On May 14, 2026, OpenAI launched a preview that lets users operate its AI coding agent Codex from inside the ChatGPT mobile app[1]. The feature is rolling out on both iOS and Android across every ChatGPT plan, including Free and Go, in all supported regions[1][4]. From a phone, a developer can connect to Codex sessions running on a laptop, Mac mini, devbox, or managed remote environment and stay on top of long-running agent work while away from the keyboard[1].

Setup and supported environments

Getting started requires the latest builds of both the Codex Mac app and the ChatGPT mobile app[2]. A new "Codex mobile" section in the Mac app surfaces a QR code, which the iPhone or Android ChatGPT app scans to pair the two devices[2][3]. Once paired, the mobile app loads the live state of the Codex session on the Mac, including active threads, pending approvals, plugins, and project context[1]. OpenAI is shipping the experience as an iOS / Android preview and says remote access to the Windows build of Codex is "coming soon"[2][3].

More than a remote control

From the phone, users can start new tasks, review outputs, approve commands, switch between models, and move across multiple active threads[1]. OpenAI itself frames the feature as "more than the ability to remotely control a single task," noting that screenshots, terminal output, diffs, test results, and approval requests stream back to the phone in real time[1][4]. Files, credentials, and local permissions stay on the host machine where Codex is operating, with only display updates and approval traffic flowing to the phone[1][3].

A secure relay layer behind the scenes

OpenAI describes the underlying plumbing as a "secure relay layer"[1]. The relay keeps trusted machines reachable across devices without exposing them directly to the public internet, while syncing session state and context to every device signed in to ChatGPT[1]. MacRumors highlights OpenAI's accompanying caution: because Codex can reach the desktop's files, apps, and browser to carry out remote tasks, users should pair only devices they own and trust[3]. The cross-device push follows the February 2026 launch of the Codex Mac app, the April expansion into background agent execution, and the May rollout of the Codex Chrome extension[4].

Summary

By embedding Codex inside the ChatGPT mobile app, OpenAI is moving toward a workflow where developers can track long-running tasks even when their laptops are closed and only step in to approve or steer when necessary. Windows support is still pending and the host today must be a Mac, but the launch puts OpenAI's "always-on" agentic coding experience squarely alongside Anthropic's Remote Control for Claude Code[4].

Source [1]: https://openai.com/index/work-with-codex-from-anywhere/

Source [2]: https://9to5mac.com/2026/05/14/openai-brings-codex-control-to-chatgpt-for-iphone-and-android/

Source [3]: https://www.macrumors.com/2026/05/15/openai-brings-codex-chatgpt-mobile-app/

Source [4]: https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/14/openai-says-codex-is-coming-to-your-phone/