Codex to enable control of other desktop devices via Computer Use

OpenAI is preparing to extend Codex's remote control scope to include Computer Use, enabling it to operate macOS apps even when a laptop is locked or in sleep mode. This follows the remote control feature released for the ChatGPT mobile app on May 14, which let users review outputs, approve commands, switch models, and send new tasks from iPhone and Android.

The key bottleneck is that Computer Use requires an unlocked, active session in order to view the screen, move the cursor, and enter input. Once this restriction is lifted, users will be able to hand off the next task directly from their phone.

• Launching desktop apps
• Building and testing GUIs
• Running simulators
• Accessing data sources

This feature also touches on the phone-to-device control that Anthropic introduced for Claude Code in February, though similar constraints remain when a Mac is locked. However, since this approach could conflict with macOS's default security settings, Apple's response remains a variable, and no release timeline has been announced yet. OpenAI is also exploring ways to connect to and control other desktop devices with the Codex app installed, with one example being direct operation of a Mac mini from a main device.