Codex Computer Use — Let Codex Use Your Mac Without Hijacking It
See, click, and type across any Mac app. Runs in the background. Multiple agents in parallel. 90+ plugins. The Codex Super App vision landing. Mac-only, EU/UK soon.
What Computer Use Is — vs. Claude Computer Use
On 2026-04-16 OpenAI added Computer Use to the Codex desktop app, letting Codex see the screen, move a cursor, click, and type across browsers, desktop apps, data sources, and settings — any GUI work. Key difference from Anthropic's Claude Computer Use: Codex Computer Use **runs in the background** (no machine takeover); you keep using your Mac while Codex works in its own window/virtual desktop. The Claude version takes over the screen. This design enables multiple agents to work on different things in parallel.
Five Typical Use Cases
1) **GUI-only actions**: change desktop-app settings, click through menus 2) **Data sources without a plugin/MCP**: Codex logs into a SaaS dashboard via browser and pulls data 3) **Cross-app workflows**: Codex runs tests in terminal + reads a dashboard in browser + posts results to Slack 4) **Reproducing GUI bugs**: have Codex drive the app to trigger a bug, analyze the screenshot 5) **Verifying setting changes**: edit prefs → launch the app → observe effect, full loop
Parallel Agents + 90+ Plugin Ecosystem
The new Codex Super App lets multiple agents run on your Mac at once, each with its own Computer Use session, without disturbing you. Alongside Computer Use, OpenAI shipped 90+ plugins (a tri-pack of skills + app integrations + MCP servers) covering GitHub PR review, multiple terminal tabs, SSH to a remote devbox (alpha), rich previews (PDF/spreadsheet/slides/docs), in-app browser, and more. This is OpenAI's milestone in evolving Codex from "coding assistant" to "general desktop work agent".
Eligibility, Region, and Codex Super App vs Claude Code Desktop
Available to paid ChatGPT Plus/Pro/Business/Enterprise/Edu users; limited Free/Go access. Mac-only, EU/UK coming. Codex Super App vs Claude Code Desktop: long-horizon pure coding works on both; for desktop GUI actions (changing app settings / scraping a SaaS dashboard), Codex is your pick (Anthropic has no desktop-level background use yet); for raw SWE-Bench Pro performance, GPT-5.3-Codex backend wins.
FAQ
Is Computer Use safe? What permission controls exist?
Codex runs in an isolated window / virtual desktop, doesn't take direct control of your full machine, and requires permission confirmation. OpenAI is iterating fast on the permission model (similar to Claude's permission-mode). For production, isolate behind a sandbox user.
When can EU/UK users access this?
OpenAI says 'soon' without a date. EU usually needs additional compliance review (GDPR / DSA / AI Act). Watch the official OpenAI blog.
Can I use Codex Computer Use from China?
OpenAI direct access is restricted in mainland China, but QCode bridges you to Codex backend models (GPT-5.5 / 5.3-Codex). Install the Mac desktop app yourself; route model inference through QCode.
Access the Codex Family via QCode
Transparent GPT-5.5 / GPT-5.3-Codex access from China, sharing one plan with Claude / Gemini.
Start Your QCode Plan