use-cases/use-your-computer-with-codex.md Codex Docs, 2026-04-30 18:36 UTC → 2026-05-14 21:00 UTC

1# Use your computer with Codex | Codex use cases1---

2 2name: Use your computer with Codex

3Codex use cases3tagline: Let Codex click, type, and navigate apps on your Mac.

4 4summary: Use Computer Use to hand off multi-step tasks across Mac apps, windows,

5![](/assets/OpenAI-black-wordmark.svg)5 and files.

6 6bestFor:

7![Codex](/assets/OAI_Codex-Lockup_Fallback_Black.svg)7 - Tasks that move across apps, windows, browser sessions, or local files on

8 8 your Mac

9Codex use case

10 

11# Use your computer with Codex

12 

13Let Codex click, type, and navigate apps on your Mac.

14 

15Difficulty **Easy**

16 

17Time horizon **5m**

18 

19Use Computer Use to hand off multi-step tasks across Mac apps, windows, and files.

20 

21## Best for

22 

23- Tasks that move across apps, windows, browser sessions, or local files on your Mac

24 - Work you want to hand off and let Codex continue in the background9 - Work you want to hand off and let Codex continue in the background

10starterPrompt:

11 title: Hand Off One Computer Task

12 body: >-

13 @Computer [do the task you want completed across your Mac]

25 14 

26# Contents

27 

28[← All use cases](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases)

29 

30Copy page [Export as PDF](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/use-your-computer-with-codex/?export=pdf)

31 

32Use Computer Use to hand off multi-step tasks across Mac apps, windows, and files.

33 

34Easy

35 

365m

37 

38Related links

39 

40[Computer Use](https://developers.openai.com/codex/app/computer-use) [Plugins](https://developers.openai.com/codex/plugins) [Customize Codex](https://developers.openai.com/codex/concepts/customization)

41 

42## Best for

43 

44- Tasks that move across apps, windows, browser sessions, or local files on your Mac

45 - Work you want to hand off and let Codex continue in the background

46 15 

47## Starter prompt16 For example:

48 17 

49 @Computer Use [do the task you want completed across your Mac]

50For example:

51 - Play some music to help me focus.18 - Play some music to help me focus.

52 - Help me add my interview notes from Notes to Ashby.

53- Look through my Messages app for the trip ideas Brooke sent me this week, add the best options to a new note called "Yosemite ideas", and draft a reply back to her.

54 

55[Open in the Codex app](codex://new?prompt=%40Computer+Use+%5Bdo+the+task+you+want+completed+across+your+Mac%5D%0A%0AFor+example%3A%0A-+Play+some+music+to+help+me+focus.%0A-+Help+me+add+my+interview+notes+from+Notes+to+Ashby.%0A-+Look+through+my+Messages+app+for+the+trip+ideas+Brooke+sent+me+this+week%2C+add+the+best+options+to+a+new+note+called+%22Yosemite+ideas%22%2C+and+draft+a+reply+back+to+her. "Open in the Codex app")

56 19 

57 @Computer Use [do the task you want completed across your Mac]

58For example:

59 - Play some music to help me focus.

60 - Help me add my interview notes from Notes to Ashby.20 - Help me add my interview notes from Notes to Ashby.

61- Look through my Messages app for the trip ideas Brooke sent me this week, add the best options to a new note called "Yosemite ideas", and draft a reply back to her.21 

22 - Look through my Messages app for the trip ideas Brooke sent me this week,

23 add the best options to a new note called "Yosemite ideas", and draft a

24 reply back to her.

25relatedLinks:

26 - label: Computer Use

27 url: /codex/app/computer-use

28 - label: Plugins

29 url: /codex/plugins

30 - label: Customize Codex

31 url: /codex/concepts/customization

32---

62 33 

63## Introduction34## Introduction

64 35 

69## How to use40## How to use

70 41 

711. Install the [Computer Use plugin](https://developers.openai.com/codex/app/computer-use).421. Install the [Computer Use plugin](https://developers.openai.com/codex/app/computer-use).

722. Start your request with `@Computer Use`, or mention a specific app such as `@Slack` or `@Messages`.432. Start your request with `@Computer`, or mention a specific app such as `@Slack` or `@Messages`.

733. Describe the task and the outcome you want.443. Describe the task and the outcome you want.

744. Approve access when Codex needs it, then let it continue the task in the background.454. Approve access when Codex needs it, then let it continue the task in the background.

75 46 

77 48 

78For example:49For example:

79 50 

80- `@Computer Use Play some music to help me focus.`51- `@Computer Play some music to help me focus.`

81- `@Computer Use Help me add my interview notes from Notes to Ashby.`52- `@Computer Help me add my interview notes from Notes to Ashby.`

82- `@Computer Use Go through my Slack and add reminders for everything I need to do by end of day.`53- `@Computer Go through my Slack and add reminders for everything I need to do by end of day.`

83 54 

84## Practical tips55## Practical tips

85 56 

102## Suggested prompt73## Suggested prompt

103 74 

104**Hand Off One Computer Task**75**Hand Off One Computer Task**

105 

106 @Computer Use [do the task you want completed across your Mac]

107For example:

108 - Play some music to help me focus.

109 - Help me add my interview notes from Notes to Ashby.

110- Look through my Messages app for the trip ideas Brooke sent me this week, add the best options to a new note called "Yosemite ideas", and draft a reply back to her.

111 

112## Related use cases

113 

114[![](/images/codex/codex-wallpaper-3.webp)

115 

116### Clean and prepare messy data

117 

118Drag in or mention a messy CSV or spreadsheet, describe the problems you see, and ask Codex...

119 

120Data Knowledge Work](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/clean-messy-data)[![](/images/codex/codex-wallpaper-1.webp)

121 

122### Complete tasks from messages

123 

124Use Computer Use to read one Messages thread, complete the task, and draft a reply.

125 

126Knowledge Work Integrations](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/complete-tasks-from-messages)[![](/images/codex/codex-wallpaper-2.webp)

127 

128### Coordinate new-hire onboarding

129 

130Use Codex to gather approved new-hire context, stage tracker updates, draft team-by-team...

131 

132Integrations Data](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/new-hire-onboarding)