Codex Computer Use for macOS 13

An unofficial, source-built compatibility layer that restores the bundled Codex Computer Use skill on macOS 13 Ventura without modifying system libraries, lowering Mach-O deployment targets, or redistributing OpenAI code.

Tested on macOS 13.7.8 arm64, Xcode 15.2 / Swift 5.9.2, Codex CLI 0.146.0, and bundled Computer Use plugin versions 1.0.1000387 and 1.0.1000451.

Why this is needed

Recent bundled Computer Use services declare macOS 14.4 as their minimum OS and link APIs unavailable on Ventura. Changing LSMinimumSystemVersion or the Mach-O load command is not sufficient because the binaries genuinely import newer Foundation and Swift runtime symbols.

This project takes a different route:

1. Build an open Swift Accessibility/CoreGraphics backend targeting macOS 13.

2. Adapt its stdio MCP tools to the ten-method sky object expected by the existing Codex skill.

3. Install a small clean-room loader in the local plugin cache. On macOS 14.4+ it delegates to the untouched saved OpenAI wrapper; on older systems it uses the open backend.

There is no patching of OpenAI native binaries and no TCC bypass.

flowchart LR
    Skill["Bundled Computer Use skill"] --> Loader["Open clean-room loader"]
    Loader -->|"macOS 14.4+"| Original["Saved local OpenAI wrapper"]
    Loader -->|"macOS 13 / early 14"| Adapter["Sky-to-MCP adapter"]
    Adapter --> Backend["MIT Swift macOS backend"]
    Backend --> AX["Accessibility + CoreGraphics"]

Related MCP server: computer-use

What we added

• A Swift 5.9-safe capture result handoff for the open backend.

• The complete bundled Sky-facing tool surface, including select_text.

• Xdotool-style keypad names such as KP_0.

• Screenshot-pixel to global-coordinate conversion with bounds checks.

• App-path and bundle-ID resolution, app-scoped input, compact state diffs, permission prompting, bounded screenshot storage, and backend recovery.

• A hash-gated installer that refuses unfamiliar proprietary wrapper versions.

• A hash-gated local guidance patch that makes every sky call restart-safe.

• An optional LaunchAgent that reapplies the loader when an update creates a fresh versioned plugin cache.

The backend source and history live in Torrekie/open-codex-computer-use.

Requirements

• Apple Silicon Mac running macOS 13 or newer.

• Xcode 15.2 or another Swift 5.9 toolchain capable of targeting macOS 13.

• A current Codex/ChatGPT installation that already includes the bundled Computer Use plugin and node_repl runtime.

• Node.js 20+. The installer can use ChatGPT/Codex's bundled Node runtime.

• Accessibility and Screen Recording permission for the locally built helper.

Install

git clone https://github.com/Torrekie/codex-computer-use-ventura.git
cd codex-computer-use-ventura
./scripts/install.sh

The default build is ad-hoc signed. It works, but rebuilding can change its TCC identity and require granting permissions again. If you have a stable local code-signing identity, use it:

CODESIGN_IDENTITY='Apple Development: Your Name (TEAMID)' ./scripts/install.sh

The installer builds the pinned public backend commit, assembles a local app, backs up recognized plugin wrappers and Computer Use guidance byte-for-byte, installs the clean loader and restart guard, and enables the update watcher. Set INSTALL_WATCHER=0 to skip the watcher.

After installation, restart Codex or reset node_repl. The first app-state request may open Privacy & Security; enable Accessibility and Screen Recording for Codex Computer Use for macOS 13, then retry.

Verify

sky is an in-memory node_repl binding. A CLI/app restart, js_reset, or kernel recovery clears it. Begin every standalone Computer Use block with the idempotent bootstrap guard. For the default installation, a minimal read-only probe is:

if (!globalThis.sky) {
  var { setupComputerUseRuntime } = await import(
    `${nodeRepl.homeDir}/.codex/computer-use-macos13/computer-use-loader.mjs`
  );
  await setupComputerUseRuntime({ globals: globalThis });
}
var apps = await sky.list_apps();
nodeRepl.write(JSON.stringify({ target: sky.target, count: apps.length }));

Then inspect Finder:

if (!globalThis.sky) {
  var { setupComputerUseRuntime } = await import(
    `${nodeRepl.homeDir}/.codex/computer-use-macos13/computer-use-loader.mjs`
  );
  await setupComputerUseRuntime({ globals: globalThis });
}
var state = await sky.get_app_state({ app: "Finder", disableDiff: true });
nodeRepl.write(JSON.stringify({
  app: state.app,
  textLength: state.text.length,
  hasScreenshot: state.screenshot !== null,
}));

Updates

The watcher runs the hash-gated patchers whenever the bundled plugin cache changes and periodically reconciles the cache in case an update event arrived before all files were ready. Known identical wrappers and guidance files are updated automatically. Unknown future revisions are left untouched and reported in:

~/.codex/computer-use-macos13/reapply.log

Do not add an unknown hash without reviewing the new wrapper and skill API.

Restore or uninstall

Restore the original local wrappers and disable the watcher while keeping the backend:

./scripts/restore.sh

Restore and remove the installed compatibility files:

./scripts/uninstall.sh

Neither command modifies macOS TCC databases.

Development

Run the Node adapter, loader, installer, and syntax checks:

npm run check

Build and test the Swift backend fork:

BACKEND_SOURCE=/path/to/open-codex-computer-use ./scripts/build-backend.sh

See Architecture, Testing, and Troubleshooting for implementation details.

Security and licensing

Read SECURITY.md before enabling the backend on a sensitive machine. The bridge is MIT-licensed. The native backend retains its upstream MIT license and attribution; see Third-Party Notices.

OpenAI and Codex are trademarks of their respective owner.