OpenAI has released the Codex app for Windows, bringing a desktop interface designed to help Windows users and developers manage multiple AI agents at once. The app is designed to help developers build, review and ship software using AI agents powered by OpenAI’s coding models. According to the company, the Codex app acts as a command centre where developers can manage AI agents and coding tasks. The release builds on Codex’s existing availability through the Command Line Interface (CLI), IDE extensions and cloud-based tools. Last month, OpenAI also launched the Codex desktop app for macOS.
What Codex Windows app does
According to OpenAI, the Codex Windows app is designed for real development environments and includes native sandboxing and integrated workflows. This allows developers to run coding agents without affecting their main system environment.
Previously, OpenAI mentioned that the app is designed to support complex, long-running tasks that may span hours, days or weeks. Users can switch between agent threads without losing context, review changes made by agents, comment on diffs or open files in their editor to make manual edits.
Codex app for Windows: How it works
With Codex, developers can run multiple AI agents across different projects at the same time. The tool can also automate repetitive tasks that developers usually handle manually. Another feature allows agents to connect with other development tools and workflows through something OpenAI calls Skills.
The company said that developers can also review and guide the work done by the AI agents without losing the context of the project. This helps developers stay in control of their code while still using automation to handle certain tasks. According to the company, the tool is already being used by startups such as Ramp and Harvey, as well as companies including NVIDIA, Rakuten and Cisco.
By default, the Codex agent runs commands in PowerShell using the Windows-native environment. However, developers can also connect projects stored in the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) if they prefer working with Linux-based workflows.
OpenAI said the Codex app works best when some common developer tools are already installed on the system. These include:
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Git: Used for the review panel in the Codex app and helps developers inspect or revert code changes. -
Node.js: Helps the AI agent perform certain development tasks more efficiently. -
Python: Another commonly used tool that allows the agent to run tasks more effectively. -
.NET SDK: Useful for developers who want to build native Windows applications. -
GitHub CLI: Enables GitHub-related features and workflows inside the Codex app.
Availability
The Codex app is available starting today through the Microsoft Store. Codex works across ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu plans, and developers can use the same account across the desktop app, command line interface, IDE extensions and cloud services. OpenAI said that developers can download it directly from the store and follow a quick setup process to begin using the tool.
How to download and update the Codex app on Windows
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Open the Microsoft Store on your Windows computer. -
Search for Codex and click Download/Install to install the app. -
Once installed, open the app and follow the Quickstart guide to begin using it. -
To update the app, open the Microsoft Store and go to Downloads. -
Click Check for updates and the store will install the latest version automatically.
Command-line install option
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You can also install the app using the command line with this command: -
winget install Codex -s msstore
