As recorded at collection: Free remote control with the ChatGPT desktop app and Codex CLI

Instructions for setting up the computer-use feature by connecting the ChatGPT desktop app and Codex CLI. You can use remote control with a free account, and connecting a local proxy lets you switch to another local model from your phone as well.

First, install the ChatGPT desktop app and grant macOS Accessibility and Screen Recording permissions. Install and run the computer-use feature once. Then, while logged in with a free account, connect the device using the QR code without changing the model provider settings. After connecting, add model_provider = "newapi" to ~/.codex/config.toml. Under [model_providers.newapi], enter the name OpenAI, the address http://127.0.0.1:8317/v1, the local proxy authentication token, and the responses mode setting, then restart Codex App.

After restarting, the local proxy may still be connected even if the login information is blank. The local proxy must be running to use the service. When you change providers, previous conversation history will not appear immediately. To transfer the history, you need to modify the SQLite database. If you are concerned about account security, you can enable Advanced Security Mode in your account.