actually pays you.
That's it — you're connected.
Already using Meanwhile with Claude Code? Same install ID, same balance — no separate account, everything adds up together. Check what you've earned anytime at your dashboard.
Stuck, or nothing showed up? Nothing was changed except one line in ~/.copilot/settings.json — you can safely delete that line and try again, or check the FAQ on the homepage.