OpenAI shipped a Codex for Mac update on May 21 that introduces Appshots, a feature that captures both a screenshot and extracted text from any active app window and attaches them to a Codex thread. The trigger is a double Command keypress. The extracted text includes content beyond what’s visible onscreen, giving the agent access to full document or app state without manual copy-paste, according to 9to5Mac.
The update matters for agent-driven workflows because it reduces the friction between “what the user sees” and “what the agent knows.” Instead of describing an error message, a spreadsheet state, or a design layout in text, users can attach the actual visual and textual context in a single keystroke.
Autonomous Goal Execution
The same update graduates the /goal command from experimental status. Goal mode lets users assign Codex a specific milestone, and the agent works toward it autonomously, even across hours or days. Users can check in, steer, pause, or start side chats to inspect progress without interrupting the main task, per 9to5Mac.
Codex can now also operate on a Mac when the screen is locked. From a phone, users can instruct Codex to use apps on their Mac even when the display is off, effectively turning the desktop into an always-available agent execution environment.
Additional Features
Business users gained the ability to share custom plugins between teams. Enterprise users can request early access to shared plugin support from OpenAI. Analytics for business and enterprise accounts now surface details on active users, credits, tokens, runs, user leaderboards, lines of code generated, and plugin usage.
The in-app browser received performance improvements with advanced annotation mode and batch comment support.