Run Codex From Your Phone: Beginner Setup Guide

Outcome: You will connect your phone to Codex on your computer, start and steer work remotely, and create a beginner workspace with an AGENTS.md file and one reusable skill.

What you are setting up

Your phone is the remote control. Your computer remains the host.

The host computer keeps your project folders, files, credentials, tools and permissions. The ChatGPT mobile app lets you start tasks, answer Codex, approve actions, review results and change direction while you are away from the desk.

You will build this:

my-ai-workspace/
├── AGENTS.md
├── inbox/
├── outputs/
├── references/
└── .agents/
    └── skills/
        └── organise-notes/
            └── SKILL.md

Do not worry if those filenames look technical. They are plain text files. You can open them in any text editor.

Part 1: Install the apps

On your computer

1. Download the current ChatGPT desktop app.
2. Install it and sign in.
3. Open Codex from the top-left menu.
4. Choose a real folder you want Codex to work inside.

Remote works with supported Mac and Windows computers. This guide uses Mac wording because that is the setup shown in the companion reel.

On your phone

1. Install or update the ChatGPT mobile app from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Sign in with the same ChatGPT account and workspace used on the computer.
3. Check the app menu for Remote.

If Remote is missing, update both apps first. Availability can also depend on your account, workspace and rollout.

Part 2: Connect your phone to the computer

Step 1: Start Remote setup

Open the ChatGPT desktop app on the host computer. Select Set up Remote in the sidebar.

The desktop app will show a QR code.

Step 2: Scan the QR code

Scan the QR code with your phone. It opens ChatGPT and starts the pairing flow.

Confirm that the phone and computer show the same ChatGPT account and workspace. Complete any passkey, multi-factor authentication or company sign-in step if requested.

Step 3: Open the host from your phone

Open Remote in the ChatGPT mobile app. Your computer should appear as a connected host.

Select the computer, then open an existing Codex thread or start a new one inside your project.

From the phone you can now:

• Start or continue a task.
• Answer a question from Codex.
• Approve a command or file change.
• Review screenshots, terminal output, test results and code changes.
• Redirect the work when Codex heads in the wrong direction.

Step 4: Keep the host available

Remote stops when the host sleeps, loses its internet connection or closes the desktop app.

On the host, open Settings → Connections and review its Remote settings. Turn on the option to keep the computer awake where available. Keep a laptop plugged into power.

On a Mac laptop, keep the lid open. A closed lid normally requires power and an external display. Choosing Sleep disconnects Remote.

Your phone does not copy the whole project. It sends instructions to the connected computer, and that computer does the work.

Part 3: Use Voice with Codex

Voice through Remote is available on supported iPhone setups after pairing. Access still depends on your plan, workspace and rollout.

Start with a new, empty task in voice mode. A task that begins as text may offer dictation instead of a live Voice conversation.

Try this:

Brief me on this project.
Recommend the next useful step.
Start it, but ask before deleting files or sending anything.

During the Voice conversation, you can interrupt, ask for progress or redirect the task.

If you cannot start Voice:

1. Confirm both apps are current.
2. Check microphone access on the phone.
3. Confirm the phone is paired to the correct host.
4. Check whether Voice is available for your plan and workspace.
5. Use normal text prompts in Remote until Voice reaches your account.

Part 4: Create a beginner workspace

Create a folder named my-ai-workspace in Documents.

Open that folder in Codex. Paste this prompt:

Create this folder structure inside the current workspace:

my-ai-workspace/
├── AGENTS.md
├── inbox/
├── outputs/
├── references/
└── .agents/
    └── skills/
        └── organise-notes/
            └── SKILL.md

Do not add anything else. Show me the proposed files before creating them.

If you create the folders manually, remember that .agents begins with a full stop and may be hidden. On Mac, press Command + Shift + . in Finder to show hidden files.

AGENTS.md: the rules for this workspace

The filename is AGENTS.md, plural and uppercase. agent.md will not load automatically unless you change Codex configuration.

Put AGENTS.md at the root of the project. Codex reads it before starting work in that folder.

Use it for rules that should apply to nearly every task:

• What the folder is for.
• Where inputs and finished work belong.
• Commands Codex should run.
• Facts Codex must never invent.
• Actions that require your approval.
• What “finished” means.

Paste this starter version into AGENTS.md:

# Project instructions

## Purpose

This is my beginner AI workspace.

## Folder rules

- Read source material from `inbox/` and `references/`.
- Save finished work in `outputs/`.
- Preserve original files unless I explicitly ask for changes.

## Working rules

- Explain the plan in plain English before making large changes.
- Ask before deleting files, spending money, publishing, or sending messages.
- Do not invent facts, results, customers, quotes, or links.
- When information is missing, say what is missing.

## Finish checks

- Re-read the final output.
- Confirm it matches my request.
- List the files created or changed.
- Report anything that still needs my decision.

Start a new Codex task after saving the file, then ask:

Summarise the instructions you loaded for this workspace.

If Codex mentions your folder rules and finish checks, the file is working.

Global versus project instructions

Use two levels when you are ready:

• ~/.codex/AGENTS.md contains personal defaults that should follow you across projects.
• AGENTS.md in a project contains rules for that project.

Project instructions closer to the folder you are working in take precedence over broader instructions.

SKILL.md: a reusable recipe

An AGENTS.md file defines the normal rules of the workspace. A skill defines how to complete one repeatable job.

Every skill lives in its own folder. For a project-specific skill, use:

.agents/skills/skill-name/SKILL.md

The SKILL.md file needs:

1. A name.
2. A clear description explaining when it should run.
3. The ordered instructions.
4. The required output.

Paste this into .agents/skills/organise-notes/SKILL.md:

---
name: organise-notes
description: Use when the user asks to clean up, summarise, sort, or turn rough notes from the inbox into a useful document. Do not use this skill to delete source notes.
---

# Organise notes

1. Read the project `AGENTS.md`.
2. Read only the notes the user names inside `inbox/`.
3. Preserve every source file.
4. Group related points and remove repeated wording.
5. Mark missing facts instead of guessing.
6. Save the result in `outputs/` using `YYYY-MM-DD-topic.md`.
7. Re-read the result and report the output path.

## Required output

- A short summary.
- A clear action list.
- Open questions that still need an answer.

Codex detects local skill changes automatically. If the skill does not appear, restart the desktop app and reopen the workspace.

Test it with:

Use $organise-notes on the notes in `inbox/`.

The first test should use fake or non-sensitive notes. Check that Codex preserves the source and creates the finished document inside outputs/.

Where to get more skills

Do not start by downloading a hundred skills. Build one workflow you need every week.

Good starting points:

• Use the built-in $skill-creator to describe a workflow and generate the first version.
• Use $skill-installer to add a curated skill.
• Browse the official OpenAI skills repository for examples.
• Open Skills in the ChatGPT desktop sidebar to inspect skills already available to you.

A narrow skill that works every time is more useful than a large skill that tries to run your whole business.

Your first remote task

Add a small note to inbox/first-note.md, then leave the computer running.

From Remote on your phone, send:

Use $organise-notes on `inbox/first-note.md`.
Preserve the original.
Show me the finished file before doing anything else.

Review the result from your phone. Approve only the actions you understand.

You now have the full beginner loop:

1. The computer holds the workspace.
2. AGENTS.md supplies the rules.
3. SKILL.md supplies the reusable workflow.
4. Your phone starts, steers and reviews the work.

Common problems

Remote disappears

Update both apps. Confirm the desktop app is open, the host is awake and both devices use the same account and workspace.

The host disconnects

The computer probably slept, lost internet access or closed the app. Reconnect it and check Settings → Connections.

Codex ignores AGENTS.md

Check the spelling and capitalisation. Start a new task from the project folder and ask Codex which instruction files it loaded.

The skill does not appear

Confirm the path is .agents/skills/organise-notes/SKILL.md. Check that the file includes name and description, then restart Codex.

Voice behaves like dictation

Start a new empty task in Voice mode. Existing text tasks may only offer dictation.

Official references

• Remote connections
• ChatGPT Voice
• Custom instructions with AGENTS.md
• Build skills
• OpenAI skills examples