Codex from a phone
Check Codex and send prompts from your phone.
Codex keeps running on the workstation with its repository and tools. A private browser connection lets you inspect output, answer a prompt or start the next command from iOS or Android.
Short answer
How do I use Codex CLI from my phone?
Install tlbx and Codex on a machine that stays online, run Codex inside a tlbx session, and connect over a trusted LAN, private VPN or tlbx Link in the current dev channel. Open the workspace in the phone browser. The phone sends terminal input; Codex, Git and the filesystem stay on the host.
Prepare the host
Install tlbx and authenticate Codex where the source tree and development tools already live.
Keep access private
Use a trusted LAN or a point-to-point VPN such as Tailscale instead of exposing the terminal publicly.
Open it on mobile
Use Safari, Chrome or another modern browser; no SSH client or provider-specific mobile app is required.
Continue the same session
Return to the same terminal and its saved output. Codex keeps using the repository on your computer.
Using your phone
Check progress and give the next instruction.
- Good at
- Checking a long run, answering an agent question, issuing a short command, reviewing terminal output and recovering after a disconnect.
- Input
- tlbx accounts for the soft keyboard and provides terminal-oriented controls for keys that are awkward on touch devices.
- Geometry
- A leading desktop can retain canonical PTY size while the phone follows without reflowing the running TUI.
- Not magic
- The host must remain powered, awake and reachable. A phone browser cannot continue a process after the host shuts down.
Runs on your computer
Codex, your shell and your repository stay on the host. Codex continues using its configured model provider.
Private access
Private routing and authentication remain essential because the browser controls a real shell on the host.
Still a full terminal
The workflow also works for bash, zsh, PowerShell, OpenCode, Claude Code and ordinary terminal programs.
tlbx Link · current dev channel
Connect from another network with tlbx Link.
Use lnk.tlbx.ai to reach your own machines over encrypted WebRTC, directly when possible and through a relay when needed. Enable Link locally in the current dev channel and import your access file once per trusted browser. Private access keys stay in that browser profile. Your host must remain awake and online.
A trusted LAN or private VPN remains an alternative. See Link setup and access boundaries.
Common questions
Codex from a phone FAQ
Do I install Codex on the phone?
No. Codex and tlbx run on the host machine. The phone needs a modern browser and access through a trusted network, private VPN or tlbx Link in the current dev channel.
Does closing the phone browser stop Codex?
No. Codex keeps running on the host. You can reconnect while the machine stays awake and the service is running.
Can I use this outside my home network?
Yes. Use a private VPN such as Tailscale, or tlbx Link in the current dev channel. Keep authentication enabled and do not expose an administrative terminal directly to the internet.
Is this useful beyond Codex?
Yes. tlbx is a general native web terminal and works with other agent CLIs, shells, editors, Git tools and terminal applications.