plugins.md Codex Docs, 2026-02-19 20:37 UTC → 2026-04-24 18:20 UTC

1# Plugins

2 

3## Overview

4 

5Plugins bundle skills, app integrations, and MCP servers into reusable

6workflows for Codex.

7 

8Extend what Codex can do, for example:

9 

10- Install the Gmail plugin to let Codex read and manage Gmail.

11- Install the Google Drive plugin to work across Drive, Docs, Sheets, and

12 Slides.

13- Install the Slack plugin to summarize channels or draft replies.

14 

15A plugin can contain:

16 

17- **Skills:** reusable instructions for specific kinds of work. Codex can load

18 them when needed so it follows the right steps and uses the right references

19 or helper scripts for a task.

20- **Apps:** connections to tools like GitHub, Slack, or Google Drive, so

21 Codex can read information from those tools and take actions in them.

22- **MCP servers:** services that give Codex access to additional tools or

23 shared information, often from systems outside your local project.

24 

25More plugin capabilities are coming soon.

26 

27## Use and install plugins

28 

29### Plugin Directory in the Codex app

30 

31Open **Plugins** in the Codex app to browse and install curated plugins.

32 

33![Codex Plugins page](/images/codex/plugins/directory.png)

34 

35### Plugin directory in the CLI

36 

37In Codex CLI, run the following command to open the plugins list:

38 

39```text

40codex

41/plugins

42```

43 

44![Plugins list in Codex CLI](/images/codex/plugins/cli_light.png)

45 

46The CLI plugin browser groups plugins by marketplace. Use the marketplace tabs

47to switch sources, open a plugin to inspect details, and press `Space`

48on an installed plugin to toggle its enabled state.

49 

50### Install and use a plugin

51 

52Once you open the plugin directory:

53 

541. Search or browse for a plugin, then open its details.

552. Select the install button. In the app, select the plus button or

56 **Add to Codex**. In the CLI, select `Install plugin`.

573. If the plugin needs an external app, connect it when prompted. Some plugins

58 ask you to authenticate during install. Others wait until the first time you

59 use them.

604. After installation, start a new thread and ask Codex to use the plugin.

61 

62After you install a plugin, you can use it directly in the prompt window:

63 

64![Codex Plugins page](/images/codex/plugins/plugin-github-invoke.png)

65 

66Describe the task directly

67 

68 Ask for the outcome you want, such as "Summarize unread Gmail threads

69 from today" or "Pull the latest launch notes from Google Drive."

70 

71 Use this when you want Codex to choose the right installed tools for the

72 task.

73 

74Choose a specific plugin

75 

76 Type <code>@</code> to invoke the plugin or one of its bundled skills

77 explicitly.

78 

79 Use this when you want to be specific about which plugin or skill Codex

80should use. See [Codex app commands](https://developers.openai.com/codex/app/commands) and

81[Skills](https://developers.openai.com/codex/skills).

82 

83### How permissions and data sharing work

84 

85Installing a plugin makes its workflows available in Codex, but your existing

86[approval settings](https://developers.openai.com/codex/agent-approvals-security) still apply. Any

87connected external services remain subject to their own authentication,

88privacy, and data-sharing policies.

89 

90- Bundled skills are available as soon as you install the plugin.

91- If a plugin includes apps, Codex may prompt you to install or sign in to

92 those apps in ChatGPT during setup or the first time you use them.

93- If a plugin includes MCP servers, they may require additional setup or

94 authentication before you can use them.

95- When Codex sends data through a bundled app, that app's terms and privacy

96 policy apply.

97 

98### Remove or turn off a plugin

99 

100To remove a plugin, reopen it from the plugin browser and select

101**Uninstall plugin**.

102 

103Uninstalling a plugin removes the plugin bundle from Codex, but bundled apps

104stay installed until you manage them in ChatGPT.

105 

106If you want to keep a plugin installed but turn it off, set its entry in

107`~/.codex/config.toml` to `enabled = false`, then restart Codex:

108 

109```toml

110[plugins."gmail@openai-curated"]

111enabled = false

112```

113 

114## Build your own plugin

115 

116If you want to create, test, or distribute your own plugin, see

117[Build plugins](https://developers.openai.com/codex/plugins/build). That page covers local scaffolding,

118manual marketplace setup, plugin manifests, and packaging guidance.