ChatGPT on mobile: what the official docs actually cover

What this page does and does not cover

There is no standalone "mobile app" page in the ChatGPT documentation set. We checked the official llms.txt documentation index; no such entry exists.

This site's rule is that we do not pad a tutorial out with third-party material or half-remembered behaviour to make it look complete. So this page covers only the mobile behaviour the official documentation actually describes — chiefly Remote, plus part of notifications — and it is flagged for human review.

If what you want is a general "how to use the ChatGPT phone app" introduction, that is outside this page's scope, and we are not going to invent it. For getting started, read the getting-started tutorial, which is backed by the official Quickstart — a Quickstart that itself covers only desktop and web.

Here is what is officially supported.

Remote: your phone's job is driving your computer

Opening Remote in the ChatGPT mobile app lets you work with ChatGPT or Codex chats on a connected Mac or Windows device.

There is one conceptual point the documentation states plainly, and it is the key to understanding the whole feature: your phone sends prompts, approvals and follow-up messages; the connected host provides the environment ChatGPT uses.

Concretely:

• Repository files and local documents come from the connected host.
• Shell commands run on that host or remote environment.
• MCP servers, skills, browser access and Computer Use come from that host's configuration.
• Signed-in websites and desktop apps are available only when the host can access them.
• The sandboxing settings, security controls and action approvals still apply to the connected session.

The documentation also notes that a secure relay layer keeps trusted machines reachable across your authorized ChatGPT devices without exposing them directly to the public internet.

The six things you can do from the phone

The documented Remote capabilities:

1. Start new chats in projects on the host, or continue existing ones.
2. Send follow-up instructions, answer questions and steer active work.
3. Approve commands and other actions.
4. Review outputs, diffs, test results, terminal output and screenshots.
5. Get notified when ChatGPT completes a task or needs your attention.
6. Switch between connected hosts and chats.

Setup has to start on the computer

This is where people go wrong first. The documentation is explicit: mobile setup starts from the desktop app, and you cannot set it up from the Codex CLI or IDE extension.

Before you start, you need:

• Codex access in the ChatGPT account and workspace you want to use.
• The latest ChatGPT mobile app on an iOS or Android device. If Remote does not appear, update ChatGPT first.
• The latest ChatGPT desktop app for macOS or Windows running on a host that is awake, online, and signed in to the same account and workspace.
• Any required multi-factor authentication, SSO or passkey configuration for that account or workspace.

If you use Codex through a ChatGPT workspace, your admin may need to enable Remote Control access first.

Four steps:

1. Start Remote setup on the host. Open the desktop app, go to Settings > Connections > Control this Mac or PC, then select Set up or Add. Approve remote access and complete any requested verification.
2. Scan the QR code. Use your phone; the code opens ChatGPT so you can finish connecting.
3. Finish setup in ChatGPT. Confirm the same account and workspace, then complete any required multi-factor authentication, SSO or passkey steps. After that the host appears in Remote on your phone.
4. Review host settings. In Settings > Connections on the host, manage connected devices. You can also choose whether to keep the computer awake, enable Computer Use, or install the Chrome extension.

One detail people miss: the QR code pairs that phone with that host. Pair every phone with every host you want it to control.

Choosing which computer to connect

Three documented options, with different trade-offs:

Your own laptop or desktop — the machine where the desktop app is already installed. Remote access gets the same projects, chats, credentials, plugins and local setup you already use. The cost: if that computer sleeps, loses network access or closes the app, remote access stops until it is available again. Keep it plugged in and use the host's connection settings to keep it awake. On a Mac laptop, remote access can stay available with the lid open and power connected; with the lid closed, connect an external display as well. Choosing Sleep still stops remote access.

A dedicated always-on computer — for when you want ChatGPT reachable for longer-running work. Install the projects, credentials, MCP servers, skills and tools it should use on that machine.

A remote development environment — when the project already lives remotely. Connect the desktop app host to that environment first; your phone still connects to the same host, and ChatGPT works in the remote environment with its dependencies, security policies and compute resources.

For a Windows host there is a specific note: keep the session unlocked and available for tasks that use Computer Use. Because Computer Use on Windows runs in the foreground, remote control is best for starting or checking work while you dedicate the host desktop to the task.

Notifications

The documented web behaviour: open Settings > Notifications to manage the notification categories and channels available to your account. Depending on the category and account, channels can include push, email or SMS. Manage tasks in the task notification settings opens Scheduled.

Troubleshooting

You do not see the host on your phone — confirm the desktop app is running on the host, that Allow other devices to connect is enabled, and that both devices use the same ChatGPT account and workspace. If you have not used the connection since June 8, 2026, update both apps and pair the devices again.

Remote Control is off after you sign back in — signing out of ChatGPT turns off Remote Control but does not remove existing device pairings. After signing back in, turn on Remote Control to restore the previous connection state. If you see an error after turning it on and selecting Add, restart the desktop app on the host and try again.

The approval request does not appear — open Remote in the mobile app, confirm the phone and host use the same account and workspace, then scan the QR code again or restart setup from the host. In a workspace, ask your admin to confirm Remote Control access is enabled.

The remote session disconnects — check whether the host went to sleep, lost network access or closed the app. Keep the host awake and connected while ChatGPT works.

Authentication blocks setup — complete the account or workspace authentication prompt shown during setup. If your organization requires SSO, multi-factor authentication or a passkey, finish that flow before trying again. If setup still fails, ask your workspace admin to confirm Remote Control access is enabled.