Appshots

Appshots let you send the frontmost app window to a task in ChatGPT. Use them when you're actively working in another app on your computer and want to provide ChatGPT with your current context so it can help you with the task.

Appshots are available in the ChatGPT desktop app on macOS. Press both Command keys, or your custom Appshots hotkey, to take one.

What appshots capture

An appshot captures the frontmost window only. It can include:

An image of the visible window.
Available text from that window, including visible text and text the app makes available outside the visible scroll area.

After you add an appshot to a task, it behaves like an attachment. ChatGPT stores appshots locally in the session file, like files or images you attach manually.

When to use appshots

Use appshots when ChatGPT needs context from a Mac app before it can act.

Examples:

Share an API reference page and ask ChatGPT to write a script that uses it.
Share an email or calendar view and ask ChatGPT to draft the next step.
Share an image editor, design, or preview window and ask ChatGPT to revise the related assets or code.
Share an error, settings panel, or app state that's easier to show than describe.

Take an appshot

Bring the app window you want to share to the front.
Press both Command keys, or the custom hotkey you configured in ChatGPT settings.
Allow macOS permissions if ChatGPT asks.
Ask ChatGPT to perform a task with the appshot.

By default, ChatGPT starts a new task for the appshot. If you interacted with a task in the last 60 seconds, ChatGPT adds the appshot to that recent task instead. Taking consecutive appshots adds them to the same task.

You can change the Appshots hotkey in the app settings.

Permissions and safety

ChatGPT may ask for permissions before it can take appshots:

Screen & System Audio Recording lets ChatGPT capture an image of the frontmost window.
Accessibility lets ChatGPT read available text from the frontmost window.

Taking an appshot shares the captured image and available text with ChatGPT. Avoid taking appshots of sensitive content unless the task requires that content.

Review appshots the same way you would review sharing screenshots and documents with ChatGPT.

Limits and troubleshooting

Appshots are available in the ChatGPT desktop app on macOS. If you resume a task in the CLI that already contains an appshot, the attachment is part of the task history, but the CLI can't create a new appshot.

For some apps and websites, including Google Docs, Gmail, Google Sheets, and Google Slides, ChatGPT may receive only the visible screenshot and may not receive the full document or off-screen text. In ChatGPT Work or Codex, ChatGPT can use a matching installed plugin to access the relevant app content and help with your request.

If appshots don't work:

Open System Settings > Privacy & Security.
Check Screen & System Audio Recording and Accessibility for Codex Computer Use.
Restart the app and try again.

appshots.md +33 −30

1# Appshots1# Appshots

2 2

~~3Appshots let you send the frontmost app window to a Codex thread. Use them when~~3Appshots let you send the frontmost app window to a task in ChatGPT. Use them when

4you're actively working in another app on your computer and want to provide4you're actively working in another app on your computer and want to provide

~~5Codex with your current context so it can help you with the task.~~5ChatGPT with your current context so it can help you with the task.

6 6

~~7Appshots are available in the Codex app on macOS. Press both Command keys, or~~7Appshots are available in the ChatGPT desktop app on macOS. Press both Command

~~8 your custom Appshots hotkey, to take one.~~8 keys, or your custom Appshots hotkey, to take one.

9 9

10## What appshots capture10## What appshots capture

11 11

15- Available text from that window, including visible text and text the app makes15- Available text from that window, including visible text and text the app makes

16 available outside the visible scroll area.16 available outside the visible scroll area.

17 17

~~18After you add an appshot to a thread, it behaves like a Codex attachment. Codex~~18After you add an appshot to a task, it behaves like an attachment. ChatGPT

19stores appshots locally in the session file, like files or images you attach19stores appshots locally in the session file, like files or images you attach

20manually.20manually.

21 21

22## When to use appshots22## When to use appshots

23 23

~~24Use appshots when Codex needs context from a Mac app before it can act.~~24Use appshots when ChatGPT needs context from a Mac app before it can act.

25 25

26Examples:26Examples:

27 27

~~28- Share an API reference page and ask Codex to write a script that uses it.~~28- Share an API reference page and ask ChatGPT to write a script that uses it.

~~29- Share an email or calendar view and ask Codex to draft the next step.~~29- Share an email or calendar view and ask ChatGPT to draft the next step.

~~30- Share an image editor, design, or preview window and ask Codex to revise the~~30- Share an image editor, design, or preview window and ask ChatGPT to revise the

31 related assets or code.31 related assets or code.

32- Share an error, settings panel, or app state that's easier to show than32- Share an error, settings panel, or app state that's easier to show than

33 describe.33 describe.

34 34

35## Take an appshot35## Take an appshot

36 36

~~371. Open the Codex app on your Mac.~~371. Bring the app window you want to share to the front.

~~382. Open the app and window you want to share.~~382. Press both Command keys, or the custom hotkey you configured in ChatGPT

~~393. Press both Command keys, or the custom hotkey you configured in Codex~~

40 settings.39 settings.

~~414. Allow macOS permissions if Codex asks.~~403. Allow macOS permissions if ChatGPT asks.

~~425. Ask Codex to perform a task with the appshot.~~414. Ask ChatGPT to perform a task with the appshot.

43 42

~~44By default, Codex starts a new thread for the appshot. If you interacted with a~~43<Illustration description="ChatGPT task composer with an Appshot attachment and follow-up prompt">

~~45Codex thread in the last 60 seconds, Codex adds the appshot to that recent~~44 <AppshotsComposerIllustration ariaLabel="ChatGPT task composer with an Appshot attachment and follow-up prompt" />

~~46thread instead. Taking consecutive appshots adds them to the same thread.~~45</Illustration>

47 46

~~48You can change the Appshots hotkey in Codex settings.~~47By default, ChatGPT starts a new task for the appshot. If you interacted with a

48task in the last 60 seconds, ChatGPT adds the appshot to that recent

49task instead. Taking consecutive appshots adds them to the same task.

51You can change the Appshots hotkey in the app settings.

49 52

50## Permissions and safety53## Permissions and safety

51 54

~~52Codex may ask for permissions before it can take appshots:~~55ChatGPT may ask for permissions before it can take appshots:

53 56

~~54- **Screen & System Audio Recording** lets Codex capture an image of the~~57- **Screen & System Audio Recording** lets ChatGPT capture an image of the

55 frontmost window.58 frontmost window.

~~56- **Accessibility** lets Codex read available text from the frontmost window.~~59- **Accessibility** lets ChatGPT read available text from the frontmost window.

57 60

~~58Taking an appshot shares the captured image and available text with Codex.~~61Taking an appshot shares the captured image and available text with ChatGPT.

59Avoid taking appshots of sensitive content unless the task requires that62Avoid taking appshots of sensitive content unless the task requires that

60content.63content.

61 64

62Review appshots the same way you would review sharing screenshots and documents65Review appshots the same way you would review sharing screenshots and documents

~~63with Codex.~~66with ChatGPT.

64 67

65## Limits and troubleshooting68## Limits and troubleshooting

66 69

~~67Appshots are a Codex app feature. Create them from the Codex app on macOS. If~~70Appshots are available in the ChatGPT desktop app on macOS. If you resume a task

~~68you resume a thread in the CLI that already contains an appshot, the attachment~~71in the CLI that already contains an appshot, the attachment is part of the task

~~69is part of the thread history, but the CLI can't create a new appshot.~~72history, but the CLI can't create a new appshot.

70 73

71For some apps and websites, including Google Docs, Gmail, Google Sheets, and74For some apps and websites, including Google Docs, Gmail, Google Sheets, and

~~72Google Slides, Codex may receive only the visible screenshot and may not receive~~75Google Slides, ChatGPT may receive only the visible screenshot and may not receive

~~73the full document or off-screen text. If you have the matching plugin installed,~~76the full document or off-screen text. In ChatGPT Work or Codex, ChatGPT can use a

~~74Codex can use that plugin to access the relevant app content and help with your~~77matching installed plugin to access the relevant app content and help with your

75request.78request.

76 79

77If appshots don't work:80If appshots don't work:

791. Open **System Settings > Privacy & Security**.821. Open **System Settings > Privacy & Security**.

802. Check **Screen & System Audio Recording** and **Accessibility** for Codex832. Check **Screen & System Audio Recording** and **Accessibility** for Codex

81 Computer Use.84 Computer Use.

~~823. Restart Codex and try again.~~853. Restart the app and try again.