OpenAI's Codex Can Now Control Your Mac Remotely—Even When It's Locked
Key Takeaways
- ▸Codex can remotely control your Mac from a phone even when the screen is locked and off
- ▸Requires Computer Use plugin with Screen Recording and Accessibility permissions
- ▸App-by-app permission system gives users granular control over which applications Codex can access
Summary
OpenAI has expanded its Codex desktop application on macOS with a new Computer Use feature that allows the AI agent to operate your Mac from your phone, even when the screen is off and locked. The capability requires users to install the Computer Use plugin and grant Screen Recording and Accessibility permissions. Once enabled, Codex can click through windows, type, navigate menus, and interact with the clipboard across apps that users explicitly approve.
The feature addresses use cases that command-line tools cannot easily reach, such as reproducing GUI-only bugs, modifying app settings, or executing flows within desktop applications that Codex is helping to build. Users can grant permissions on a per-app basis, with the option to mark specific applications as "Always allow." However, the feature is not available in the European Economic Area, the UK, and Switzerland at launch, and it cannot automate Terminal applications, Codex itself, or system-level admin prompts.
- Unavailable in EU, UK, and Switzerland; cannot automate Terminal, Codex, or system admin prompts
