# Computer Use Plugin Setup For Codex Desktop

This is the exact setup that enabled the bundled `Computer Use` plugin in Codex Desktop on macOS.

## Goal

Make Codex Desktop expose the `Computer Use` MCP tools from the plugin already bundled inside the app.

This guide does not install anything from the internet. It enables the bundled plugin that already ships inside:

`/Applications/Codex.app/Contents/Resources/plugins/openai-bundled/plugins/computer-use`

## Final Working State

Codex was considered correctly configured when all of these were true:

1. `~/.codex/config.toml` had the plugin enabled:

```toml
[plugins."computer-use@openai-bundled"]
enabled = true
```

2. `~/.codex/config.toml` had the bundled marketplace registered:

```toml
[marketplaces.openai-bundled]
source_type = "local"
source = "/Applications/Codex.app/Contents/Resources/plugins/openai-bundled"
```

3. The local plugin cache existed under:

`~/.codex/plugins/cache/openai-bundled/computer-use`

4. After a full `Cmd+Q` relaunch, Codex could reach the `Computer Use` MCP tools.

## Exact Steps

### 1. Quit Codex fully

Use `Cmd+Q`. Do not just close the window.

### 2. Enable the plugin in `~/.codex/config.toml`

Ensure this block exists:

```toml
[plugins."computer-use@openai-bundled"]
enabled = true
```

### 3. Register the bundled marketplace

Run:

```bash
'/Applications/Codex.app/Contents/Resources/codex' marketplace add /Applications/Codex.app/Contents/Resources/plugins/openai-bundled
```

That should add this block to `~/.codex/config.toml`:

```toml
[marketplaces.openai-bundled]
source_type = "local"
source = "/Applications/Codex.app/Contents/Resources/plugins/openai-bundled"
```

`last_updated = "..."` may also appear. That is normal.

### 4. Relaunch Codex Desktop

Open Codex again after the marketplace entry and plugin enable flag are present.

### 5. Confirm the cache exists

After relaunch, this path should exist:

`~/.codex/plugins/cache/openai-bundled/computer-use`

In the working setup, the versioned payload was under:

`~/.codex/plugins/cache/openai-bundled/computer-use/1.0.750`

and included:

- `.codex-plugin/`
- `.mcp.json`
- `Codex Computer Use.app`
- `assets/`

## Verification

Use a fresh thread and ask for a real Computer Use action:

```text
Use Computer Use to open Calculator and type 2+2.
```

Do not use a prompt like:

```text
If it is unavailable, say exactly that and do nothing else.
```

That phrasing can lead the agent to answer before it lazily loads the plugin tools.

## What Counts As Success

These outcomes mean different things:

- `Computer Use plugin/tool is unavailable.`
  This usually means the thread never got the plugin tools.

- A real Computer Use action starts, or Codex asks for approval/macOS permissions.
  This means the plugin is loaded.

- `approval denied via MCP elicitation`
  This means the plugin is loaded and reachable, but the desktop-control action was blocked by approval flow rather than installation.

## Useful Checks

Show the relevant config section:

```bash
nl -ba ~/.codex/config.toml | sed -n '48,60p'
```

Show the cache tree:

```bash
find ~/.codex/plugins/cache/openai-bundled/computer-use -maxdepth 2 | sed -n '1,40p'
```

Show the bundled marketplace root:

```bash
find /Applications/Codex.app/Contents/Resources/plugins/openai-bundled -maxdepth 2 | sed -n '1,40p'
```

## Notes

- This setup used the bundled marketplace inside the app. It did not use a remote marketplace.
- `remote_control` was not required for this setup and should not be treated as part of the fix.
- A full app relaunch matters because plugin discovery happens at startup.