Home›Docs›Computer Use for agents

Computer Use for agents

macOSUpdated October 2026 · 3 min read

Let Claude Code, Hermes Agent, OMP, and other MCP agents control Mac apps and supported browsers with OpenAI’s Computer Use runtime. CodexUse downloads and maintains the runtime. ChatGPT Desktop and Codex Desktop do not need to be installed. The agent’s own model decides each action.

This is an unofficial integration using OpenAI’s desktop runtime. OpenAI can change that runtime between releases.

Set it up

Open Settings → Computer Use. The screen checks the runtime when it opens.

Computer Use downloads and verifies the runtime on its first check. Allow space for the download and extraction, then grant the macOS permissions requested by Codex Computer Use.
Browser Use (optional) connects Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, or Vivaldi through the ChatGPT browser extension. Choose Turn on browser use, reopen the browser, and enable the extension. The screen distinguishes an enabled extension from a live connection. Browser Use also needs an existing Codex login in the default Codex home. Sign in through CodexUse or codex login.
Add to your agents lists agents found on this Mac. Click Add beside an agent, then restart it. Hermes Agent can also run /reload-mcp. For an unlisted MCP agent, expand Other MCP agents and copy the config.

The extension connection does not support Helium. The native computer tool can operate browser windows independently, subject to macOS app access.

How it works

Agent entries use ~/.codexuse/bin/codexuse-cua. CodexUse refreshes this launcher when the installed app starts, so entries survive app moves and updates. It does not add entries while running from a disk image.

computer operates native macOS apps.
browser operates supported browsers through the ChatGPT extension.
reset clears the runtime’s JavaScript bindings.

Each agent process has one session. After two idle minutes or when the agent exits, CodexUse ends the session, releases screen sharing, and closes agent-created tabs unless the agent marked them to stay open for the user.

Runtime updates

CodexUse downloads OpenAI’s signed desktop archive, verifies its archive and app signatures, and keeps the required runtime components under ~/.codexuse/cua. Automatic checks run at most once per 24 hours. Check again checks immediately. A failed update leaves the existing runtime available, and active sessions keep their current runtime.

The managed runtime currently supports Apple Silicon macOS. An unsupported platform reports that limitation.

App and site access

CodexUse automatically accepts app and site access requests and asks the runtime to remember them. Connected agents act with your macOS permissions. Connect only agents you trust. A sign-in challenge still requires you: it appears through MCP elicitation when supported, or a macOS dialog. Without a desktop session, the request is declined.

The server checks the CodexUse license before its first tool call. If CodexUse is locked, it reports the reason without starting the runtime.

Troubleshooting

Download or signature check failed: check the network and choose Check again.
Browser not connected: open that browser with the ChatGPT extension enabled. Use Extensions in Chrome, or the named browser, if the extension is turned off.
Codex auth token unavailable: sign in through CodexUse or run codex login in the default Codex home.
Agent does not show the tools: restart it after adding the connection. In Claude Code, claude mcp get codexuse-cua shows the saved entry.