OpenAI Brings Codex Computer Use Feature to Windows: AI Agent Can Now Control Your PC

OpenAI brings Codex computer use feature to Windows, enabling Codex to see your screen, click buttons, and type with its own cursor to control apps while you keep working, arriving in version 26.527 with remote access via ChatGPT mobile app.

OpenAI brings Codex computer use feature to Windows, marking a major milestone for AI agent capabilities on the platform. The same background computer use feature that was Mac-only until today (May 29, 2026) is now available on Windows through the updated Codex app, version 26.527.

What is Codex computer use?

Codex computer use lets the AI agent operate your computer alongside you by seeing, clicking, and typing with its own cursor. This is background computer use, meaning Codex can work on tasks without interfering with your work in other apps.

Key capabilities:

See your screen
Codex can view what’s on your screen to understand context and UI elements

Click buttons and navigate apps
Codex can click buttons, scroll through menus, and navigate between windows and apps just like a human would

Type with its own cursor
Codex can input text directly into applications, forms, and terminals

Work across multiple apps
Perfect for tasks that jump between apps or windows, such as:

Collecting notes from different sources
Updating a system of record
Copying details from one place to another
Drafting replies after checking context in multiple apps

Work in the background
Multiple agents can work on your Mac in parallel without interfering with your own work, and now the same applies to Windows

How to use Codex computer use on Windows

The setup is straightforward:

Install the Codex app

Download from the Microsoft Store or openai.com/codex

Enable Computer Use in settings

Go to settings and enable computer use permissions

Grant the right permissions (one-time setup)

Use @Computer to start tasks

Start your request with @Computer

Or mention a specific app like @Excel or @Notion

Describe the task and outcome you want

Approve access when needed

Approve access when Codex needs it, then let it continue the task in the background

If you mention a specific app and a plugin exists for that app, Codex may prefer the plugin over Computer Use. If no plugin exists, Codex can fall back to Computer Use and operate the app directly.

Windows-specific features in Codex

The Codex app on Windows runs entirely native using PowerShell inside a new dedicated Windows sandbox, which provides security isolation for the AI agent.

Additional Windows-specific features include:

Windows developer environments in PowerShell

Native support for PowerShell-based development workflows

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) support

Switch your coding agent and integrated terminal to work inside WSL

Perfect for developers using Linux tools on Windows

WinUI skill

A dedicated WinUI skill for all Windows app developers in the skill gallery

Skills to discover and extend capabilities

Easily discover and extend Codex’s capabilities through the skill gallery

Automations

Have Codex work behind the scenes for you with automations

Work trees

Work on multiple independent tasks inside the same project

Remote access via ChatGPT mobile app

The new Codex app for Windows (version 26.527) also adds remote access through the ChatGPT mobile app, allowing you to start and steer tasks from your phone while Codex works on your computer.

This means you can:

Start tasks from your phone
Monitor progress remotely
Provide guidance while Codex works autonomously

Why this matters for developers

Codex is a focused desktop experience for working on Codex threads in parallel, and the computer use feature makes it even more powerful for developers. According to OpenAI, Codex is now a more powerful partner for the more than 3 million developers who use it every week to accelerate work across the full software development lifecycle.

For developers, computer use is helpful for:

Iterating on frontend changes with in-app browser
Testing apps without manual intervention
Working in apps that don’t expose an API
Reviewing PRs with Git functionality
Viewing multiple files & terminals
Connecting to remote devboxes via SSH

How it compares to Claude computer use

The setup video highlights the differences between Codex computer use on Windows and Claude computer use. Codex runs natively in a dedicated sandbox and supports Windows-specific developer environments, while Claude’s approach is different in architecture and permissions.

Updated Codex features beyond computer use

The Codex app also includes:

In-app browser where you can comment directly on pages to provide precise instructions to the agent
Image generation using gpt-image-1.5 to generate and iterate on images
Memory preview that allows Codex to remember useful context from previous experience, including personal preferences, corrections, and information that took time to gather
90+ new plugins including CircleCI, GitLab, and Microsoft Suite connectors to gather context and take action
Personalization features including context-aware suggestions that will roll out to Enterprise, Edu, and EU/UK users soon

OpenAI brings Codex computer use feature to Windows is a game-changer for anyone who wants an AI agent that can actually control your computer the way a human would.

With Codex now seeing your screen, clicking buttons, and typing with its own cursor, while running in a dedicated Windows sandbox, you can hand off complex multi-step tasks across your PC and let the AI do the heavy lifting. Add remote access via ChatGPT mobile app, and you’ve got an AI assistant you can steer from anywhere.

Whether you’re a developer automating workflows or a power user tackling cross-app tasks, Codex computer use on Windows is the most powerful AI agent capability you’ll find on the platform today.