OpenAI · Windows compatibility
Codex on Windows: Native App vs WSL
This page covers whether Codex currently runs natively on Windows and which WSL versions are supported. Plan prices stay on Codex pricing. Allowances stay on usage limits. This is not an install tutorial.
Direct answer
Does Codex work on Windows without WSL?
- Native Windows
- Fact Codex CLI, the ChatGPT desktop app, and the IDE extension can run natively on Windows with a Windows sandbox. WSL is not required for that path.
- WSL2
- Fact WSL2 is the Linux-native path: Linux tooling, Linux sandbox via bubblewrap, and the app can switch the agent from Windows-native to WSL2 in Settings (restart required).
- WSL1
- Fact WSL1 was supported through Codex 0.114. Starting in 0.115 the Linux sandbox moved to bubblewrap, so WSL1 is no longer supported.
- Recommended OS
- Fact Windows 11 is the recommended baseline. Recent, fully updated Windows 10 is best-effort and, in practice, needs version 1809 or newer for ConPTY. Older Windows 10 builds are not recommended.
- Last verified
- Sep 10, 2026, 8:00 AM UTC
Current Windows support matrix
| Environment | Support | Sandbox |
|---|---|---|
| Native Windows 11 | Fact Recommended. | Elevated Windows sandbox preferred; unelevated is the documented fallback when administrator-approved setup is blocked. |
| Native Windows 10 (1809+) | Fact Best-effort. | Same native Windows sandbox modes. Reliability is lower than Windows 11. |
| WSL2 | Fact Supported Linux-native path. | Linux bubblewrap sandbox, not the native Windows sandbox. |
| WSL1 | Fact Not supported from Codex 0.115. | No current Linux sandbox path on WSL1. |
Caveats that stay Unknown per machine
- Unknown — account_dependent whether this Windows device allows the elevated sandbox’s local users, firewall rules, and logon rights. Error 1385 is documented as a policy/logon-rights failure, not a missing Codex SKU.
- Fact Windows app and WSL CLI do not automatically share
%USERPROFILE%\.codexwith the Linux home directory. Auth and sessions can diverge. - This page does not publish step-by-step install commands beyond the official distinction of native vs WSL2 vs WSL1.
If Codex runs but a model returns “at capacity,” that is a service-capacity class of error, not a Windows support gap. See model at capacity.
TraceCheck maintainer: review when OpenAI changes Windows sandbox modes, WSL support, or the 0.115 WSL1 cutoff. Enterprise policy that blocks elevated sandbox setup remains account-dependent.