Codex inside the ChatGPT desktop app

Open a local website project in Codex inside the ChatGPT desktop app and make one small, testable change. You will give Codex the right folder, inspect its edits, and verify the result before saving it.

Before you start

• The ChatGPT desktop app installed and signed in, with Codex available for your account and workspace. Download the macOS or Windows app from ChatGPT’s download page, or follow OpenAI’s Linux installation guide.
• A local website folder you can edit and a saved backup or Git checkpoint. For the built-in review pane, the project must be inside a Git repository.
• The exact text or small behavior you want to change and a way to run or preview the project. A simple first job is replacing an existing home-page heading with approved wording.

Want to do it yourself?

Difficulty

4 out of 10

Estimated completion time

20–40 minutes

Skills you’ll need: Navigate the desktop app, select the intended project, and verify one small request against the actual files.

I’ll do it myselfI’d rather get help

How this helps your brand

A small, reviewed content edit helps keep your website’s message current. Confirming the folder, exact wording, and visible result builds a repeatable way to maintain the site without unintended changes.

1. 1

   Step 1: Switch to Codex and choose the project

   Open the ChatGPT desktop app and sign in. Use the ChatGPT dropdown to select Codex, then choose the local project you want to work on. Start a New chat in that project.

   If the project does not have the right folder, open its menu and select Edit project, then Add folder. Make the website folder primary when it should be the default working directory. New chats and Codex’s automatic discovery of project instructions use the primary folder.

   Keep the first job in one folder. Attached folders are available for reading and editing, so attach only what this job needs.

   Illustrated exampleGive the first chat one clear project folder

   Example projectNorthline website

   northline-sitePrimary

   /Projects/northline-site

   • index.htmlHome page
   • styles.cssPage styling

   New chat starts here

   The primary folder supplies the default working directory and automatic project-instruction discovery.

   First job: replace the home-page heading in this website. Attach only the folder this job needs.

2. 2

   Step 2: Ask Codex to inspect before changing anything

   Describe the current heading, where it appears, and the exact replacement. Ask Codex to identify the file and the project’s normal run or check commands before making the edit.

   For example, ask it to replace “Welcome to our website” with your approved business headline. Confirm the folder and file it found make sense. If the file is missing, correct the project context before authorizing a change.

3. 3

   Step 3: Request one edit with a clear check

   Use the prompt below and ask for the smallest change. Include the original text and exact replacement so Codex does not invent your business details or change unrelated wording.

   Read any permission request in the context of the job. If the requested access does not make sense for a heading edit, ask what operation needs it. A project organizes context; the sandbox controls what local commands can access.

4. 4

   Step 4: Inspect the changed file

   Read Codex’s summary and inspect the edit. In a Git project, open the review pane and use Last turn to find the assistant’s latest changes. The broader review views can include changes made by you or other work as well.

   Check that only the intended heading changed and that the surrounding structure remains intact. If the project is not in Git, inspect the named file and compare it with your saved copy; the review pane requires a Git repository.

   Illustrated exampleReview the exact heading change in context

   Illustrated Git reviewLast turn

   index.html1 heading replaced

   <main>

   Removed<h1>Welcome to our website</h1>

   Added · approved wording<h1>Thoughtful interiors for your home.</h1>

   <a href="/contact">Request a quote</a>

   </main>

   Exact replacement; heading tags and nearby link stay intact.

   Next: preview wide and narrow, then test “Request a quote”.

   Without Git, compare the named file with your saved copy.

5. 5

   Step 5: Preview the website and handle a failed check

   Use the project’s normal preview process and open the page containing the heading. Check both a wide and narrow view, and click a nearby link or button to confirm the page still behaves normally. Ask Codex which automated checks ran and which could not run.

   If the preview fails, copy the exact error and explain the action that produced it. Ask Codex to identify whether the failure came from this edit or the existing setup. If it selected the wrong folder, correct the project folder and start a new chat there. Avoid adding more feature requests until the first change is verified.

6. 6

   Step 6: Save the working result and retain the chat

   When the heading is correct and the checks pass, save a working copy or use your normal Git commit process. Keep the chat in the project so its change summary and test instructions remain easy to find.

   You can return to that chat for a follow-up with the new requirement and expected result. Ask separately when you are ready to publish or push changes; this first exercise ends with a verified local edit.

In this local website project, make one small content change.

Page: [page name or route]
Current heading: [exact current text]
New heading: [exact approved replacement]

First confirm the project folder, find the file that controls this heading, and identify the normal preview and relevant check commands. Then replace only this heading. Preserve unrelated work and styling. Run the relevant available checks and tell me exactly how to verify the result at a wide and narrow screen width. Report every changed file and any check you could not run. Do not commit, push, or deploy.