OpenAI is bringing Codex to the ChatGPT mobile app, giving developers a way to manage AI coding work from their phones while Codex keeps running on a connected computer.
The move expands Codex beyond desktop workflows and comes as AI companies race to win over developers with coding agents that can write features, answer codebase questions, fix bugs, review outputs, and suggest pull requests.
TL;DR
- OpenAI has added Codex to the ChatGPT mobile app in preview for iOS and Android users.
- The feature lets users start or continue threads, review outputs, approve actions, change direction, and monitor coding work from a phone.
- Codex currently connects to macOS hosts, while Windows support for mobile connections is expected soon.
- OpenAI is rolling out the feature across all plans, including Free and Go, in supported regions.
OpenAI has announced that Codex is now available in preview inside the ChatGPT mobile app, allowing developers to stay connected to coding work from iOS and Android devices. The feature is designed to help users manage active Codex sessions remotely while the tool continues running on a connected host machine.
The company’s release notes explain that users can start or continue threads, answer questions, change direction, approve actions, review what Codex found, and move across connected hosts from their phone. OpenAI added that the mobile experience loads live context from the machine where Codex is operating, including project context, approvals, plugins, screenshots, terminal output, diffs, and test results.
In simpler terms, developers will not be writing code directly on a phone in the traditional sense. Instead, they will be able to supervise Codex while it works on a desktop or host machine, which could help them keep long-running coding tasks moving while away from their desk.
OpenAI said, “Codex in the ChatGPT mobile app is rolling out in preview on iOS and Android across all plans, including Free and Go, in all supported regions.” The company also noted that users need to update both the ChatGPT mobile app and the Codex app on macOS to try it out.
For now, the mobile connection works with Codex running on macOS. OpenAI said support for connecting a phone to the Codex app on Windows is coming soon. The setup begins in the Codex app on the host device and continues in ChatGPT after scanning a QR code, while the host machine must remain awake, online, and running Codex for remote access to continue.
The new mobile access builds on OpenAI’s broader Codex app strategy. Earlier this year, OpenAI introduced the Codex desktop app as a command center for coding agents, designed to help developers manage multiple agents, run work in parallel, and collaborate with agents over long-running tasks. OpenAI later updated that the Codex app was also available on Windows.
OpenAI’s developer documentation describes the Codex app as supporting features such as project threads, Git worktrees, terminal actions, in-app browser flows, plugins, skills, automations, IDE extension sync, and remote connections through the ChatGPT mobile app. It also says mobile users can start, steer, approve, and review Codex work on a connected host.
Topics For More Insights
The release also arrives as competition in AI coding tools intensifies. Reuters reported that coding tools have become an important route for AI companies to reach business customers, with OpenAI competing against rivals including Anthropic, whose Claude Code has gained traction among developers.
According to Reuters, Codex can handle tasks such as writing features, answering questions about a codebase, fixing bugs, and proposing pull requests for review. The mobile app lets users stay in the loop remotely after connecting to machines where Codex is running, including reviewing outputs, approving changes, and starting new tasks.
The Verge also reported that the feature lets users work across threads, review outputs, approve commands, change models, or start something new from the ChatGPT mobile app. It noted that files, credentials, permissions, and the local setup remain on the machine where Codex is operating, while updates flow back to the phone in real time.
Overall, this is less about turning smartphones into full coding environments and more about turning them into remote control panels for AI coding agents. For developers managing multiple threads, reviewing agent output, or approving next steps during longer tasks, Codex on mobile could make the workflow more flexible, especially when work continues outside a traditional laptop setup.
