Kilo turns autocomplete on by default
Kilo Code flipped the switch on its autocomplete feature on Nov 24, 2025, making it the default behavior across the editor. The change follows months of internal testing and performance tuning aimed at making inline suggestions feel immediate without being intrusive.
Why now
Engineering work focused on latency and relevance led to a simple conclusion: autocomplete lives and dies by milliseconds. Too slow, and suggestions arrive after the cursor has moved past them; too eager, and suggestions interrupt the flow. After iterative tuning and extended dogfooding inside the team, usage patterns shifted from frequent opt-outs to complaints when the feature was disabled — a strong signal that the interaction had reached a usable balance.
How it works
The autocomplete engine is optimized for Mistral’s Codestral-2508. The model was chosen after testing many alternatives and proving the best compromise between responsiveness and contextual accuracy for editing workflows. When typing pauses, suggestions render as semi-transparent ghost text in the editor. Interaction keys are:
- Tab to accept a suggestion
- Escape to dismiss
- Cmd+Arrow Right to accept suggestions word-by-word
The implementation emphasizes keeping suggestions in sync with developer intent rather than maximizing model size or parameter counts. Performance optimizations included shaving off tens of milliseconds across multiple code paths until the feature felt like part of the editor rather than a separate service.
Billing and free credits
By default, autocomplete requests route through the Kilo Gateway, which does not apply a commission to API calls; charges reflect only usage. Kilo is also granting $1 of free credits to every existing user to encourage experimentation with the feature.
Opting out and giving feedback
Autocomplete can be disabled via Settings → Autocomplete → turn off “Pause to Complete”. For feedback and discussion, Kilo has opened a Reddit megathread and a Discord channel:
- Reddit megathread: https://www.reddit.com/r/kilocode/comments/1okq3e9/megathread_autocomplete_is_now_on_by_default_tell/
- Discord: https://discord.gg/zCHZx2QX
What’s next
Kilo frames this rollout as a milestone rather than a final state. Continued iteration is planned based on usage signals and community feedback, with the stated goal of making autocomplete unobtrusive and reliably useful in day-to-day development.
Original post: https://blog.kilo.ai/p/autocomplete-just-got-real-were-turning
