OpenAI has released a Codex desktop app for Windows, adding a native client for many professional developers and extending its reach beyond the earlier macOS release.
OpenAI cited Stack Overflow’s 2025 developer survey, which found that nearly half of developers use Windows professionally. The launch follows a waitlist of more than 500,000 developers.
Codex is positioned as a software development tool built around agents that can run tasks across projects. The Windows app includes a project interface for running parallel work and reviewing results.
Windows workflow
The Windows client runs natively using PowerShell and the Windows sandbox. Developers can also configure the agent to run in Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).
The app supports running multiple agents asynchronously across projects and automating repeatable work. It also includes a “Skills” mechanism that connects agents to tools and workflows, letting users review and guide agent work without losing context.
Codex is available through the Microsoft Store, with a command-line installation option via Windows Package Manager (winget).
In larger organisations, administrators can deploy the app using Microsoft Store distribution options with enterprise management tools. Users can also set a default editor, such as Visual Studio or VS Code, and choose an integrated terminal.
WSL options
By default, the app uses a Windows-native agent that runs commands in PowerShell. It can still work with projects stored in WSL by calling the wsl command-line tool when needed.
OpenAI recommends that developers using the Windows-native agent store projects on the Windows filesystem and access them from WSL through the /mnt// path, which it describes as more reliable than opening projects directly from the WSL filesystem.
Users can switch the agent into WSL in the app’s settings; a restart is required for the change to take effect. Terminal selection is separate from the agent setting, so developers can keep the agent in WSL while using PowerShell in the terminal, or use WSL for both.
Developer tools
The Windows app assumes some common tools are installed. OpenAI lists Git, Node.js, Python, the .NET SDK, and the GitHub CLI as useful additions. Git is tied to the review panel, while the other tools can be used by agents when performing tasks.
The documentation also covers common Windows environment issues. Developers who need elevated permissions must run the Codex app as an administrator, which passes the same permission level to the agent.
PowerShell execution policies can also block scripts created or used by development tools. OpenAI notes that developers may see errors when running commands such as npm.ps1, depending on the system’s execution policy settings.
Adoption signals
The Windows release follows the macOS launch. OpenAI says the macOS version passed 1 million downloads in its first week.
OpenAI also reports rising usage in specific markets. In Australia, it says Codex usage has more than doubled in the past month.
OpenAI says Codex is already being used by developers at startups and large companies, including Ramp and Harvey, as well as NVIDIA, Rakuten, and Cisco.
Codex is available across ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans, and works across the desktop app, command-line interface, IDE extension, and cloud services through a single account.
OpenAI has not disclosed how many Windows users have installed the app since launch, but describes the Windows client as a step toward meeting developers in their existing tools and workflows.