Codex app settings

Use the settings panel to tune how the Codex app behaves, how it opens files, and how it connects to tools. Open Settings from the app menu or press Cmd+,.

General

Choose where files open and how much command output appears in threads. You can also require Cmd+Enter for multiline prompts or prevent sleep while a thread runs.

Notifications

Choose when turn completion notifications appear, and whether the app should prompt for notification permissions.

Agent configuration

Codex agents in the app inherit the same configuration as the IDE and CLI extension. Use the in-app controls for common settings, or edit config.toml for advanced options. See Codex security and config basics for more detail.

Appearance

In Settings, you can change the Codex app appearance by choosing a base theme, adjusting accent, background, and foreground colors, and changing the UI and code fonts. You can also share your custom theme with friends.

Git

Use Git settings to standardize branch naming and choose whether Codex uses force pushes. You can also set prompts that Codex uses to generate commit messages and pull request descriptions.

Integrations & MCP

Connect external tools via MCP (Model Context Protocol). Enable recommended servers or add your own. If a server requires OAuth, the app starts the auth flow. These settings also apply to the Codex CLI and IDE extension because the MCP configuration lives in config.toml. See the Model Context Protocol docs for details.

Browser use

Use these settings to install or enable the bundled Browser plugin and manage allowlisted and blocklisted websites. Codex asks before using a website unless you’ve allowlisted it. Removing a site from the blocklist lets Codex ask again before using it in the browser.

See In-app browser for browser preview, comment, and browser use workflows.

Computer Use

On macOS, check your Computer Use settings to review desktop-app access and related preferences after setup. To revoke system-level access, update Screen Recording or Accessibility permissions in macOS Privacy & Security settings. The feature isn’t available in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland at launch.

Personalization

Choose Friendly, Pragmatic, or None as your default personality. Use None to disable personality instructions. You can update this at any time.

You can also add your own custom instructions. Editing custom instructions updates your personal instructions in AGENTS.md.

Context-aware suggestions

Use context-aware suggestions to surface follow-ups and tasks you may want to resume when you start or return to Codex.

Memories

Enable Memories, where available, to let Codex carry useful context from past threads into future work. See Memories for setup, storage, and per-thread controls.

Archived threads

The Archived threads section lists archived chats with dates and project context. Use Unarchive to restore a thread.