# DownloadCodex

> Independent, unofficial guide to downloading, installing, and setting up OpenAI Codex (CLI, desktop app, IDE extension) from official sources only.

Unofficial guide. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by OpenAI. Codex and OpenAI are trademarks of OpenAI.
This site never hosts Codex files; every download link points to an official OpenAI or first-party source.
A combined text version of all guides is at https://downloadcodex.com/llms-full.txt
Core guides are also available in Simplified Chinese (https://downloadcodex.com/zh/), Japanese (https://downloadcodex.com/ja/), Spanish (https://downloadcodex.com/es/), Brazilian Portuguese (https://downloadcodex.com/pt-br/), and Korean (https://downloadcodex.com/ko/). English is the reference version.

## Download (official sources only)

- [Download Codex from official sources](https://downloadcodex.com/download/): Where to download OpenAI Codex safely: official links for the CLI, the ChatGPT desktop app with Codex, and the IDE extension on macOS, Windows, and Linux.
- [Download Codex for macOS](https://downloadcodex.com/download/macos/): Install the Codex CLI on macOS with OpenAI's installer or Homebrew, or get Codex through the ChatGPT desktop app. Apple Silicon and Intel notes included.
- [Download Codex for Windows](https://downloadcodex.com/download/windows/): Install Codex on Windows: the official PowerShell installer for the CLI, or the ChatGPT desktop app from the Microsoft Store. Native sandbox and WSL2 options explained.
- [Download Codex for Linux](https://downloadcodex.com/download/linux/): Install the Codex CLI on Linux with OpenAI's installer or npm, or the ChatGPT desktop app preview for Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and Arch on x64 and ARM64.
- [Check that you have the real Codex](https://downloadcodex.com/download/verify/): How to confirm your Codex CLI or desktop app came from OpenAI: check the install source, the binary path, the version, and where updates come from.

## Install

- [Install Codex](https://downloadcodex.com/install/): Compare the Codex CLI, the ChatGPT desktop app, and the Codex IDE extension, then install the one that fits how you work. Every step links to OpenAI's docs.
- [Install the Codex CLI](https://downloadcodex.com/install/cli/): Step-by-step Codex CLI install with OpenAI's standalone installer, npm, or Homebrew, then sign in and run codex for the first time.
- [Install the Codex desktop app](https://downloadcodex.com/install/desktop-app/): Codex's desktop experience now lives in the ChatGPT desktop app. How to install it on macOS, Windows, or Linux and start a Codex chat in a project folder.
- [Install Codex in your editor](https://downloadcodex.com/install/ide-extension/): How to add the Codex IDE extension to VS Code, Cursor, or Windsurf, and how to enable Codex in JetBrains IDEs and Xcode, with links to each official listing.
- [Use Codex with WSL2 on Windows](https://downloadcodex.com/install/wsl/): Run Codex in WSL2 on Windows: switch the desktop app's agent to WSL, install the CLI inside Linux, share config with CODEX_HOME, and avoid the WSL1 trap.
- [Update or uninstall Codex](https://downloadcodex.com/install/update-uninstall/): Update the Codex CLI with the same method you installed it with, update the desktop app on each OS, and remove Codex cleanly, including your ~/.codex data.

## Set up

- [Set up Codex](https://downloadcodex.com/setup/): Everything to configure after installing Codex: sign-in, your first task, config.toml, AGENTS.md project instructions, MCP servers, and sandbox and approval settings.
- [Run your first Codex task](https://downloadcodex.com/setup/first-task/): A careful first session with Codex: start in a Git repo, ask it to explain the project, make one small reviewed change, and learn to undo anything you don't want.
- [Sign in to Codex: ChatGPT account or API key](https://downloadcodex.com/setup/sign-in/): Choose between signing in to Codex with ChatGPT or an OpenAI API key, sign in on SSH and headless machines with device codes, and keep auth.json safe.
- [Configure Codex with config.toml](https://downloadcodex.com/setup/config-toml/): Where Codex's config.toml lives, how project and user settings override each other, and the options people change most: model, approval policy, sandbox, web search.
- [Give Codex standing instructions with AGENTS.md](https://downloadcodex.com/setup/agents-md/): How Codex discovers AGENTS.md files, how global and nested project files combine, how overrides work, and how to check which instructions Codex loaded.
- [Connect MCP servers to Codex](https://downloadcodex.com/setup/mcp-servers/): Add Model Context Protocol servers to Codex with codex mcp add, the desktop app, the IDE extension, or config.toml, with STDIO and HTTP examples.
- [Codex sandbox and approvals](https://downloadcodex.com/setup/sandbox-approvals/): What Codex's sandbox_mode and approval_policy settings do, safe defaults, the Windows sandbox, and why OpenAI warns against full access mode.

## Error fixes

- [Fix Codex errors](https://downloadcodex.com/errors/): Fixes for common Codex problems, organized by symptom: command not found, PowerShell execution policy, sign-in on SSH, WSL1, Git in WSL, AGENTS.md not loading.
- [Fix "codex: command not found"](https://downloadcodex.com/errors/command-not-found/): You installed Codex but the terminal says command not found or 'codex' is not recognized. Open a new terminal, find the binary, and fix your PATH.
- [Fix "running scripts is disabled on this system" in Codex on Windows](https://downloadcodex.com/errors/powershell-execution-policy/): Codex or its terminal on Windows fails with npm.ps1 cannot be loaded because running scripts is disabled. Why it happens and the safest fix.
- [Fix Codex sign-in that never completes on a remote or headless machine](https://downloadcodex.com/errors/login-callback-fails/): codex login opens no browser, or the browser can't return to Codex over SSH, in Docker, or behind strict networking. Use device code, port forwarding, or auth.json.
- [Fix Codex not following your AGENTS.md](https://downloadcodex.com/errors/agents-md-not-loading/): Codex doesn't load AGENTS.md, loads stale or wrong guidance, or truncates it. Check the workspace root, overrides, fallback names, size limit, and CODEX_HOME.
- [Fix Codex failing in WSL1](https://downloadcodex.com/errors/wsl1-not-supported/): Codex stopped working inside WSL after an update? From Codex 0.115 the Linux sandbox uses bubblewrap, which needs WSL2. Check your WSL version and convert.
- [Fix Git not detected for projects opened from \\wsl$](https://downloadcodex.com/errors/git-not-detected-wsl/): The Codex desktop app on Windows doesn't detect Git, or Git features are missing, for projects opened from the WSL filesystem. Install Git natively and move the project.
- [Fix a Codex feature that works in the CLI but not the desktop app](https://downloadcodex.com/errors/feature-missing-in-app/): The ChatGPT desktop app and the Codex CLI can ship different Codex versions, so features arrive at different times. How to compare versions and what to do.
- [Fix Codex connection errors behind a corporate proxy or TLS inspection](https://downloadcodex.com/errors/corporate-proxy-certificate/): Codex sign-in or requests fail on a company network that inspects TLS. Point Codex at your organization's root certificate with CODEX_CA_CERTIFICATE.

## Releases

- [Codex releases: latest version and how to update](https://downloadcodex.com/releases/): The latest Codex CLI release we've seen, how to check your installed version, where OpenAI publishes release notes, and how to update by install method.

## About and policies

- [About this site](https://downloadcodex.com/about/): DownloadCodex is an independent, unofficial guide to installing and setting up OpenAI Codex. It is not affiliated with OpenAI. Here is who it's for and how it works.
- [Why this site never hosts Codex files](https://downloadcodex.com/about/why-no-mirrors/): DownloadCodex links only to official OpenAI sources and never hosts, mirrors, or repackages Codex. Here's why, and how each download link tells you where it goes.
- [Editorial policy](https://downloadcodex.com/about/editorial-policy/): How DownloadCodex checks every guide against OpenAI's documentation, when a page may say 'Tested hands-on', how we handle corrections, and our affiliate rules.
- [Trademark notice and disclaimer](https://downloadcodex.com/about/disclaimer/): DownloadCodex is an unofficial, independent guide. Codex and OpenAI are trademarks of OpenAI. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by OpenAI.

## Tools

- [config.toml and AGENTS.md generator](https://downloadcodex.com/tools/config-generator/): build starter Codex config files in the browser
- [System check](https://downloadcodex.com/tools/system-check/): which Codex install options fit a given OS and processor